Marvel Sets a Disney+ Record After Seven Years, And Fans Are All Saying the Same Thing You Should Know

For years after Avengers: Endgame hit theaters in 2019, Marvel seemed to struggle to put out consistent movies and TV shows that landed with MCU fans. Yes, every franchise has its ups and downs, and there were several successes between Endgame and now, from TV shows like WandaVision and Loki to movies like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, it’s fair to say that the MCU seemed to be having just as many wins as losses for a stretch of time. Thankfully, it’s possible that Spider-Man: Brand New Day may have been precisely the addition the franchise needed to get back on track. This movie smashed numerous box office records and became the MCU’s highest-grossing movie domestically. And now, Avengers: Doomsday is also breaking records and seems to be on track for yet another stellar box office performance when it hits theaters in December.

Blockbuster movies are one thing, though. It’s true that both the reception of Brand New Day and the seeming excitement about Doomsday within the fandom suggest a reinvigoration of the franchise overall, but an unexpected broken record has just cemented that so much more. Namely, as reported by Deadline, Marvel just had its highest-ever month in terms of views on Disney+, with a reported 420 million hours for the month of August. What that suggests is that the effect of and responses to Brand New Day and Doomsday, perhaps along with other projects like Avengers: Endgame Encore, hitting theaters later this month, and VisionQuest, releasing on Disney+ on Oct. 14, are in fact extending to encompass newfound or renewed interest in the MCU overall—and fans have thoughts.

Marvel Fans Are Hopeful That Change Has Truly Come to the MCU

Despite the past several years since the original release of Endgame leaving a bad taste in some Marvel fans’ mouths, there has been plenty of recent chatter online suggesting that many are actually quite hopeful about the current direction of the franchise. One X post referencing this new milestone for Marvel on Disney+ specifically said, “That’s what happens when you get your house back in order and start making quality stuff again.” Under another X post about the recently broken record, one comment similarly reads, “I’ve been watching all of the MCU films the past few months, I’m sure others are doing the same. Already booked Endgame Encore in theatres too.” The latter comment in particular is notable, because it emphasizes that, for many fans, there really does seem to be a renewed interest in the films.

And, it’s worth noting as well, part of that interest has been directly encouraged by Marvel, as there is an official watchlist recommended ahead of Doomsday that has explicitly pushed MCU fans to rewatch numerous movies and TV shows to prepare—in fact, that list alone reflects 42 hours in run time for just one viewer. Even so, both Marvel’s August record for hours watched and the enthusiasm about Brand New Day and Doomsday do all seem to be pointing to a larger picture of the MCU feeling back on track after years of ups and downs.

Now it just remains to be seen whether they will stick the various landings they need to stick in the end, from making sure Endgame Encore is worth the re-release to pulling off some of Doomsday’s more surprising plot details (including Chris Evans’ and Robert Downey Jr.’s returns to the franchise). Hopefully, though, this is indeed an exciting new era for the MCU that has fans reinvested in the franchise.