In yet another case of a missing movie on Disney, here is the story of a beloved Russian princess Anastasia which remains missing from Disney+ even though its parent company Fox has long been acquired by the platform.
Watch one of the first trailers of this Fox animation released in 1997:
Once Upon A December, so many of us traveled with the lost princess Anastasia, who was trying to find herself in a foreign land. Evil was personified by Rasputin, the infamous magician who curses the Romanov family, thus separating the daughter of the last czar from her family. Finally, it is at the hands of two con men that the princess returns to the family.
The story of Anastasia has been a muse to many theaters ever since its release in 1997. Broadway has especially been obsessed with this story that symbolized an important moment in Russian history, the rise of Communism in 1918.
Anastasia is not a Disney princess. Despite being a princess, this Russian doll remains alienated from the Disney princess list. Some other popular names include Elsa and also Anna, who have been kept out of the Disney princess lineup.
For those who don’t know, Disney has a whole ceremony to announce the entry of a princess in its originals lineup. There is a coronation ceremony held at the Walt Disney World where the princess gets a face character of her own.
The only three princesses to be included in this list, after the very first compilation, were Tiana Rapunzel and Merida.
That could be one of the reasons Disney has not been lightning fast in inducting Anastasia into the franchise yet.
Fox films still missing
The major reason behind missing movies is that Fox Studios have distributed their content all over the place.
Before all its originals were sold to Disney following their merger, Fox had lent them to many different streamers. As a result, despite the merger, only a few Fox films are actually available on Disney+ currently.
These include the popular animated series The Simpsons and the film based on its characters. Another Fox blockbuster Avatar was on Disney+ since the day it was launched, so was Avengers: Endgame.
Where can you watch Anastasia?
The fan-favorite animated film is currently streaming on HBO Now as per an older contract. But the latest deals ensure that Anastasia is currently owned by Disney after it acquired the Fox Animation Studios.
It will not be long before the beloved Russian princess is on Disney+ once it leaves HBO Now. It is also available on Disney+ in certain regions, like Canada and Australia. The reason being HBO Now doesn’t stream in these countries and so Disney can stream the film over there.
Source: Cheatsheet, Reddit
No Comments on Beloved Russian princess Anastasia remains missing from Disney+ US. Here’s why.