Star Wars Viewing Figures Show Disturbing Lack of Faith in Sequel Trilogy

Newly-released viewing figures for Star Wars movies and TV shows person revealed a astonishing deficiency of involvement successful the franchise's caller sequel trilogy era, and present fans are discussing however this whitethorn already beryllium impacting Disney's plans for the bid going forward.

Nielsen broadcasting information for 2025 has fixed fans an intriguing peek down the curtain of Disney+'s usually opaque viewing figures, and revealed precisely which Star Wars movies and TV shows are being binged and rewatched. And, unfortunately, it's not large quality for the sequels.

Of the 33 cardinal minutes spent watching Star Wars contented successful 2025 (across linear TV and streaming), 44.2% of that clip was spent viewing Star Wars live-action films — with A New Hope, The Phantom Menace and Rogue One successful the apical three.

It's absorbing present to spot that the franchise's archetypal movie inactive remains the astir popular, followed by the once-derided Phantom Menace (in caller years, the Prequel trilogy is present looked upon by a younger cohort of fans with kinder eyes). And past there's Rogue One, whose 2025 viewing figures were undoubtedly boosted by past year's last Andor season, but which remains a compelling watch.

While Nielsen does not spell connected to database retired the remainder of the Star Wars movies by viewing popularity crossed the full year, it has provided what was being watched specifically connected May 4, 2025 (Star Wars day!) arsenic a snapshot. In presumption of Star Wars movies, A New Hope and The Phantom Menace some led the illustration (mirroring the inclination for 2025 arsenic a whole), followed by Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith, Attack of the Clones, Return of the Jedi and past Rogue One. In different words: the six films from the archetypal and prequel trilogies, with not a azygous sequel trilogy movie successful the most-streamed apical 10, which is different filled by Disney+ shows Andor and Tales of the Underworld, and the ever-popular Clone Wars cartoon series.

As if the deficiency of involvement successful the sequels wasn't already obvious, Nielsen provides 1 last statistic: the most-streamed Star Wars titles by generation, this clip for the archetypal 4th of 2026. This is interesting, arsenic the play lacked immoderate large caller Star Wars launches to disrupt the rankings, and it besides provides a glimpse astatine which characters and settings are resonating with Star Wars' fanbase, some young and old.

The Mandalorian is the favourite of some Gen Alpha (ages 2-13) and the Baby Boomers (62-80), portion Andor holds the apical spot for Millennials (ages 30-45) and Gen X (ages 46-61). And, possibly predictably, the Clone Wars cartoon is inactive beloved by Gen Z (ages 14-29). There's immoderate truly bully episodes successful there!

Once again, however, there's nary motion of the sequel trilogy — thing Disney whitethorn beryllium acrophobic over. It's 1 happening if lone a information of the fanbase is simply a instrumentality of it — specified arsenic the prequels ever having trended to Star Wars' younger fans. But what if the sequels don't person a wide fanbase astatine all?

The merchandise of these numbers has prompted further speculation among fans arsenic to wherever Disney volition instrumentality Star Wars next, particularly aft the changes wrong Lucasfilm that saw the departure of erstwhile workplace main Kathleen Kennedy. After this year's The Mandalorian and Grogu and adjacent year's Star Wars: Starfighter, some of which person already been changeable and are good connected the roadworthy to release, there's nary wide roadmap.

Plenty of different Star Wars projects person been announced implicit the years — immoderate with sizeable fanfare, specified arsenic the Rey-centric movie helmed by manager Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy — but galore are thought to nary longer beryllium successful progressive development. At the clip of her exit, Kennedy suggested that the caller movie (which whitethorn go a trilogy) from Dark Phoenix writer and manager Simon Kinberg was the saga's likeliest way forward, but adjacent this seemed uncertain.

Where could Star Wars' storytelling spell next? It's a substance of overmuch instrumentality debate, and arsenic the years walk by determination seems similar waning involvement successful seeing Rey's communicative continue, adjacent if Rise of Skywalker placed her arsenic the galaxy's caller hope.

Fans person pointed to however the Galaxy's Edge taxable parkland attraction precocious added successful archetypal trilogy characters for the archetypal clip (after it launched firmly acceptable wrong the sequel trilogy era) arsenic further grounds that Disney knows it is Star Wars' older films that inactive clasp instrumentality interest. Reportedly, characters are explaining their beingness astatine Disneyland parks by claiming they are visiting via the World Between Worlds, a much caller franchise conception that fundamentally allows for clip travel.

The World Between Worlds was past seen successful Ahsoka, which volition watercourse its 2nd play of episodes aboriginal this twelvemonth — with plentifulness of speculation connected wherever its communicative volition head. On the surface, the bid is telling a large communicative astir the instrumentality of Grand Admiral Thrawn (one that The Mandalorian was besides acceptable to showcase successful its now-scrapped play 4). But there's increasing speculation that Ahsoka's usage of The World Between Worlds could besides beryllium utilized to reshape the aboriginal of the full franchise, 1 wherever the sequels person a lesser absorption — seemingly successful enactment with the saga's assemblage taste.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social