DeepDiveCinema

Curators Note: I will be sounding like a broken record on the phenonmena of disappearing media. In fact, I'm going to assemble a non-exhaustive list.

Disappearing Films in the Streaming Era

Vanishing Film Montage In recent years, many feature films that were once readily accessible in the US or UK have suddenly vanished from major streaming platforms. This trend is driven by a mix of licensing expirations, corporate cost-cutting, and even studio mergers or acquisitions that lead companies to quietly vault certain titles. Streamers have begun removing content to save money – both by writing off assets for tax purposes and by avoiding residual payments to creators. Below we present an exhaustive report on such films, organized by category, followed by a summary table. Each entry includes the film’s title, release year, a brief description, where it was removed from, approximately when, and the known or suspected reason for its disappearance.

Warner Bros. Discovery (HBO Max) Removals (2022)

After the Warner Bros.–Discovery merger in 2022, the newly formed WBD took a hard look at streaming content performance. In August 2022, without prior fanfare, HBO Max quietly pulled several of its exclusive original movies as a cost-saving measure. These were films made for the platform (skipping theaters) and their removal allowed WBD to take a tax write-down and stop paying residuals on under-performing titles. All of the following films were previously available on HBO Max in the US/UK but are now gone from any subscription service (though most remain available to purchase digitally):

Notably, these films were removed without the usual “leaving soon” notices.* Warner Bros. Discovery never publicly detailed each title’s fate, but industry reporting confirms they were pulled as part of WBD’s post-merger content write-offs. The titles listed above, once streaming staples, are now inaccessible via any subscription streaming service (only available via digital rental/purchase).

Disney+ and Hulu Content Purge (2023)

In May 2023, Disney undertook a similar purge of its streaming libraries, deleting dozens of original films and series from Disney+ and Hulu. This move followed CEO Bob Iger’s push to trim \$3 billion in content costs and came with a \~\$1.5–1.8B impairment charge. By removing these titles (all of which had been available to US/UK audiences on Disney+ or Hulu), Disney avoids ongoing licensing and residual fees. The purge particularly targeted under-performing “Disney+ Original” movies that debuted exclusively on the service during 2020–2022. All the following feature-length films were pulled from Disney’s platforms on May 26, 2023 (and most have not resurfaced on any other streamer):

Impact: These films were all once widely available to Disney+ (or Hulu) subscribers and in many cases had been marketed as platform exclusives. Their removal shocked many creators and subscribers – for example, actor Bryan Cranston publicly objected to The One and Only Ivan being taken down, calling it a “sweet, family movie” that would now be unavailable legally. As of mid-2025, most of these titles remain unavailable on any streaming service, although Disney did later allow digital purchase of some removed films (e.g. Artemis Fowl, Better Nate Than Ever, Cheaper by the Dozen, Stargirl, etc.) on VOD platforms. Disney has not announced any plans to restore them to subscription streaming.

Netflix Original Films with Expired Licenses

Unlike Disney and Warner, Netflix’s removals are usually due to licensing agreements ending rather than deliberate cost write-offs of owned content. Netflix brands many acquisitions as “Netflix Original” in certain regions, but if Netflix doesn’t own full rights in perpetuity, those films may quietly leave after a few years. In the past 2–3 years, a number of notable feature films have disappeared from Netflix US/UK because distribution deals lapsed or rights reverted to the producers. These films were previously available to Netflix subscribers but currently cannot be found on any major streaming platform (until/unless a new distributor picks them up):

Note: Netflix does not typically announce these departures; they are often spotted by third parties. According to Netflix, many so-called “Originals” are actually time-limited exclusives. When licensing limitations hit, the film “can be removed” once the window closes. In a few cases, Netflix or the rights-holder may strike a new deal to re-add content (for instance, the film Mudbound was renewed and remains on Netflix). But the titles above were, as of their removal dates, left without any streaming availability in the US/UK.

Other Notable “Buried” Films (Rights and Acquisition Issues)

Beyond streaming library purges and Netflix’s expiring deals, a few films have effectively been pulled from circulation due to rights tangles or post-acquisition decisions. These cases involve movies that were once available (theatrically, on home video, or streaming) but have since been suppressed:

Below is a summary table of the feature films discussed, detailing key facts and disappearance reasons:

Film Title Year Platform Removed From Removal Date Reason for Disappearance
The Witches (remake) 2020 HBO Max (US/UK) Aug 2022 WBD merger cost-cutting (tax write-off of Max Original).
Locked Down 2021 HBO Max (US/UK) Aug 2022 Cost-cutting purge during Warner-Discovery merger.
Superintelligence 2020 HBO Max (US/UK) Aug 2022 Removed quietly to cut costs (no residuals/tax write-off).
An American Pickle 2020 HBO Max (US/UK) Aug 2022 Cost-cutting removal after merger (Max Original film).
Moonshot 2022 HBO Max (US/UK) Aug 2022 Purged in WBD cost cuts (Max Original).
Charm City Kings 2020 HBO Max (US/UK) Aug 2022 Purged in WBD cost cuts (Max Original).
Artemis Fowl 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney content purge (write-off of underperforming exclusive).
The One and Only Ivan 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge for cost savings (family film “vaulted”).
Stargirl 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (removed to cut residuals costs).
Hollywood Stargirl 2022 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (sequel removed; later on VOD for sale).
Timmy Failure: Mistakes… 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (original film removed to save costs).
Magic Camp 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (original film removed to save costs).
Black Beauty 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (original film removed, cost-cutting).
Clouds 2020 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (original film removed, cost-cutting).
Better Nate Than Ever 2022 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (family film removed, cost-cutting).
Cheaper by the Dozen 2022 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (original film removed, cost-cutting).
Flora & Ulysses 2021 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (original film removed, cost-cutting).
Crater 2023 Disney+ (global) May 26, 2023 Disney+ purge (new release pulled weeks after debut).
Rosaline 2022 Hulu (US) / Disney+ (intl) May 26, 2023 Content purge (20th Century Studios film removed post-merger).
The Princess 2022 Hulu (US) / Disney+ (intl) May 26, 2023 Content purge (20th Century Studios film removed, cost-cutting).
Darby and the Dead 2022 Hulu (US) May 26, 2023 Hulu purge (original film removed in Disney’s cost cuts).
Imperial Dreams 2014 Netflix (global) Feb 2023 License expired – Netflix’s distribution term ended.
Cuties 2020 Netflix (global) Sept 2024 License expired – Netflix’s rights lapsed (post-controversy decision).
Illang: The Wolf Brigade 2018 Netflix (global excl. KR) May 2023 License expired – Netflix’s international rights ended.
The Wolf’s Call 2019 Netflix (global excl. FR) June 2023 License expired – Netflix’s rights to stream ended.
Fullmetal Alchemist 2017 Netflix (global excl. JP) Jan 2025 License expired – Netflix’s deal for live-action film ended.
On Body and Soul 2017 Netflix (global) Feb 2025 License expired – Netflix’s rights to film lapsed.
The Coldest Game 2019 Netflix (global) Feb 2025 License expired – Netflix’s rights lapsed (Polish film).
A Twelve Year Night 2018 Netflix (global) Dec 2024 License expired – Netflix’s rights lapsed (foreign film).
Mindhorn 2016 Netflix (US) May 2023 License expired – Netflix’s US deal ended (UK comedy).
Win It All 2017 Netflix (global) Apr 2024 Pulled by Netflix – (Likely low viewership; possible music/licenses cost).
Dogma 1999 (previously: theaters, DVD) \~2017–2019 (OOP) Rights issues – Not streaming; rights owner (Weinstein) refused to license; film effectively “vaulted”.

Table Notes: Platform refers to where the film was primarily available before removal. Removal dates are when the title was taken off (month/year). “License expired” indicates the film’s streaming contract ended (common for Netflix “Originals” not owned outright). Cost-cutting purges refer to deliberate removal by the platform owner to cut losses or avoid ongoing fees.

Each of these films highlights how the evolving streaming landscape – and the business decisions behind it – can dramatically affect availability. A movie can be widely accessible one month and completely gone the next, often with little warning to viewers. For consumers, this means beloved films might suddenly vanish behind corporate vaults or legal limbo. From the corporate side, it reflects a new reality: content isn’t guaranteed to live forever on streaming if keeping it available no longer makes financial sense for the rights-holder. The cases above, especially the high-profile and recent removals, underscore the importance of physical media and licensing negotiations in preserving access to film history in the digital age.

Sources: Industry reports and news coverage were used to confirm each removal and its rationale. Key references include TheWrap (on HBO Max removals), The Verge and Digital Spy (on Disney’s purge), What’s on Netflix (on Netflix Original expirations), and Kevin Smith’s commentary in TheWrap (on Dogma), among others, as cited above.

← Back to All Blog Posts