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Credit: LucasfilmDisney+ is heading into the new year with a move that will catch many subscribers off guard. As January 2026 approaches, the streaming service is quietly preparing to shed a significant amount of content. We’re not talking about a title or two slipping away unnoticed. This is a broad sweep that will noticeably slim down the library, and it’s happening quickly once the calendar flips.
What makes this moment feel especially unsettling is how familiar Disney+ has become for many households. It’s the place you go without thinking—where comfort rewatches live alongside new releases. So when that sense of permanence starts to wobble, it raises questions. What’s leaving? Why now? And what does this mean for the platform’s future?
Before diving into the specifics of what’s going away, it’s helpful to take a step back and examine what Disney+ has built—and why these changes matter.
Why Disney+ Became a Streaming Staple
Since launch, Disney+ has positioned itself as more than just another streaming app. It has evolved into a central hub for Disney’s biggest brands, blending nostalgia with new storytelling. Subscribers can stream Disney+ originals alongside massive franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, while many also access Hulu and ESPN programming directly within the Disney+ app through bundled plans.
That integrated experience is what made the service feel “safe.” Animated classics, family-friendly originals, superhero series, and even more adult-leaning Hulu titles all appeared together in one place, often without clear lines separating where each piece of content originated. Over time, that blurred experience conditioned viewers to assume that once something appeared on Disney+, it would likely remain there.
January 2026 challenges that assumption in a meaningful way, as a wave of Hulu titles currently viewable through Disney+ is scheduled to disappear, quietly reshaping what many subscribers see when they open the app.
The First Wave of Movies Leaving
The month begins with a noticeable purge, when several recent holiday-themed films are removed from the platform simultaneously. Titles like All I Want For Christmas (2022), Christmas on Repeat (2022), Menorah In The Middle (2022), My Christmas Fiancé (2022), and Santa Games (2022) all disappear at once.
These movies may not be household names, but they’ve quietly filled seasonal watchlists over the last few years. Their removal signals that Disney+ is no longer treating even recent additions as long-term fixtures, especially when it comes to made-for-streaming holiday content.
Early January Continues the Pattern
Just a few days later, the removals continue. On January 6, House of Darkness (2022) leaves the service, followed by True Things (2021) on January 7. These aren’t Disney-branded stories in the traditional sense, but their presence helped round out the platform’s more adult-leaning offerings.
By spacing these exits just days apart, Disney+ makes it clear this isn’t a one-day cleanup. It’s a gradual reduction that spans the entire month.
Documentaries and Literary Adaptations Follow
Mid-January brings a different kind of loss. On January 11, Riotsville, USA (2022) will be removed from the service, taking with it a critically acclaimed documentary that had added depth to the platform’s nonfiction offerings.
Then, on January 20, two very different films leave together: Dig (2022) and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (2022). The latter, a literary adaptation with a devoted fan base, has quietly become a favorite for viewers seeking something heartfelt and character-driven. Its removal will likely sting for subscribers who discovered it late.
Horror Titles Exit Toward the End of the Month
As January winds down, Disney+ continues trimming its darker offerings. On January 26, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022) exits, followed by The Inhabitant (2022) on January 29. These films helped diversify the platform’s genre range, even if they weren’t universally loved.
Finally, on January 31, Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman (2021) closes out the month’s removals. By the time it leaves, the cumulative effect is apparent: hundreds of hours of content will have vanished in just 31 days.
What Disney+ Is Adding While Content Leaves
Despite the scale of these removals, Disney+ isn’t heading into January 2026 empty-handed. In fact, the service plans to offset the losses with several high-profile additions.
One of the biggest draws will be the arrival of the Indiana Jones collection, starring Harrison Ford, giving subscribers access to one of Disney’s most iconic adventure franchises in one place. On the TV side, new episodes of Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Season 4) will roll out, continuing the platform’s push into kid-friendly Marvel storytelling.
Fans of fantasy will also have reason to stay tuned as Percy Jackson and the Olympians continues releasing new episodes for season 2, along with the next batch of episodes of Phineas and Ferb (Season 5). Add to that the arrival of Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and the premiere of Wonder Man (2026), and it’s clear Disney+ still plans to make noise in 2026.
What This Shift Really Means
Still, the balance feels different now. Disney+ is signaling that its library will be more fluid than many subscribers expected. Titles will come and go, even relatively recent ones, as the company reshapes its streaming strategy.
For viewers, that means paying closer attention. If something catches your eye, waiting “until later” may no longer be a safe bet.
The Bottom Line
January 2026 marks a turning point for Disney+. While the platform continues to invest in big-name franchises and fresh releases, it’s also proving that no title is guaranteed a permanent home. Hundreds of hours of content will disappear in a single month, reshaping subscribers’ perceptions of the service.
Disney+ isn’t shrinking—it’s changing. For fans, January 2026 is a month to watch closely.