Azernews.Az

By Bloomberg

Walt Disney Co. is considering taking its Marvel and “Star Wars” characters direct to consumers with subscription-video services.

The company, which included its ESPN sports network and Disney Channel in Dish Network Corp.’s Sling TV online package, sees opportunities to deliver more shows over the Web, Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said on a Tuesday conference call.

“It is definitely an opportunity, not just for ESPN, but for other Disney brands,” Iger said on the first-quarter earnings conference call. “We think we have that opportunity with a Disney branded service. We may have an opportunity to bring out a Marvel type product and possibly even Star Wars.”

Disney, the world’s biggest entertainment company, has been aggressive under Iger in putting its programs online. It was the first to sell ABC TV-show downloads to Apple Inc.’s iTunes, and agreed to put its movies on Netflix Inc. instead of cable TV. Iger said he isn’t out to break up the cable-TV “bundle” that delivers billions of dollars annually to programmers like Burbank, California-based Disney.

“We are also mindful of the value of the expanded basic bundle to this company,” Iger said. “And we do not believe there is any reason for us to attempt to take out some of this product, particularly ESPN, quickly or right now. In other words, there’s time.”

Iger didn’t provide details of Disney’s plans, and company officials had no further comment. The Sling effort targets the 12 million U.S. broadband-only Internet subscribers, and is an attempt to get them to buy a subscription pay-TV package, he said on the call.

Disney acquired Maker Studios, a YouTube video network, last year, partly to use its family friendly characters in short-form video online.

Maker plans to produce some short-form “Star Wars” shows, people familiar with the matter said in December.

Movies from Disney’s Marvel comic books are among the most successful in Hollywood, including “The Avengers” and “Iron Man.” A new “Star Wars” movie comes out in December.