Disney+ Loaned Out One of Its Best Originals to Netflix and It’s Already a Streaming Hit
Disney+ has made the first two seasons of *Percy Jackson and the Olympians* available on Netflix for a limited time, and the series has entered Netflix’s daily Top 10 TV Shows list. The move gives the Disney+ original access to a larger audience ahead of its third season, potentially encouraging viewers who discover it on Netflix to subscribe to Disney+.
The show reached tenth place in Friday’s Netflix ranking, while *Mayor of Kingstown*, another rival service’s series, was fifth. Disney’s third season is scheduled to premiere on 20 November, and the article says the first two seasons may leave Netflix next month. The new season adapts *The Titan’s Curse*, the first story in the series not previously adapted for the screen.
- *Percy Jackson* is in Netflix’s Top 10.
- The first two seasons are available for a limited time.
- Season three is due on 20 November.
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a television adaptation of a bestselling fantasy series about a teenager who discovers he is the child of a Greek god. The show originally premiered on Disney+, a streaming service owned by the Walt Disney Company. The series has developed a significant following since its launch.
For a limited period, Disney+ has allowed Netflix, its main rival in streaming, to carry the first two seasons of the series. This unusual arrangement means Netflix subscribers can watch these episodes without needing a Disney+ account. The two seasons are expected to remain on Netflix temporarily before being removed.
Streaming services typically keep their original shows exclusive to themselves in order to attract subscribers, so this kind of agreement is noteworthy in the industry. By making the show available on Netflix, Disney+ is allowing a much wider audience to discover it. The arrangement happens as Disney+ prepares to release the third season in November.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Licensing content to Netflix expands audience reach beyond Disney+ subscribers, particularly attracting viewers who might not otherwise discover the series and converting them to Disney+ subscribers when they seek season 3. This pragmatic approach treats the first two seasons as loss leaders for premium content, maximising overall engagement and revenue in a fragmented streaming landscape where exclusive access alone may not guarantee subscriber loyalty.
The case against
Licensing flagship original content to direct competitors fundamentally undermines Disney+'s value proposition and weakens its competitive differentiation in the streaming wars. This strategy risks training audiences to wait for Disney's best content to appear on competing platforms rather than subscribing to Disney+, potentially eroding the perceived value of exclusive content and ultimately damaging long-term subscriber retention and loyalty.