<i>Disney Cancels Wonder Man After Second Season Ordered</i>

Disney's decision to 'un-renew' Marvel Studios streaming original series Wonder Man has left many in the industry surprised. The show had already been ordered for a second season months prior, but was subsequently canceled. An examination of viewership data reveals that while Wonder Man performed relatively well in terms of raw viewership, it ultimately fell on the wrong side of the 'bubble'.

The series ranked as the second most watched Disney+ original TV season by both minutes streamed and estimated season views in the first half of 2023. However, its cost-per-minute figure was higher than expected considering its relatively modest budget of $7M-$10M per episode, which adds up to a total of $56M-$80M for the season.

Further investigation showed that Wonder Man's performance appears less impressive when looking at the most-streamed series on Disney+ rather than individual seasons. The show falls to fourth place behind Daredevil: Born Again, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and The Mandalorian. Additionally, its retention rate shows a 48% drop-off in views from premiere to finale over its first 12 weeks.

According to Luminate's analysis of streaming original slates, new Disney+ series typically need a retention rate of 53% or higher to be considered safe from cancellation. Taken as a whole, these factors paint a picture of a title that performed decently but not amazingly and perhaps just barely failed to justify its cost in the current economic climate.