Disney+ Launch Delayed in India

With many of the world's businesses shut down over the threat of COVID-19, people are working from home and staying inside in order to practice social distancing. With movie theatres being closed, people are having to turn to their television for entertainment. Luckily, there are a lot of options, which will soon be expanding for people in the UK when Disney+ launches there on March 24th. Unfortunately, not everyone around the world is so lucky. Deadline reported earlier today that the previously scheduled Disney+ launch in India has been delayed over "coronavirus chaos."

"The streamer will no longer go live in India on March 29 as originally intended, and Disney is yet to specify a new launch date for the service, which is stocked with original series such as The Mandalorian," Deadline explains. "Disney had planned to time the launch with the start of the Indian Premier League season, but given the spread of COVID-19, the sporting event has been rescheduled. Disney+ will be part of Disney's local streamer, Hotstar, which has 300M monthly active users." Here what Uday Shankar, president of The Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman of Star & Disney India, had to say about the delay in a statement:

"We recently announced that Disney+ would launch in India through the Hotstar service in conjunction with the beginning of the Indian Premier League cricket season. Given the delay of the season, we have made the decision to briefly pause the roll-out of Disney+ and will announce a new revised premiere date for the service soon."

The spread of the COVID-19 has caused wide-scale disruption across the entertainment industry. Many television shows have halted production. Tons of theatrical releases have been pushed back. Disney parks have shut down. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson both tested positive for COVID-19. Idris Elba also revealed he tested positive for the virus. Warner Bros. canceled the premiere of Superman: Red Son. The Game Developers Conference canceled its 2020 event after a series of company pullouts. London Book Fair was canceled. This year's SXSW was also canceled.

For those who are worried about the spread of the coronavirus, the CDC offers a litany of tips, including covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding large gatherings or close contact with people who are sick, and washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Disney+ is currently available in the United States and will be launching in the UK on March 24th. If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.