Telefónica ties up deal for Disney+

Disney has signed an exclusive deal with Telefónica for Movistar to be the strategic distributor of Disney+ in Spain. 

The announcement is not a surprise, given Telefónica’s long-standing relationship with Disney. During this relationship, Disney has launched a dedicated Movistar channel along with pop-ups for Disney-Pixar and VOD content – though the latter will now be a part of the Disney+ offer.

Broader than just a distribution deal, Variety reports that this announcement opens the door for co-productions between Disney+ and Movistar+. It says that Disney is “actively pursuing” such a strategy through partnerships with the likes of Studiocanal and Atresmedia Studios.

Emilio Gayo, Telefónica Spain CEO, said: “After years of a strong relationship between Telefónica and Disney, we are excited to announce this alliance. Disney Plus enriches the experience of Movistar customers, with exceptional storytelling from five incredible Disney brands. This agreement reinforces our strategy of always offering our customers the best original content.”

Jan Koeppen, president, The Walt Disney Company EMEA: “We’re delighted to have Telefónica on board for the launch of Disney+. This marks an exciting new era of entertainment featuring premium content across our portfolio of brands, and we can’t wait for Movistar customers to experience it.”

The announcement of this deal comes hot off the heels of deals signed in the UK with Sky and in Italy with TIM.

Disney+ is set for launch in Spain on March 24. Telefónica said that it will give details of Disney+’s product and commercial integration “in the next few days.”