Disney Plus Fleshes Out Nonfiction Slate, Including ‘Howard,’ ‘Science Fair,’ Mickey Mouse Docu

Elaine Low

Click here to read the full article.

Disney Plus further fleshed out its nonfiction content slate at an International Documentary Association showcase event Friday, as the streamer, preparing for its Nov. 12 launch, continues to flesh out its programming strategy.

Among the announcements:

More from Variety

  • The streamer has acquired the global distribution rights to “Howard,” the Don Hahn-directed documentary about “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” lyricist Howard Ashman, which will stream exclusively on Disney Plus in 2020.

  • “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “20 Feet From Stardom” documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville is producing an untitled Mickey Mouse documentary from Tremolo Productions and Lincoln Square Productions for the streamer, one that will “work to decode Mickey’s deeper significance” and its cultural impact.

  • As part of an overall deal with production company Supper Club, Disney Plus has the following three projects in the works: docu-series “People & Places,” about people who “embody the Disney ethos,” David Gelb-directed “Wolfgang,” about celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, and docu anthology series “Marvel 616,” about the culture of Marvel. “Community’s” Gillian Jacobs will direct the first episode of “Marvel 616,” focusing on the women of Marvel Comics.

  • Disney Plus has acquired the exclusive global streaming rights to National Geographic documentary “Science Fair,” which earned awards at Sundance, SXSW and the Emmys.

“Disney has a rich history in nonfiction storytelling that dates back to the 1940s,” said Disney Plus president of content and marketing Ricky Strauss. “The projects announced and showcased here today reflect Disney+’s commitment to building on Walt’s storytelling ethos and core values of creativity, innovation, and exploration.”

The Mouse had previously announced a number of nonfiction titles for the service in April, including Kristen Bell’s “Encore!”, Disney-inspired cooking competition show “Be Our Chef,” props and costumes anthology series “Cinema Relics: Iconic Art of the Movies,” and family-focused “(Re)Connect.”

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.