New data reveals Star Wars remains in demand but future uncertain

As Disney prioritizes Star Wars films, new data suggests that Star Wars shows have performed well this year. Nevertheless, this success might not be enough to align with Bob Iger's new vision for the company, which creates uncertainty for Star Wars television.

According to Luminate Data, Star Wars series have consistently performed well between December 29 and May 10, accounting for 15% of Disney+'s total viewership within this time. The data includes a graph that breaks down how shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Bad Batch performed.

Ahsoka has 3.6% of the total viewership since the beginning of this year, followed by 3.3% for The Mandalorian Season 3, and 2.6% for The Mandalorian Season 1. The Bad Batch Season 3, the newest of the top-performing Star Wars series, has a total viewership of 6.3%.

Even though these numbers seem impressive, it's difficult to put them into perspective given Bob Iger's latest statements. Iger believes that Disney invested too much into streaming content, leading to a $4 billion loss for the company. Marvel dominates the slate with most of these shows, leaving Star Wars with comparatively less content. Did a hit Star Wars series like The Mandalorian also contribute to Disney's heavy losses?

While The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Bad Batch have been performing well this year, Disney hasn't released any data to show how they fair overall compared to other shows available on the app. Are Disney+'s originals performing well enough to guarantee that the Star Wars television series will continue to be rolled out at the same rate as a couple of years ago? Iger has admitted that the number of Marvel shows released annually will decrease significantly, but he's been quiet on Star Wars.

According to new data, The Phantom Menace is now the most streamed Star Wars movie on Disney+, but Iger has never clarified how the shows have performed compared to the films. You have to wonder if The Mandalorian is putting up the same numbers as The Phantom Menace. If so, what lies in its future after Disney announced The Mandalorian & Grogu?

Only time will tell if Star Wars television will thrive under Iger's new vision for the company. The upcoming shows- The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, and Andor Season 2 - must perform beyond expectations. The Mandalorian has set the bar high for Star Wars television viewership, and aside from Obi-Wan Kenobi, no other series comes close to matching its success in viewership.

This makes it seem more and more like the future of Star Wars television is uncertain. Jon Favreau confirmed last year that he'd written The Mandalorian Season 4, but Disney hasn't officially announced it. With their focus now shifting to The Mandalorian movie, Season 4 seems unlikely. Andor has gotten a lot of critical acclaim, but its final season premieres next year and could be the only Star Wars show released in 2025.

While Ahsoka Season 2 was announced in January, there's no news on when it will go into production. Additionally, makers of The Acolyte have teased a second season, but it's yet to be confirmed. Apart from these, no other shows have been announced, and it may be a while before they are. Disney may be saving some big announcements for events like D23 later this year, so this is all speculation. Hopefully, they'll come up with some big surprise announcements very soon, and we'll get a better idea of the upcoming Star Wars shows.