Wonder Woman 1984's HBO Max debut was definitely beneficial for the streaming service, as Bloomberg is reporting that the streaming service set a single day record for downloads of its mobile app following the release of the DC Comics adaptation. 554,000 users signed up from Friday to Sunday, with a record 244,000 downloads on Sunday itself.
There are obviously other ways to get HBO Max, including through Smart TVs, and devices like Roku and Amazon Fire Stick. However, this data still offers a good idea of the interest level.
As of now, HBO Max's total number of mobile users reportedly stands at just shy of 12 million.
However, the big winner was Disney+. There were 2.3 million global downloads over the same period, and its subscriber count now stands at 87 million following the release of Soul. HBO Max is only available in the U.S., of course, but there's no way WarnerMedia isn't salivating over the prospect of having that many subscribers. For whatever reason, a global launch still isn't planned.
HBO Max hasn't been without its issues; Wonder Woman 1984 remains the only content available in 4K, while there continues to be a revolving door of content. Disney+ also has the advantage of a must-see series like The Mandalorian, a series there's been a huge amount of buzz about lately.
What did you guys decide to watch over Christmas?
Click on the "Next" button below for a ranking of
each episode of The Mandalorian's second season!
8. The Passenger (Chapter 9)
Peyton Reed's debut episode was by no means bad, but it still felt like a real comedown after that stellar premiere. The Child's insatiable desire to eat those eggs was in equal parts disturbing and funny, but "The Passenger" proved that Grogu getting so much screentime can be too much of a good thing (some of the not-so-convincing elements of the puppet were easier to see).
The horror aspects worked really well, though, and seeing those X-Wing pilots in action was a real feel-good moment. Little did we know it was seemingly setting up the Rangers of the New Republic!
What we said in our review: "Even the worst episode of The Mandalorian to date makes for good television, but this average instalment highlight's the shows flaws and is redeemed only by The Child, solid action, and a stellar, horror-inspired final act."
7. The Siege (Chapter 12)
Putting Carl Weather's episode so low on this list feels like a disservice to the actor, as he really knocked it out the park as a filmmaker (even if a blooper with "Jeans Guy" made headlines). Mostly an extended action sequence, "The Siege" retread old ground to some extent, but made up for that with some huge reveals, including an apparent Supreme Leader Snoke tease.
There were some big hints about why Moff Gideon wants The Child too, and if you didn't jump out of your seat in excitement when the Razor Crest returned, we don't know what to tell you.
What we said in our review: "Carl Weathers needs to return to the director's chair in a Galaxy Far, Far Away as soon as possible because this week's episode of The Mandalorian really is the show at its best."
6. The Believer (Chapter 15)
A great episode to lay the groundwork for the finale, "The Believer" saw Rick Famuyiwa return to The Mandalorian to give Bill Burr's Mayfeld some depth and push Din Djarin to his absolute limit. Forced to remove his helmet in order to do what it takes to save Grogu, this was a huge shift in the bounty hunter's story, and one we're confident will continue to have ramifications.
Despite the story being a relatively simple one, the character moments more than made up for that, and it helped that Boba Fett - in his cleaned up armour - was once again an absolute badass.
What we said in our review: "The stage is set for an epic finale with "Chapter 15," and this nail-biting penultimate episode gives Pedro Pascal and Bill Burr the chance to shine, while Rick Famuyiwa continues to prove he's perfect for Star Wars."
5. The Tragedy (Chapter 14)
It's fair to say that we didn't really have high expectations for Robert Rodriguez's episode of The Mandalorian, and while it was essentially an extended action sequence, the filmmaker proved himself a perfect fit for this corner of the Star Wars Universe. Honestly, it's not remotely difficult to see why Rodriguez has now been enlisted for the upcoming series The Book of Boba Fett.
Playing into Jedi mythology, while also justifying our love for Fett after his minor role in the original trilogy, "The Tragedy" was a great episode which also introduced us to the Dark Troopers.
What we said in our review: "Robert Rodriguez and Star Wars prove to be a dream match in this action-packed episode of The Mandalorian which will leave longtime fans squealing with excitement."
4. The Heiress (Chapter 11)
While Katee Sackhoff's live-action debut as Bo-Katan Kryze had been rumoured before The Mandalorian returned to Disney+, it was still an incredible surprise seeing her come face-to-helmet with Din Djarin. The four Mandalorians blasting their way through one of Moff Gideon's ships made for awesome viewing, while that Ahsoka Tano name-drop...well, it left all our jaws on the floor.
Bryce Dallas Howard delivered some stellar visuals with "The Heiress," while also teasing us with a lot of big hints about where this story could go next (bring on that return to Mandalore, eh?).
What we said in our review: "Director Bryce Dallas Howard knocks it out of the park with an epic episode that features plenty of world-building and finally drops some hints about what fans can expect from this second season."
3. The Jedi (Chapter 13)
The Mandalorian wasted no time introducing us to "The Jedi" that Din Djarin was seeking to reunite The Child with, but Dave Filoni's stellar, samurai-inspired Chapter 13 did Ahsoka Tano justice in a way we could have never imagined. Rosario Dawson proved to be the perfect choice to play this live-action take on the character, and we even learned The Child's name: Grogu.
Lucasfilm carefully dropped a few other hints about his past, but it was Ahsoka who ultimately stole the show. Now, we're counting down the days until her series also arrives on Disney+.
What we said in our review: "Quite easily one of the best episodes of The Mandalorian to date, Chapter 13 delivers a classic Star Wars adventure combined with an exciting samurai-inspired tale which perfectly introduces a fan-favourite character and expands the mythology."
2. The Marshal (Chapter 9)
Season two of The Mandalorian kicked off with its most cinematic episode to date, though we probably shouldn't be surprise when it was Jon Favreau at the helm! It felt a lot like the original plan was for this to be screened in theaters, but putting that to one side, and we have to talk about Timothy Olyphant's Cobb Vanth. What an incredible character to add to this world.
It goes without saying that we're hoping he returns in The Book of Boba Fett, because there's clearly more story to tell there. Regardless, this was a perfect opener with a killer tease at the end.
What we said in our review: "The Mandalorian has returned to save 2020 with a stellar opening episode helmed by Jon Favreau, a wonderful performance from an unexpected co-star, and plenty of Baby Yoda cuteness."
1. The Rescue (Chapter 16)
If Peyton Reed disappointed us with "The Passenger," he exceeded all expectations and knocked our socks off with "The Rescue." The stakes were high heading into the finale, and there was nothing about this episode that left us anything other than satisfied. Of course, we have to talk about Luke Skywalker's cameo because that...well, that was really something special.
It was overshadowed in some respects by that perfect, emotional ending, though, as Din Djarin bid farewell to Grogu, and Pedro Pascal proved why he's one of the most talented stars working today.
What we said in our review: "An emotional ending and the right kind of fan-service leaves us desperate to return to the world of The Mandalorian, but this perfect finale cements the Disney+ series as one of the greatest TV shows of all-time."