New data has confirmed just how important Star Wars is to Disney+, even though there haven’t been any live-action releases this year yet. Every streaming service is only really as successful as its original content, and that’s certainly true of Disney+. Star Wars has always been central to the streaming giant’s success, with The Mandalorian season 1 even premiering alongside the platform’s launch back in 2019. But new data has revealed just how important Star Wars remains.
Per Variety, third party analytics firm Luminate Streaming Viewership has analyzed viewers who checked out Disney+ originals in 2024. So far, Star Wars is responsible for over 15.8 percent of viewership – coming behind Percy Jackson & the Olympians (23.3 percent) and Marvel Studios (21.7 percent plus). This is a staggering achievement for Star Wars, not least because the data demonstrates a strong bias in favor of live-action, and all this year’s Star Wars live-action shows are yet to release.
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Star Wars Remains Vital To Disney Plus
This supports an earlier analysis from December that suggests Star Wars is Disney+’s biggest hit when it comes to original content. There had been strong concerns that the franchise would struggle to maintain its momentum, given the increasing gap between shows; but thankfully, the viewership pattern suggests that isn’t really the case. The audience for animated shows may be smaller, but it is still significant, and explains why animation remains a priority for both Lucasfilm and Marvel.
The real test, though, will come with Lucasfilm’s 2024 live-action shows. Both are untested brands, expanding Star Wars in surprising directions; The Acolyte premieres on June 4, and it will introduce viewers to the tail-end of the High Republic Era, a century before the main Skywalker Saga. Skeleton Crew, which will come out later this year, is set in The Mandalorian era but features a whole new cast.
Meanwhile, there’s some evidence Disney is dialing down a little on new Star Wars and Marvel content. Disney CEO Bob Iger has officially set a limit of two new Marvel TV shows per year, and it’s likely a similar rule exists for Star Wars; Skeleton Crew was mysteriously pulled from the Christmas 2023 slate, perhaps due to fear of releasing too much, too quickly. A new pattern is taking shape, and it will be fascinating to see how that plays out for both Star Wars and Disney+.
Source: Variety
