The streak of Disney-movie exits continues at Netflix with a giant title no longer available. Steven Spielberg’s big-budget adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel The BFG exited on Feb. 28. This leaves the movie without a streaming home. Although it seems like the perfect title to join Disney+, Disney has not announced when (or if) the movie will make it to its own streamer.
Ruby Barnhill stars as 8-year-old Sophie, an orphan who becomes friends with the titular Big Friendly Giant. The BFG is played by Mark Rylance, who voiced the character and delivered a moving motion-capture performance for the film. Others in the main cast include Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall, and Bill Hader. The BFG features a score by the great John Williams and cinematography by Janusz Kaminski.
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Dahl’s novel was published in 1982 and was previously adapted as an animated film in 1989. Spielberg’s version was written by Melissa Mathison, who previously worked with the director on E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. Although the movie did well with critics, it was considered a box office failure thanks to its huge budget. The movie cost $140 million to make and grossed just $195.2 million worldwide.
Spielberg’s latest movie is his remake of West Side Story, which was also released by Disney under the 20th Century Studios label. This was also a box office bomb, but it earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It will be available to stream on Disney+ and HBO Max on March 2. Spielberg is now finishing up work on the semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans, which Universal Pictures will release on Nov. 23, 2022.
Although Disney has its own streaming platform, many of its films and television shows remain on Netflix due to previous licensing deals. Many of these deals expired at the end of February, so it feels like Netflix is experiencing a purge of Disney content. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., American Horror Story, Pose, and American Crime Story are all left Netflix on Feb. 28. Even the Marvel shows produced for Netflix – Daredevil, The Punisher, The Defenders, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist – left Netflix. Disney later confirmed that all the Marvel shows will appear on Disney+ once the platform adds new parental controls.
There are now only eight major Disney-owned titles that will remain on Netflix after Feb. 28, according to DejaView. These are Quantico, How to Get Away With Murder, Cheer Squad, Young & Hungry, New Girl, Arrested Development, Sofia the First and Bunk’d.
