Disney+ has proven to be a slam-dunk success for the House of Mouse since it first launched in 2019, and has gradually continued to expand into more territories worldwide. Between Marvel, Star Wars, and other famous Disney franchises, the streaming service has continued to deliver a steady stream of original content that has led it to quickly grow to the level of mainstay services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
With minimal gaps between the blockbuster original series in the MCU and the galaxy far, far away, Disney+ continues to dominate the online conversation week-to-week as fans tune in for the latest episodes. Although some have certainly performed better than others, while series like The Mandalorian shatter records, others disappoint and perform below expectations.
That being said, every Marvel and Star Wars series is an undeniable hit in the grand scheme of the television industry, with almost all holding onto viewers' attention for weeks on end. But some may wonder: which Disney+ originals are bringing in the most viewers?
Which Disney+ Series are Watched the Most?
The Hollywood Reporter recently published an analysis of the viewing data statistics on Disney+ which revealed the most-watched Marvel and Star Wars original series on the streaming service.
Across every Disney+ original series, The Mandalorian proved to be by far the most popular with 14.5 billion minutes being watched during 2020, 8.4 billion of which were during the eight-week run of Season 2 - this figure includes both seasons.
Out of Marvel Studios' six Disney+ series, none managed to exceed either season of The Mandalorian. But both Loki (5.23B) and WandaVision (4.8B) did manage to exceed the 4.4 billion minutes watched of The Book of Boba Fett during its run.
Hawkeye and The Book of Boba Fett proved to be the lowest viewed seasons in their respective brands, with both interestingly having aired during a back-to-back window. The bounty hunter-centric Star Wars outing saw a consistent increase in viewing time week-to-week as interest grew closer to the finale - except for one dip at Episode 3.
While all six live-action blockbuster originals managed to hold a position in Nielsen's top ten streaming series throughout their runs, animated projects The Bad Batch and What If...? experienced a much tougher struggle. The two series only managed to appear on the list for seven combined weeks during their May to October release window.
The report made note that Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios' eight combined originals are the only Disney+ releases to have ever cracked Nielsen's top ten streaming series. Non-blockbuster outings such as High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Monsters at Work have failed to bring in the draw of the galactic and heroic adventures.
How Will Disney+ Fare in 2022?
Moon Knight will soon prove to be Marvel Studios' toughest test on Disney+ yet, as it becomes the first original to introduce a brand-new protagonist with few links to the MCU. Only time will tell how Oscar Issac's Marc Spector will fare against Marvel's existing Avengers, but if the early response is any indication, there won't be any issues.
How Moon Knight performs ought to be a strong indication of how the MCU will fare on Disney+ in 2022, with Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk similarly introducing new heroes. What If...? Season 2 will almost certainly perform similarly to the first, but the intrigue comes in Marvel Studios' holiday specials coming this year.
The all-but-confirmed Werewolf by Night Halloween special could go either way, but The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special ought to be a slam-dunk. Audiences have been waiting to see the Guardians return to screens for years now, and the anticipation of Vol. 3 will only boost viewing figures further.
Star Wars will soon premiere its most-anticipated series yet in Obi-Wan Kenobi, featuring the return of Ewan McGregor's Jedi after years of desperate pleas from fans. Based on the response to the trailers and the level of nostalgia his comeback could generate, this could be the Disney+ original to final shoot past The Mandalorian's insane records.
Despite featuring a totally new hero, The Mandalorian found success right from the launch of Disney+ and likely benefited from being the only blockbuster original on the platform. But since then, Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and Baby Yoda have grown to become icons of the galaxy on par with the most famous Star Wars characters.
One thing is certain, between Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Bad Batch Season 3, Andor, and The Mandalorian Season 3, this year belongs to Star Wars on Disney+. But Marvel Studios still ought to maintain strong viewing figures across the board, even if they are slightly below last year due to the lack of familiar faces.
Marvel and Star Wars fans stream countless hours of original and existing content now on Disney+.
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