The 'Loki' effect: Disney+ to release all originals on Wednesday
"Wednesdays are the new Fridays," Tom Hiddleston aka MCU's Loki had said, while announcing the arrival of his new series on Disney++. Bowing down to the God of Mischief's wishes, all the original series on the OTT platform will now come out on Wednesdays, ditching the Friday schedule, as per reports. The (serious) reason seems to be avoiding competition upon release.
Applies to original series only, to be effective from July
A report by The Hollywood Reporter cited sources to state Disney+ will bring the change into effect from next month, which is solely for original shows, as movies will continue to drop on Fridays. This way, the streamer would not only keep the viewer count for its own movies and shows separate, but also would avoid clashes with Netflix or other OTT platforms.
Know which shows are coming to Disney+ next month
Continuing on its weekly-release pattern, Monsters at Work will be the first series (after Loki) to kickstart this system from July 7. The Turner & Hooch reboot series and Behind the Attraction will come to Disney+ on July 21. Other shows premiering in July are Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life, Turning the Tables With Robin Roberts, and The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse.
'Loki' became most-watched Disney+ premiere by releasing on a Wednesday
Ever since its inception, Disney+ has been releasing new shows and movies on Fridays, following in the footsteps of major contenders. But it changed its routine by premiering Loki on June 9 (Wednesday). This move yielded immediate results, as the Asgardian anti-hero's debut episode became the streamer's most-watched series premiere. So, it is a safe bet to book the slot for other originals too.
'Loki' evaded major competition from various platforms with early release
Had Loki released two days later, on June 11, it would have had competition from Netflix's Lupin part 2, Apple TV's Home Before Dark, and the second season of Hulu's Love, Victor (not available in India till now). To note, the change in "drop day" is applicable globally, and it will be followed in India as well, where Disney+ operates as Disney+ Hotstar.