X users poke fun, “Just theaters?” as Walt Disney Animation halts original long-form content for Disney+

Disney fans, brace yourselves because an era has officially come to an end. Walt Disney Animation Studios has decided to stop developing original long-form content for Disney+, marking a major shift in its streaming strategy. Yes, that means no more brand-new feature-length animated projects debuting exclusively on the platform.

Instead, Disney is going back to what it knows best: theatrical releases. While this decision makes sense from a business standpoint (because, well, money), it has left the internet feeling some type of way. And in true social media fashion, users wasted no time in turning this news into comedy gold.

Disney Drops Disney+ Originals And The Internet Drops Jokes

The moment the announcement hit, social media exploded. Some were shocked, some were furious, and some were… oddly relieved? It’s not every day that Disney flips its own strategy on its head, so naturally, people had thoughts.

The news spread like wildfire, mainly because it confirmed what many fans had suspected: Disney+ isn’t quite the goldmine the company hoped it would be. After years of non-stop content drops, some great and some questionable, Disney seems to be taking a step back. And that sent fans into a frenzy.

The reactions weren’t just your standard “oh no, what now?” kind of posts. They were funny, dramatic, and, in true internet fashion, borderline unhinged.

One user summed it up perfectly: “What will they be developing content for then? Just theaters?” which, honestly, is a fair question.

Others speculated that this was yet another sign that Disney’s streaming ambitions weren’t quite panning out as planned.

Then there were the optimists, cheering on the return of big-screen exclusives. "This is great, actually. They will finally get back to theatrical releases," one fan wrote, treating this like the comeback tour of classic Disney animation.

But not everyone was thrilled. Some saw it as Disney abandoning innovation altogether, with one particularly dramatic take declaring, "The age of original thought is DEAD."

And, of course, it wouldn’t be a true internet moment without a sprinkle of nostalgia-fueled cynicism: "Disney saw people liking their old stuff and said, ‘Bet, that’s all you get.’” Savage.

This decision raises some big questions. If Disney is pulling original animation from Disney+, what’s next for the platform? Will it just be a vault for old content and the occasional Marvel spinoff? Or is this just a temporary shift while they figure things out?

Either way, one thing’s for sure: fans will always have something to say about it. And if Disney decides to change course again in a few years? Well, the internet will be waiting, memes in hand.