Big changes are coming to Disney+, and it looks like long-form animated content is no longer part of the plan. Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially announced a shift in strategy, confirming that future long-form animation projects will no longer be created exclusively for Disney+—a move that will directly impact the platform’s 125 million subscribers worldwide.
Disney+ Faces a Major Shift
Since its 2019 debut, Disney+ has positioned itself as the ultimate destination for Disney fans, bringing together content from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and more. Over the years, Disney+ has experimented with different strategies, from Premier Access releases like Mulan (2020) to introducing ad-supported tiers and password-sharing crackdowns. Now, another fundamental shift is underway.
According to an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter, Walt Disney Animation Studios has decided to halt all future long-form animated projects for Disney+. A Disney spokesperson confirmed this shift would result in layoffs at the Vancouver animation studio.
Canceled Disney+ Originals and the Future of Animation
With this decision, multiple Disney+ original animation projects are being scrapped. Among them is the highly anticipated Tiana series, which was set to star Anika Noni Rose, reprising her role from The Princess and the Frog (2009). Another untitled feature-length film planned as a Disney+ exclusive has also been cut.
Instead, Walt Disney Animation Studios will now focus on producing one major theatrical release yearly while still working on short-form animation projects and surprise releases. The upcoming Zootopia 2, a sequel to the 2016 blockbuster, is still set to premiere in theaters on November 26, 2025.
The Moana (2016) Effect: Why Disney Is Moving Away from Streaming Animation
Disney’s decision to step away from long-form streaming animation comes after the studio’s risky but highly successful pivot last year. Initially, a long-form Moana (2016) series was planned for Disney+, but CEO Bob Iger revealed in February 2024 that the project was being reworked as a theatrical sequel. That film, Moana 2 (2024), debuted in theaters last November and became a box office hit—proving that feature animation still thrives in theaters rather than streaming.
Short-form content, on the other hand, continues to perform well on Disney+. Titles like Zootopia+ and Baymax! have won awards, and licensed content like Bluey remains one of the platform’s most popular offerings. However, it remains unclear whether Disney+ will replace its long-form animated series with more short-form originals.
Pixar’s Similar Move Signals a Broader Industry Trend
Walt Disney Animation Studios isn’t the only division making this shift. In 2024, Pixar announced that it would not prioritize long-form episodic content for streaming after the release of its Disney+ original series Win or Lose, which premiered on February 19, 2025.
With both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios pulling away from exclusive long-form Disney+ content, it’s clear that the streaming landscape is changing—and Disney is betting big on theatrical releases once again.
Do you agree with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ decision to stop creating long-form content for Disney+? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
