Since its initial launch in 2019, Disney+ has been a resounding success for the Mouse House, and it has since expanded into more countries around the world. A steady stream of original content from Marvel, Star Wars and other well-known Disney franchises has helped the streaming service quickly rise to the level of Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Disney+ continues to lead the online conversation week after week as fans tune in for the latest episodes from the MCU and the galaxy far, far away. Despite the fact that some have done better than others, such as The Mandalorian, others have disappointed and underperformed.
However, in the grand scheme of television, Marvel and Star Wars series are undeniable hits, with almost all of them holding viewers’ attention for weeks at a time. Which of Disney+’s originals is drawing the most attention?
Which Disney+ shows are the most popular?
According to a recent report by The Hollywood Reporter, the most-watched Marvel and Star Wars original series on Disney+ were revealed. Season 2 of The Mandalorian was the most-watched original series on Disney+ in 2020, with 8.4 billion minutes viewed during its eight-week run, which includes both seasons.
The Mandalorian’s two seasons on Disney+ were the best of Marvel Studios’ six Disney+ series. The Book of Boba Fett had 4.4 billion minutes viewed during its run, but Loki (5.23B) and WandaVision (4.8B) both managed to surpass that number.
Seasons of Hawkeye and The Book of Boba Fett were both the least-watched in their respective brands, and both aired in the same time slot. Only one episode, Episode 3, saw a decrease in viewing time as interest grew closer to the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
In contrast to the six live-action blockbuster originals, animated projects The Bad Batch and What If…? had a much more difficult time securing a spot in Nielsen’s top ten streaming series. In total, the two series appeared on the list just seven times between May and October of this year.
According to Nielsen, only eight Disney+ originals from Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios have ever cracked the top ten list of streaming series.
How will Disney+ perform in 2022?
Because it is the first Marvel Studios original series to feature a new protagonist with little to no connection to the MCU, Moon Knight is going to be a big test for the studio on Disney+. If the early response is any indication, there won’t be any problems for the new Marc Spector being played by Oscar Isaac in comparison to Marvel’s existing Avengers.
With Ms Marvel and She-Hulk also introducing new heroes, Moon Knight’s performance should be a good indicator of how the MCU will perform on Disney+ in 2022. What if? This year’s holiday specials from Marvel Studios are what’s keeping people excited about season two.
In contrast to the almost certain Werewolf by Night Halloween special, the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special should be a foregone conclusion. The eagerness of fans to see Guardians of the Galaxy return to the big screen will only increase viewing figures for Vol. 3.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, the most eagerly awaited Star Wars series to date, will premiere soon and feature the long-awaited return of Ewan McGregor’s Jedi after years of fan pleading. Based on the reaction to the trailers and the level of nostalgia his return could garner, this could be the Disney+ original to finally break the records set by The Mandalorian.
The success of The Mandalorian on Disney+ is likely due to the fact that it is the only original blockbuster on the service, which is a major factor in its success. In the intervening years, Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and Baby Yoda have become as iconic as the most well-known Star Wars characters themselves.
There is no doubt that this year belongs to Star Wars on Disney+ with Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Bad Batch Season 3, Andor and The Mandalorian Season 3. Even if viewership numbers are down slightly from last year due to the absence of familiar faces, Marvel Studios should still be able to maintain strong overall numbers.
