The Walt Disney Co. said that its streaming service Disney Plus now has more than 50 million subscribers worldwide.
The fast growth of Disney Plus, launched five months ago, is a ray of good news for Disney, whose theme-park business has been battered by the Coronavirus pandemic. The virus, which is keeping people indoors, may actually be encouraging sheltering in place consumers to sign up for the streaming service.
“We’re truly humbled that Disney Plus is resonating with millions around the globe, and believe this bodes well for our continued expansion throughout Western Europe and into Japan and all of Latin America later this year,” said Kevin Mayer, chairman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International. “Great storytelling inspires and uplifts, and we are in the fortunate position of being able to deliver a vast array of great entertainment rooted in joy and optimism on Disney+.”
Launched first in the U.S. Disney Plus has rolled out in eight Western European countries in the past two weeks. Last week, the streaming service became available in India, where it is being offered in conjunction with the company’s Hotstar services. Disney+ already has about 8 million subscribers in India.
