Disney+ continues to struggle with a harsh reality. Between Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic, the streaming platform has a diverse streaming library filled with diverse offerings. With the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Disney+'s movie and show options have only expanded further. When the streaming service debuted on November 12, 2019, the first-ever live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, also released its first episode.
The Mandalorian remains one of the biggest Disney+ original shows that have come out since 2019, although others, including WandaVision, Andor, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians have made a significant impact as well. Beyond the original content, the wealth of Disney animated movies, from classics to those from recent years, makes the platform appealing for families and for people of all ages. However, even selections from classic Disney, modern Disney, Pixar, Disney Channel, Fox, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic does not erase the streaming platform's biggest issue.
Disney+ Only Has One Huge Hit Outside Of Marvel & Star Wars
Percy Jackson & The Olympians Was Disney+'s Most Watched Show In 2024
Other than Percy Jackson and the Olympians, all of Disney+'s original streaming hits have been from Star Wars and Marvel. Percy Jackson was Disney+'s most watched show in 2024, but it is the only show outside the Star Wars and Marvel franchises to amass such widespread viewership. This presents an issue, as Disney+ does not have much original content to offer beyond these franchises, or for those who are not interested in fantasy, science-fiction, and superheroes.
Related
Every Star Wars TV Show Ranked From Worst To Best
The first Star Wars TV show released back in the 1980s - so how do they all compare, from live-action to animation, from Clone Wars to Skeleton Crew?
Netflix, Max, Apple TV+, and other streaming services have more to offer for those who are interested in new stories in other genres. There are options to bundle Disney+ and Hulu together, and even a bundle with Max now, but Disney+ still needs to create enough compelling stories to make its addition to a bundle feel worthwhile. The lack of hits outside Star Wars and Marvel has been made worse by Disney+'s decision to cancel many of its other shows and to even remove many of its original shows and movies from the platform.
Why Disney+'s Problem Doesn't Look Like It Will Be Fixed Any Time Soon
Disney Is Doubling Down On Its Franchises And Focusing More On Theatrical Movies
Since Bob Iger returned to Disney as CEO, much of the focus has returned to theatrical releases instead of streaming. A Moana show was turned into Moana 2, Star Wars' first theatrical movie since 2019 will be The Mandalorian & Grogu, and there are now fewer Star Wars and Marvel shows releasing each year. At the same time, Disney is seemingly doubling down on their biggest franchises when it comes to Disney+, leading to spinoffs like Dream Productions, which is an extension of Inside Out.
Disney+'s most widespread appeal seems to be its animated movies, which is why there will be more supplementary content akin to Dream Productions in the future.
Disney+ seems more interested in using their streaming service to build on popular movies and existing franchises instead of creating something truly brand new. There will be some exceptions, like Pixar's first long-form series, Win or Lose, but this is now more of a rarity. With 2016's Moana dominating 2024's streaming charts across all platforms, along with Inside Out 2 and Encanto also in the top 10, Disney+'s most widespread appeal seems to be its animated movies, which is why there will be more supplementary content akin to Dream Productions in the future.
Disney+
4/10
:quality(85):upscale()/2025/04/11/822/n/1922153/aad0c3a267f96326934802.95095984_.png)
English (US) ·