Disney Plus subscribers get to enjoy a special gift from Beyonce: her newest visual album, Black Is King, which went live exclusively on the streaming service on Friday and has already earned much acclaim.

Mrs. Carter executive produced, wrote, and directed the project, which celebrates Black excellence and culture and brings extended life to her lauded album The Lion King: The Gift (see all listening options for that below, in case you missed it).

“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 in an Instagram post.

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. The visual album features appearances from Lupita Nyong’o, Kelly Rowland, Naomi Campbell, Pharrell and more. Members of Beyonce’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.

Is your interest piqued? 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:

• Month-to-month Disney Plus subscription ($6.99 per month).
• Annual Disney Plus subscription ($70 per year): If you want to prepay for a year of Disney Plus, this option gets your monthly fee down to $5.83.
• Disney Plus/Hulu/ESPN Plus bundle ($12.99 per month): Normally, it costs about $18 to get this triple-shot of Disney-owned online services. But ordering them as a bundle saves you $5 a month.

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 Beyonce’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.

• YouTube
• Spotify
• Amazon Music Unlimited
• Apple Music

This story updates often.

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