Fans have seemed to be pretty hopeful about the live-action remake of Disney’s Mulan that was set to hit theatres back in March. The film, like many others this spring and summer, got the push back a few times before Disney made the switch to release it on their streaming service, Disney+. But some fans were a little turned off at the thought of having to pay $30 for a film on a streaming service they already pay to subscribe to. This may have hurt their numbers on opening weekend, with some fans opting to wait for a free release, but a better option might be headed our way.
In a recent report from Gizmodo, the site says they were tipped off by a tech-savvy subscriber that there is a hidden source code on Disney+ that is titled Group Watch. For now, that is not a service that the streamer offers, but Gizmodo also investigated, and they say that the term “groupwatch” appeared hundreds of times in javascript on the landing page for the live-action Mulan. The blog Disney Plus Informer also reported the code.
Here’s the info about the possible Group Watch feature:
The tool appears to allow multiple parties to stream a series or film simultaneously, presumably—as with other native watch party tools—only for people who also have an active Disney+ subscription. In addition to simultaneous viewing, the Group Watch player appears to support user emoji reactions including love, mad, sad, smile, laugh, and wink. It does seem to be limited to people you actually know and restricted on Kids accounts, and the feature may not extend to all titles on the service.
The code includes language that suggests users will be able to use the Disney+ “mobile app or website to invite up to 6 friends to your GroupWatch.” It does appear that the Group Watch function may be limited to one stream at a time, and users who try to join multiple Group Watch parties at once may be told they’ll lose their spot in an old group if they accept a new invitation or start a new party.
This hasn’t been confirmed by Disney, so I guess we will just have to wait and see if this becomes available in the coming days. I think this would help more people tune in and watch the movie with their socially-distanced friends and family. Would it make the difference to you?
Mulan hits Disney+ this Friday.