To celebrate Star Wars Day, Nielsen (via Variety) has released data for the most-viewed titles in the franchise streaming on Disney+ last year. The results are… surprising, from a certain point of view.
Star Wars Streaming Numbers
According to the data, U.S. viewers viewed 33 billion minutes (550 million hours) of Star Wars movies and TV shows across linear TV and streaming last year. The Star Wars movies accounted for 44.2% of the viewing share, followed by the live-action shows at 38.9%, the animated shows at 16.8%, and documentaries at just 0.2%.
On May 4, 2025, Star Wars fans viewed 637 million minutes (10.6 million hours) of Star Wars content on Disney+. At the top of the list is Andor, which is understandable given that the show was in the midst of its second season at the time.
Andor is followed by A New Hope, The Phantom Menace, The Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith, Attack of the Clones, Return of the Jedi, Rogue One, Tales of the Underworld, and The Clone Wars. You can check out the list graphic below.
I can’t say I’m shocked by the OG Star Wars being the top film, although I’m a little surprised that The Phantom Menace is above The Empire Strikes Back. However, you’ll notice a complete absence of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Each was a billion-dollar blockbuster upon release, but clearly, the other movies are a bigger draw for what to watch on Star Wars Day.
Despite the commercial success of the Sequel Trilogy, it’s no secret that many fans haven’t been pleased with Disney’s handling of the franchise. Of course, I’m old enough to remember the absolute backlash against the prequels, and in recent years those films have been embraced more and more. Could the sequels follow a similar path?
Nielsen also released which Star Wars content is the most popular by age group for the first quarter of 2026. Millennials and Gen X were most into Andor, with Gen Z enjoying The Clone Wars. Most interestingly, the favoured show for both Gen Alpha and Baby Boomers is The Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
After a seven-year absence, the Star Wars franchise will be returning to the big screen later this month with The Mandalorian and Grogu. The logline reads: “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.” The film will theaters on May 22.
Which Star Wars movies or TV shows will you be watching this May the 4th?
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed