Disney+ is one of the more popular streaming services currently on the market, boasting a lineup of big-name franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar, along with offerings from ESPN and Hulu. It’s hard to argue that you don’t get a lot of content for your Disney+ subscription. However, many users may not realize you get even more bang for your buck with freebies. Sure, you’re already paying for Disney+, but there are added benefits you don’t even know about since they’re not heavily promoted. And if you’re a Star Wars fan, you’re even more inclined to learn about these secrets lying inside your Disney+ subscription.
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We’ve pinpointed seven of the secret benefits that come free with your Disney+ subscription. Along with enjoying your favorite TV shows and movies, there are extras you probably aren’t aware of inside your Disney+ account. We’re talking deleted scenes, special commentary, IMAX versions, and so much more. Star Wars fans, in particular, will want to pay close attention since many of the extras come from the intergalactic franchise.
Star Wars Deleted Scenes
Have you ever wanted to see what Star Wars scenes made it on the cutting room floor? If so, then Disney+ is the streamer for you. Disney+ has deleted scenes from the Star Wars original trilogy, prequel trilogy, and sequel trilogy all in one place. The streamer groups the Star Wars timeline in chronological order, meaning you can start with tales from the High Republic in Star Wars: The Acolyte and then move on to the most recent movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
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These deleted scenes are found under the “Extras” section of each Star Wars movie page on Disney+. Though they usually run under one minute long, they offer a look at scenes shot for the feature films but were left out for one reason or another. Sometimes it can come down to run time, and other instances sees these scenes changing a story that no longer warrants the scene in question.
IMAX-Enhanced Marvel Movies
The Marvel Cinematic Universe looks better than ever on Disney+ thanks to the magic of IMAX. Marvel Studios has gone back and added IMAX-enhanced versions of solo movies like Iron Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, as well as team-up movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Normally viewers would only be able to watch something in IMAX by going to their local movie theater. But now this can happen just by opening the Disney+ app at home.
IMAX-Enhanced features IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio for some or all scenes as they originally looked on the big screen. That means instead of having the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, some scenes have the expanded aspect ratio so they take up the entire screen.
Commentary From Directors and Actors
One of the best ways to watch a movie is through the bonus commentary, where the creators and actors behind the films sit down and discuss it while the movie plays out. The viewer gets to see the movie and hear the commentary voices as they provide behind-the-scenes details you can’t find anywhere else. Many of the Star Wars and Marvel movies come with this type of commentary as an option under the “Extras” section.
Listen to filmmakers Rian Johnson, Joe and Anthony Russo, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely as they talk over some of the biggest and most successful movies made in the modern era.
Sing Along With Your Favorite Disney Movies
Disney is known for the catchy musical tunes and songs that are littered throughout its movies. From Frozen to Encanto to The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, Disney+ subscribers can now sing right beside these animated and hybrid hits. The musical versions of these films dropped in 2022, with newer entries being added as they make their way to Disney+
These “Sing-Along” editions are separate entities inside Disney+, alongside the original versions of the films. Disney+ encourages subscribers to follow the on-screen lyrics and sing along to their favorite songs.
Score-Only Version of Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Another musically inclined option on Disney+ is to stream Star Wars: The Last Jedi. But instead of running its commentary track or deleted scenes, viewers can tune in and watch a version of the Rian Johnson-directed film but only with the musical score playing. That means no dialogue or sound effects to be found. This is even more unique than the Sing-Alongs we mentioned earlier, since there won’t be the familiar lightsaber or blaster sound effects we’ve all grown accustomed to over decades of Star Wars storytelling.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson came up with the idea of the Score-Only version. He wanted a way to celebrate composer John Williams’s masterful work on the Star Wars movies. There’s also over 70 minutes of unreleased music found in the edition.
Making-of Documentaries for The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker
It’s Star Wars again with another intimate angle for two of its most recent movies. The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker both have special feature-length documentaries to wrap up the Skywalker Saga. Rian Johnson helmed the middle chapter, The Last Jedi, with J.J. Abrams coming back to complete the trilogy he started with The Force Awakens.
The Director and The Jedi is the title of The Last Jedi‘s documentary as Rian Johnson goes into the process of joining the Star Wars franchise. The Skywalker Legacy goes behind the scenes on the making of The Rise of Skywalker.
Specials Filmed Inside Disney Parks
Disney is known for its parks and attractions that thousands of fans flock to each year. There are specials and documentaries filmed inside those Disney Parks, from Disneyland Resorts, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and more. It’s another unique look at how some of your favorite Disney locations bring that magic to visitors.
Examples of these series and specials include Epcot Becoming: Inside the Transformation, The Imagineering Story, Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Behind the Attraction. So the next time you’re aimlessly scrolling Disney+, you can’t use the excuse that you can’t find anything entertaining to watch. Disney+ is full of interesting nuggets just waiting to be explored.
