Canceled Disney+ Series Cost $136 Million — And Nobody Watched It

Despite what you may have heard, the movie Willow wasn’t actually popular with fans. It wasn’t a big success at all – in fact, it lost money, and Disney quickly tried to forget it ever happened because it didn’t resonate with audiences.

Disney lost around $136 million on a show that very few people watched and that audiences disliked. It was so unsuccessful that Disney reportedly took it off Disney+ to avoid further costs. If the show had been popular, it would still be available.

Instead, Disney memory-holed it.

Forbes Calls It “Fan Favorite” — But Viewers Didn’t Show Up

It was strange to see Forbes present Willow as a cost-effective hit with a dedicated following. However, the actual viewership numbers suggest a different reality.

Zero cultural footprint
Minimal social buzz beyond launch
Weak audience score on Rotten Tomatoes & IMDb
No trending moments, memes, or real fan movement

If this thing truly had viewers, Disney wouldn’t have shredded it to save pennies.

Rotten Tomatoes vs. Reality

Critics gave Willow an inflated ~84% score — but audiences largely didn’t like it.

When it first came out, the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes was around 29% before it was changed, and most people on social media expressed negative opinions.

Fans of the original film didn’t connect.

New audiences never showed up.

And Disney felt the viewership was so low that paying residuals wasn’t worth it.

Disney Buried It for a Reason

Disney not only canceled the show Willow, but also removed it completely from its streaming service. This was part of a larger plan to cut financial losses and reduce future expenses.

That only happens when a title has no streaming value and no audience return.

Popular shows with dedicated fans tend to last, even if they aren’t top performers. Examples include The Mandalorian, Loki, and Andor.

Forbes Praises the Budget — Viewers Didn’t Care

Forbes highlighted:

The show reportedly costs around $17 million per episode, with producers emphasizing a focus on keeping costs down. This budget has been described as comparable to those of Marvel and Star Wars series, raising questions about the streaming performance of those franchises on Disney+.

But you know what costs less than $17M per episode?

Not making a show no one watches.

This wasn’t efficiency — it was waste.

The Reality Disney Won’t Say Out Loud

Disney greenlit Willow when streaming services were booming, but the market quickly changed. Budgets were cut, and fewer people were signing up for subscriptions. As a result, Disney really needed some successful shows.

Willow didn’t help the show gain new fans, strengthen its reputation, or attract more viewers.

So Disney did the only profitable thing left: Pulled the plug and took the tax write-off.

Bottom Line

Forbes can dress it up however they want. Disney can pretend it’s a “streaming strategy shift.”

But here’s the truth: Canceled Garbage Disney+ Series Cost $136 Million That No One Watched

That’s the headline. That’s the story.

And that’s why Willow vanished.

2025-11-04 20:01