SINGAPORE - Even viewers new to Marvel can enjoy the upcoming series from it on the soon-to-be-launched streaming service Disney+, head of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige said at a press event at Marina Bay Sands on Tuesday (Feb 2).
Speaking over video live stream ahead of the service's launch in Singapore, he said: "There's an expectation that you need to have seen all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films to understand the series, but we've spent a lot of time making sure that is not the case.
"If you're already a Marvel fan you'll catch more Easter eggs in the series but if not, in some ways, you're getting a more pure version of the story. You're not supposed to know the story when you open the first page of a new book."
Disney+ will be available in Singapore from Feb 23 at $11.98 a month or $119.98 a year. It will launch with Marvel series like WandaVision, with Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprising their roles as Wanda and Vision from the Avengers films. Upcoming Marvel titles include The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye - all with characters who have previously appeared in the extended 23-film Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Mr Feige added that the television series will strive to reflect real-life politics and current affairs, even as entertainment remains a top priority for Marvel Studios.
He said: "For example, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier will explore what it means for Sam Wilson (the titular Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie) to be a black American today."
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier will stream from March 19.
Aside from Marvel - one of the six brands launching under Disney+, the service will also carry titles from content brands Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, National Geographic and Star.
Viewers can look forward to series such as the critically acclaimed Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian (2019 to present) and movies like Raya And The Last Dragon, which will launch on March 5 simultaneously in cinemas and on Disney+ with premier access.
This means that Disney+ subscribers can watch the animated movie - the first Disney animated film to be set in a South-east Asian-inspired world - at home at an additional price. Details of the premier access service in Singapore will be released at a later date.
Raya And The Last Dragon's producer Osnat Shurer said her team travelled to various South-east Asian countries to seek inspiration for the film.
On how the region inspired her, she said: "The food, the love of food, the way people come together over food. The movie is a journey of trust for our heroine Raya and you can track that journey through food."
Upcoming titles for Disney+ include the previously announced Star Wars spin-offs such as The Bad Batch, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi; Disney fantasy title Godmothered and superhero film Flora & Ulysses; series of shorts Pixar Popcorn and documentary Inside Pixar.
There is also National Geographic's Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted while Star will offer all 17 seasons of the hit medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2005 to present) as well as more adult-oriented content like the superhero films Deadpool and Deadpool 2 (2016 and 2018).
Consumers can subscribe to the service directly from the Disney+ website or via the Disney+ app on Android and iOS devices. In addition, existing and new StarHub mobile, TV and broadband customers will be able to enjoy up to two years of access to Disney+.
