Disney+ Launch in France Delayed Until April

Places all over the world are shut down due to the threat of COVID-19, which means people are staying home and practicing social distancing. With movie theatres being closed, film buffs are having to turn to their television for entertainment. Thankfully, there are plenty of streaming options, which will soon be expanding for people in the UK when Disney+ launches there on March 24th. Unfortunately, not everyone in Europe is getting the same deal. According to Deadline, the Disney+ launch in France has been delayed until next month.

The article explains that Disney+ is cutting back bandwidth utilization by 25 percent in all markets set to launch the streaming service on March 24. They've also decided to delay France's launch until April 7th. "Kevin Mayer, Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer & International at the Walt Disney Co. said in a statement that it was responding to a European Union government request," Deadline explains. "The Disney decision follows a similar effort announced by Netflix. That company said Thursday it will limit the streaming quality of its content for the next 30 days for users in Europe to relax the strain on communications networks caused by the coronavirus lockdown."

Mayer released a statement and addressed the people of France: "To our French fans, the Disney+ service is coming, but at the request of the French government, we have agreed to postpone the launch until Tuesday, 7 April 2020."

France isn't the only country getting a delay. India was supposed to have its Disney+ launch on March 24th, but was pushed back due to "coronavirus chaos." As of now, a new start date has yet to be announced.

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 and in France on April 7th. If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.