Disney+, the conglomerate’s new streaming service, is coming out of the gates pumping on all cylinders with the news that Diego Luna and Anthony Mackie are going to be leading Star Wars and Marvel shows.
The most recent news is the reveal from Disney that Luna is reprising his role as Cassian Andor in an upcoming Star Wars series taking place before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
The currently untitled series is described as a “rousing spy thriller” that will “explore tales filled with espionage and daring missions to restore hope to a galaxy in the grip of a ruthless Empire.”
“Going back to the Star Wars universe is very special for me,” said Luna to Lucasfilm. “I have so many memories of the great work we did together and the relationships I made throughout the journey. We have a fantastic adventure ahead of us, and this exciting format will give us the chance to explore this character more deeply.”
No release date has been given, but I’d assume it could bow sometime in 2019, seeing that 2019 is the year the streaming service will finally premiere.
A few days ago, it was announced Mackie would reprise his role as the Falcon in a Disney+ limited series. Sebastian Stan will also be on board as the Winter Soldier/Bucky. According to Variety, Empire writer and co-executive producer Malcolm Spellman will write the series.
Unfortunately, there’s no news on what the series could entail, but if it includes both the Falcon and Bucky, it could presumably be a show with a buddy-cop-esque feel, as well as some pathos for their mutual friend Captain America, who may or may not die in Avengers 4, seeing how Chris Evans has already said goodbye to the character for good.
The question isn’t whether I want to see these shows. The question I have, and I think the question all of us who already spend money on streaming services have, is just how much is it going to cost us? Even though streaming services can cost as low as $9.99 a month, those $10 add up when multiplied across various services over the course of a year. How much expendable income are we going to need just to watch TV?
This is a question that will only grow bigger the more networks and companies start creating their own online services. But as for Disney+, this is a question we’ll get a little clarity on as soon as 2019 rolls around. For now, let’s just enjoy that superheroes of color are coming to the small screen. Let’s hope this paves the way for more quality stories about extraordinary folks who look like us.