The “Happiest Place on Earth” may have just become a little happier, as Disney+ attracted a whopping 11.8 million subscribers globally in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. This figure is mind-boggling given that the streamer only attracted 2 million users in the previous quarter. With fresh material from Marvel, Lucasfilm, and its animation division on the way, Disney can only add to their already remarkable global total.
The overall number of Disney+ users worldwide is approximately 130 million, with 42.9 million of them residing in the United States. This comes at the same time as Disney+ aired the Lucasfilm show The Book of Boba Fett, as well as Marvel’s Hawkeye. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Encanto were both added to the service, with Disney CEO Bob Chapek hinting at the latter’s franchise prospect.
In comparison with Netflix, which now has 222 million global users, Disney-owned Hulu has 43.8 million. Apple TV+, which has roughly 20 million customers, is perhaps the most comparable to Disney+. Apple TV+ and Disney+ both launched in November of 2019. In terms of newer services, HBO Max has around 73.8 million members, while NBC Universal’s Peacock has 54 million. The 130 million subscriber mark for Disney+ is impressive, but not surprising considering the huge range of family entertainment, nostalgic material, and identifiable IP that has been a fixture of the Mouse House’s streaming service.
release in the years ahead. On the Star Wars side, Disney has officially confirmed a May 2022 release date for Obi-Wan Kenobi, which will reintroduce Ewan McGregor. Lucasfilm is also working on Andor (starring Diego Luna), Lando, The Acolyte, and Ahsoka (starring Rosario Dawson). Marvel has projects in the pipeline focusing on Moon Knight, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Ironheart, and the Secret Invasion narrative from the comics. There is also a slew of films that will make their way to Disney+ after their theatrical runs, with titles ranging from Free Guy to West Side Story making their debuts in the forthcoming weeks.
