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Disney Embraces R-Rated Content, Streaming Platform Taken Over by Graphic Horror Franchise

in Disney, Entertainment

Posted on by Luke Dammann 2 Comments
A split image of two fictional characters: on the left, a sinister puppet wearing a black suit and red bowtie, holding a cane; on the right, a worried cowboy doll with a brown hat and sheriff badge, wearing a yellow plaid shirt and cow-print vest. Catch their adventures now on Disney+.

Credit: Lionsgate, Disney (Edit ITM)

An iconic horror franchise makes its Disney+ debut.

Mock-ups for the homepage of Star+
Credit: Disney

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The Walt Disney Company launched Disney+ in 2019, forever changing the landscape of streaming and entertainment. Disney+ is home to thousands of hours of content, ranging from classic Disney princess stories like Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Cinderella (195) to gripping action-adventures like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

For many, Disney+ is a way to catch up on the latest Marvel and Star Wars content, as well, with new shows like Echo, Loki, and Star War’s latest series The Acolyte, debuting exclusively on the streaming platform.

Disney+ also has a robust selection of animated content but for children and adults. Iconic American sitcoms like The Simpsons are available on Disney+ thanks to Disney’s massive, billion-dollar purchase of 20th Century Fox in 2019.

While the platform is best known for being a haven for family-friendly content, certain titles can definitely raise eyebrows, especially after Disney and Hulu joined forces with a new streaming bundle earlier this year.

Now, raunchy titles like Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and Rick & Morty also call Disney+ home. This extends to feature-length films, with several adult-only movies being offered on Disney+.

Clip from Freddy Got Fingered.
Credit: 20th Century Studios

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Tom Green’s disturbing cult classic Freddy Got Fingered (2001) was added to select versions of Disney+ last year, paving the way for more graphic content to be added to the streaming service’s collection.

Freddy Got Fingered is a surrealist black comedy that features extreme vulgarity, both in terms of the language used and the images shown. Absurdist comedy legend Tom Green wrote and directed the film and first made a name for himself working on his own show for MTV.

However, this is far from where the R-rated content ends on Disney+, with an even more graphic franchise officially debuting on the service.

cary elwes screaming in the first Saw
Credit: Lionsgate

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In June of 2024, the Saw franchise was added to Disney+, marking a very dark shift for the once family-friendly platform. The first seven Saw films are now available to stream on Disney+, as long as users have the Disney and Hulu bundle active.

This new horror collection includes the original Saw, Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, and Saw 3D.

The series’ most recent films, Jigsaw, Spiral, and Saw X, are not yet watchable on Disney+ but are available for Hulu subscribers with the Starz add-on.

Discussing Film shared the news online, garnering a wide range of reactions from Disney fans and movie buffs.

User EricPellinen said, “Kids will be introduced to horror cinema like…”

User Chillvro17 said they were worried about their brother being traumatized. “Saw ON DISNEY PLUS?? let me go check on my lil brother before he gets traumatized.”

Twitter/X user tylero2442438 commented on the absurdity of the Saw films being available on a Disney platform, saying “Saw on Disney plus is a sentence I never thought I’d read but here we are lmao.”

The official social media account of the actual Saw franchise responded to the news, sharing a cheeky comment.

It’s unknown what other horror franchises will make their way into Disney’s ecosystem, but it’s clear The Walt Disney Company is no longer shying away from adult-oriented content.

Disney+ does feature a content filter, allowing parents to limit what their kids watch, a feature that will certainly come in handy as more adult content is added onto Disney+.

Will you be watching the Saw films on Disney+?

in Disney, Entertainment

Tagged:Celebrity NewsDisney+

Luke Dammann

When at Disney world, Luke will probably be found eating with his favorite animatronic, Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. When not at Disney World, Luke will probably be found defending Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe to people who claim "there are better restaurants"

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