Disney+, the Disney-owned movie and TV streaming service, has surpassed 100 million subscribers as of Tuesday (March 9), CNBC writes, just 16 months since its launch.
The change comes as Disney sees success off its recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series “WandaVision” alongside two seasons of the “Star Wars”-based series “The Mandalorian.” Both of those have been top-viewed content, according to Nielsen numbers.
The company reached the milestone just months after Disney told investors it was looking at pushing streaming more heavily. Thus far, Disney+ is a place for family-friendly favorites along with being the sole location for Marvel and Star Wars fans to see those films and TV shows.
In October, the company started restructuring its media and entertainment divisions to focus more on streaming as the pandemic continued and the direction was shifted away from in-person activities. The company announced plans for over 100 films and television projects, all of which would be heading to Disney+, including dozens of Marvel and Star Wars shows and movies.
Launching in November 2019, the streaming service immediately saw 10 million sign-ups on the first day, and has only grown since then. The streaming site shot past the goal of 60 million to 90 million by 2024 with ease. Now, CNBC reports that Disney+ will have 230 million to 260 million subscribers by 2024.
The new Disney content comes with an influx of money, and includes new titles like “Raya and the Last Dragon” and more, alongside big titles like “Mulan” from recent months — some of it with additional fees necessary.
The high number of subscribers could be attributed to the pandemic, with the number of eyes on screens credited to how many people were stuck at home — likely a much greater number than would be seen through staggered theater numbers. Because of that, the company also gets the opportunity to roll out Star Wars and Marvel content which it can tie into theme park attractions and more later on.