Streaming service Disney+ removes original movie just 48 days after release

It will no longer be available to watch anywhere

An original movie has become unavailable to watch after just one month of release.

In recent months, there has been plenty of concern surrounding the future of certain streaming titles amid the revelation they are being removed unceremoniously.

The furore kickstarted when it was revealed that Hemlock Grove, one of Netflix’s original titles, would be taken down. Lilyhammer almost received the same treatment until lead star Steven Van Zandt stepped in.

Then, there was a culling of a variety of scripted dramas from Max, formerly known as HBO Max, after it got acquired by Warner Bros Discovery. But, in what could be one of the most egregious examples yet, a film that was released on Disney+ just 48 days ago will be scrapped from the service.

The Kyle Patrick Alvarez-directed science-fiction adventure, titled Crater, stars McKenna Grace and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, and follows friends from a mining colony on the moon in the year 2257. It cost $53.4m and was written by John Griffin, who is behind the successful horror series From, which is available to stream in the UK on NOW.

There has been no official reason provided on why Crater will be removed from the service, but The Independent has contacted Disney+ for comment. It is believed it is an attempt to cut costs related to licencing deals.

The move, which occurred on 30 June, follows the removal of the recent Willow series, a spin-off of the 1988 film of the same name. Brian K Vaughan’s adaptation of Y: The Last Man and documentary series The World According to Jeff Goldblum have also been cut from the service.

According to What’s on Disney Plus, another title that has been removed is the Hilary Swank show Alaska Daily. The streaming service has also confirmed that drama series The Company You Keep and The Watchful Eye will no longer be added to the service in July as planned.

Netflix is receiving a boost, though, following the news that HBO shows will be made available to stream on the service for the first time ever.

McKenna Grace in ‘Crater’ (Disney+)

Crater director Alvarez’s other credits include The Stanford Prison Experiment and the second season of the Prime Video show Homecoming.

Find a full list of every movie and TV show being removed from Netflix this month here.