Walt Disney<\/a> Co. let the world know Thursday that it understands fans — and even shareholders — want it to dramatically step up its streaming game and add more grown-up programs to its kid-safe library. The company already has drawn almost 87 million subscribers to its namesake app, but Disney+ and other new streaming-video services still face the test of whether their offerings are complete enough for Netflix<\/a> devotees to make the switch.
For the first time, the answer for many may soon be “yes.” And Star, an as yet little-known Indian TV brand, is set to play a pivotal role in reaching Disney’s new awe-inspiring projection of at least 300 million total streaming subscribers globally within three years.
In a virtual investor presentation on Thursday, Star was front and center alongside Disney+, a clear signal that the company is looking to take on Netflix<\/a> Inc. and AT&T Inc.’s HBO Max more directly and around the globe. Disney inherited Star from its $85 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox<\/a> in 2019, though the asset was overshadowed at the time by other properties more familiar to U.S. investors, such as Fox<\/a>’s “X-Men” franchise and “The Simpsons<\/a>.”