Disney+ is currently on a roll with satisfying fans across the globe, and things aren’t slowing down much in January. December saw the second season of The Mandalorian come to a close, along with some other Disney gems finally joining the service (looking at you Sky High). Disney’s annual Investor meeting also took place in December, and a slew of reveals from all branches assured that Disney+ is going to be the place to put all eyes on in the incoming years (get all your Marvel updates here and Lucasfilm updates here from the event). Fans were also delighted to finally see Pixar’s Soul from the safety of their homes on Christmas Day. After coming off such a pivotal month, how could Disney possibly keep the momentum in January? Marvel Studios is going to answer that call.
WandaVision is going to take the fandom by storm this January. What was originally supposed to be the second series from Marvel Studios behind The Falcon and the Winter Solider manages to come earlier due to the ongoing pandemic. As with every other studio in Hollywood, plans changed and major chess pieces were moved to a new place. The Falcon and the Winter Solider was originally supposed to finish filming to reach a streaming debut this last August. Now that everything has been caught up, the show will now premiere in March. Crazy to think that Marvel will be releasing their first two shows so close to each other, but they have released films within that similar time frame before (Captain Marvel releasing just under two months before Endgame for example). Despite all the delays, WandaVision truly looks like new territory for the studio and like a “welcome back” for the fans after a nice year and a half-long break of content.
Though there is more to note from Disney+ in January. James Mangold’s The Wolverine was added a while back to only be silently taken off sometime after. Disney+ doesn’t make official statements when titles leave, so tracking their collections is a bit more difficult, but at least The Wolverine is coming back. Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs is also joining, looking a bit odd but it’s only a matter of time until subscribers see more of the 20th Century brand on the service. Check out all the new arrivals along with more of our recs below. Also catch up on everything coming to Netflix and HBO Max in January 2021!
Our Recs:
WandaVision
Not much more needs to be said to convince viewers to tune into WandaVision. The series is going to take fans on an MCU mind trip, but with a vintage twist. Only 8 episodes long, January will see roughly half of the series’ run. So far, the weekly release schedule has worked to great benefit for these Disney+ shows. Imagine if they dumped The Mandalorian all at once? These projects wouldn’t have nearly as much of a hold on the cultural zeitgeist. This also has to do with the fact that these shows deal with heavy spoilers for their franchises, and this is no different here. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed that this series directly ties into the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a pivotal film which is also going to pave the way for more chaos in the MCU.
WandaVision is directed by Matt Shakman, who’s well-dipped into television having directed episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Game of Thrones, and Fargo, and premiers on January 15! Safe to say that fans will be streaming every week in hordes.
Earth to Ned
Perhaps one of the slept on gems from the Disney+ catalog of originals, Earth to Ned is debuting its second season in the new year. Coming from the Jim Henson Company, this comedy follows aliens who were originally suppose to invade Earth, but aborted their mission to start a talk show out of their admiration for humans. In the same vein of the Muppets, real-life celebrities join the lead puppets here and play along with the gags. Last season saw a variety of Disney-related stars, and these next 10 episodes feature the likes of Kevin Smith, Molly Ringwald, and Alan Tudyk. There are more surprises in store and it’s nice to see the Jim Henson Company get the spotlight outside of their ventures with the Muppets.
Earth to Ned is a genuinely funny and cute time with each of the celebrity guests bouncing off the zany puppets in different ways. The art of puppetry is still alive and those who admire the craft should certainly give Earth to Ned a shot when it debuts new episodes on January 1.
Dinosaurs
Speaking of puppetry and Jim Henson, the cult hit Dinosaurs is finally coming to Disney+. Originally conceived by Jim Henson, the series wouldn’t actually get made until after his passing. Dinosaurs ran for 4 seasons from 1991-1994 and is one of the true American sitcom gems. There quite hasn’t been anything like it since, and it being widely accessible is something fans have been long waiting for. If one hasn’t seen it, then it’s time to discover the raunchiness of this dino family firsthand. This may look like a typical family comedy, but it proved to push barriers and touch upon many topics not necessarily geared for children.
Dinosaurs won’t come to Disney+ until January 29, but that just means that fans have more time to clear their agendas and prepare for the ultimate binge.
Disney+ Arrivals for January 2021
Coming January 1
700 Sharks
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!
Great Shark Chow Down
Mega Hammerhead
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Wolverine, The (2013)
Earth to Ned (All 10 episodes)
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: A Firm Handshake
Coming January 8
Disney Fam Jam
Ferdinand
Star Wars Forces of Destiny: Volume 1
Star Wars Forces of Destiny: Volume 2
Star Wars Forces of Destiny: Volume 3
Star Wars Forces of Destiny: Volume 4
Toy Story That Time Forgot
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: The Anatomy of Emotion
Marvel Studios: Legends
Coming January 15
Disney Elena of Avalor (s3)
Doctor Doolittle 3
Isle of Dogs
Mary Poppins Returns
WandaVision, Episodes 1 & 2
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: The Concert of a Lifetime
Coming January 22
Wild Uganda
Pixar Popcorn
WandaVision, Episode 3
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: The Finishing Touches
Coming January 29
Dinosaurs (Seasons 1-4)
Epic
The Incredible Dr. Pol
Ramona and Beezus
Texas Storm Squad
WandaVision, Episode 4
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: A Promise Kept
