It is not certain how well HBO Max’s Wonder Woman 1984 came out with its own launch on Christmas Day. WarnerMedia has not released any viewing data and will not disclose subscriber data until it provides earnings information next week. However, the release was popular enough to help Warner speed up the sequel.
Soul clearly had a number of factors working in its favor. It is a children’s film (with a strong appeal for adults) released during a holiday season, when practically everyone is stuck at home. And unlike Mulan, you didn’t have to pay extra to watch right away. There was a large potential audience that Disney might not have again.
Still, it is an important victory for Disney. This shows that the company’s successful films can attract an appropriately large audience through Disney +. This is vital when the media giant is shifting its focus to streaming. It is also a crucial boost at a time when Disney + still has relatively few high-profile exclusives, with WandaVision only now arriving at the service. The question is whether any newcomers who signed up Soul will remain in the long run.