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Thanks to Star Wars, Disney Plus sign-up pages may include a plug for Starz too

Disney claws back the rights to stream some Star Wars titles by offering Starz' service to people signing up for Disney Plus starting Nov. 12. Disney's service itself won't have ads though.

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Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
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Disney Plus TV app prototype Kevin Mayer

Disney executive Kevin Mayer showed a prototype of the Disney Plus app to investors earlier this year.

 Disney; screenshot by Joan E. Solsman/CNET

When Disney Plus launches in one week, people signing up for the much-anticipated Netflix rival may run into an offer to subscribe to Starz, as Disney makes an effort to claw back some rights to stream Star Wars titles. 

At the end of the Disney Plus sign-up process, new subscribers may see a prompt offering Starz' streaming service, according to a person familiar with the matter. The offer will appear once for people signing up for Disney Plus on Nov. 12 or later on some platforms, the person said, adding that anyone who preorders Disney Plus before its launch date won't see a message about Starz, and that the Disney Plus service itself won't have any ads. 

Earlier Tuesday, a report by The Verge indicated Disney Plus would include ads for Starz on some log-in pages. The Starz message, however, will be part of the initial sign-up process, not part of logging in. 

Starz' streaming service is $9 a month and traditionally offers a seven-day free trial for new members. 

Prior to launching its own streaming service, Disney had deals in place with channels like Starz and services like  Netflix  to show its movies and TV shows. The revised terms with Starz that introduce the sign-up promo mean some Star Wars titles will be available on Disney Plus that were previously locked up. 

Streaming rights deals  are complicated and often hammered out years in advance. Before inking a deal with Netflix in 2012, Disney had its movies air on Starz after their theatrical runs, both on the cable channel and later its streaming app. A host of Disney and Pixar films are still currently available to stream on Starz, including Pixar's Up, Brave and Toy Story 3 and Disney's Into the Woods, Wreck It Ralph and Tangled.