The galaxy far, far away's latest addition has arrived in The Book of Boba Fett. After a year-long wait, Boba Fett's journey continues his storyline that was established in The Mandalorian Season 2: the transition from fearsome bounty hunter to powerful crime lord. Fett's return came with many questions, which his individual series has already begun to answer.
Star Wars fans waited 38 years to see the live-action depiction of Boba Fett's escape from the Sarlaac, a brief sequence that bridged Return of the Jedi and The Book of Boba Fett seamlessly. Briefly preceding that big event were flashbacks to Boba's past during the Attack of the Clones era, including a new shot from the aftermath of the Battle of Geonosis.
While the first episode of the series was generally carried by flashback sequences, the present day did lay the foundation for what could be an intriguing struggle for power. Compared to The Godfather films by the creators involved, Boba Fett looks to expand the underworld of Tatooine... and potentially other factions in the galaxy.
Marvel Studios owned pop culture for the bulk of 2021 and dominated Disney+. The MCU closed out its streaming push with the series Hawkeye, starring Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld. As successful as the show proved to be, the archers were no match for the might of Boba Fett - who's already broken a viewership record.
Boba Fett Surpasses Hawkeye's Early Viewership
Deadline has reported that The Book of Boba Fett's premiere episode has outperformed that of Hawkeye's viewership. According to measurements by Samba TV, "Chapter 1 - Stranger in a Strange Land" was streamed by 1.7 million households in the United States during its 5-day premiere span, compared to the Hawkeye debut's 1.5 million viewers.
Among the Disney+ series to debut on Wednesdays, Loki's premiere saw the highest viewership in 2.5 million audience members.
Flamethrower Beats Bow & Arrow
Any questions of Star Wars' ability to thrive in the current pop culture environment can be put to bed.
The MCU has largely taken over as the most talked-about franchise, but George Lucas' space opera is here to stay. For the first time, Star Wars is poised to see a mass influx of releases on Disney+, with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Bad Batch Season 2 all coming to the platform at various points throughout 2022.
While Hawkeye's titular character doesn't have as much fame as Iron Man or Captain America, the series' stars have major followings and serve as a fun duo for a story that went to dark places. Boba Fett, despite his limited screentime, has been an iconic figure for several decades within the Star Wars fandom, and evidently continues to be for both diehards and casual audience members.
Given that The Mandalorian proved to be something of a phenomenon, the success of a tie-in series shouldn't come as much surprise. Boba Fett's epic return in Season 2 blew minds over a year ago, and the post-credit scene that saw him take over Jabba's Palace created a grueling wait for his solo series. While the premiere episode didn't move the needle far in terms of plot, the potential return of iconic characters and larger challenges for the new crime lord should keep fans glued to the series.
Will Star Wars be able to top Loki's enormous premiere record? While the ship has jumped to lightspeed for Boba Fett, perhaps the most anticipated project in years is Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Ewan McGregor-led project has the potential to be one of the most beloved stories in the Star Wars canon and, like Boba Fett, the Jedi Master is iconic enough to grab eyes from all places.
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett stream Wednesdays on Disney+.
