By Movieguide® Staff
Disney+ is leaning harder into local stories, younger adult viewers and the theatrical pipeline as the streamer works to grow across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“Today, we are very much in growth mode, right across the board,” Karl Holmes, general manager of Disney+ EMEA, said at the Enders TMT Leaders Live conference in London.
Holmes told the conference that the platform’s EMEA customer base has grown by more than 25 percent since the start of 2025. He also said average viewing per retail subscriber has climbed by more than 10 percent over the same stretch, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The executive pointed to young adults as a major part of Disney+’s current pitch in the United Kingdom. Citing BARB in-home viewing data, Holmes said almost 40 percent of Disney+ viewing hours in the U.K. come from viewers ages 16 to 34.
Deadline also reported that Holmes placed Disney+ ahead of Netflix, Prime Video and Paramount+ in that young-adult share. “Disney+ now appeals to adults as much as kids,” Holmes said, adding that its grown-up audience is “emphatically young.”
The ad-supported tier has become another growth piece for Disney. Holmes said Disney+ has launched ad tiers in 15 European countries since November 2023, with more than 1,000 brands joining the platform’s advertising business.
Disney+ EMEA boss Karl Holmes has made the case for the streamer being the platform of choice for young adults in the UK.
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The executive unveiled data from UK ratings agency Barb that found almost 40% of viewing hours on the Disney+ platform are from 16-34 year olds, which was…
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) June 4, 2026
Holmes also argued that Disney’s theatrical strength helps Disney+ after movies leave cinemas. He cited Disney’s EMEA box office performance and said recent and upcoming titles give the streamer a movie lineup other services cannot easily match.
Among the releases expected to move from cinemas to Disney+ are ZOOTOPIA 2, AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, TOY STORY 5, THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2. For families, that pipeline matters because major theatrical releases often become the next wave of at-home viewing decisions.
Disney+ also plans to increase local originals across Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Turkey and the UK. Holmes said Angela Jain, who joined Disney+ EMEA as head of content last year, is driving a larger slate of local greenlights.
The strategy reflects a broader streaming shift. Global franchises may draw attention, but local stories can keep subscribers engaged week after week, especially when they speak more directly to the places and families watching them.
Holmes named the hit series RIVALS as one example of Disney+’s regional momentum. Deadline reported that he also referenced the Jemaine Clement-starring ALICE & STEVE and an Oasis documentary as part of the coming lineup.
For Christian parents, the news is less about corporate boasting than cultural awareness. Disney+ continues to compete for family attention, and its growing emphasis on young adults means parents will need the same discernment they bring to any major entertainment platform.
Holmes framed Disney’s advantage around stories that can travel across generations. If the company delivers on that promise with genuine imagination and respect for families, viewers will notice; if it simply expands volume, families will still have to sort carefully through what earns a place in the home.
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