Black Is King initial release details: How to watch Beyonce's new album on Disney Plus right now - CNET

Disney Plus subscribers now get to watch an exclusive treat: Beyoncé's newest visual album, Black Is King, which became available on the streaming service on Friday. The cinematographic album is doing well so far on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96 percent audience score and a 100 percent "Tomatometer" score, which is based on critics' reviews. 

Queen Bey wrote, executive produced and directed the project, which picks up where her album The Lion King: The Gift left off in honoring Black excellence and culture. The singer's first foray into the world of visual albums was in 2013, when she dropped her fifth album, Beyoncé, as a surprise release. 

In an Instagram post, Beyoncé explained the goal of Black Is King.

"With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy," she wrote.

Black Is King follows the stories of Black families throughout time and tells "a tale about a young king's transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity," Disney described in a press release. The young king's loved ones help guide him to reclaim his home and throne. It features appearances from Lupita Nyong'o, Kelly Rowland, Naomi Campbell, Pharrell and more. Members of Beyoncé's family, like her daughter, Blue Ivy, and her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, were also in the film.

The film has sparked controversy among members of the African community over its portrayal of African cultures. In the Black is King trailer (embedded below), the characters are seen wearing animal skins and face paint.

Here's how you can watch Black Is King now that it's live on Disney Plus. 

Can I watch Black Is King on Disney Plus for free?

To watch Black Is King, you'll need to have one of the Disney Plus subscriptions below. Note that you can cancel anytime.

While Disney Plus no longer has a free trial option, some Verizon and US Mobile subscribers may be eligible for a free Disney Plus account as part of their wireless or internet services. 

For everyone else, there are three ways to subscribe:

If you don't see Black Is King highlighted at the top of Disney Plus, you can search by selecting the magnifying glass icon and typing the movie's name.

Can I download Black Is King to watch offline?

Disney Plus lets you download all its shows and movies to watch offline.

Where can I listen to Beyoncé's album The Lion King: The Gift?

Before you watch the movie, you may be interested in listening to The Lion King: The Gift album. Vanity Fair reports Black Is King will pick up where The Gift left off, so listening to the album could help make the transition to the movie easier. Here's where you can listen.

This story updates often.

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