Netflix touts Disney partnership to remind U.S. subscribers it still has movies

In the midst of a quest to become an international video streaming success, Netflix has been drawing criticism from core, U.S. customers who say its film and TV library — beyond original series and films — isn’t robust enough to whet their viewing appetites.

Today, Netflix made an announcement seemingly tailored for these restless U.S. customers, touting a pay TV partnership with Disney, along with forthcoming titles that it will stream first or exclusively throughout the summer.

The partnership with Disney allows Netflix, as of September, to offer Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilm movies during the same window when cable networks like HBO would be allowed to air them, but after Blu-ray and DVD releases.

In its video blog post attributed to Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the company presented a montage of customers’ complaint-tweets begging Netflix for more “scary, Korean, Mickey Mouse, gay, Nicholas Sparks” and other movies as well as new TV shows.

Sarandos and Netflix then highlighted newer and classic films that will be available in its catalog this summer, including: The Big Short, Hotel Transylvania 2, Spotlight, Goosebumps, the Back to the Future trilogy, the Lethal Weapon franchise, Sixteen Candles and The Wedding Planner.

Netflix also reminded users of a spate of forthcoming originals that had already been announced, including a Brad Pitt-starrer, War Machine, and Christopher Guest-directed Mascots.

The company isn’t just appealing to its existing customer base ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, when viewership on Netflix spikes. It is also telling a story of an improved content offering to institutional investors.

The strategy seems to be working for now. UBS and RBC Capital issued positive buy or hold ratings on Netflix today, the Street.com reported.

Netflix shares rose by 2.59 percent from $92.89 on the previous day’s close to$94.89. Around the same day last year (May 22, 2015) Netflix shares closed at $88.84.