Disney appears to be winding down the interconnected streaming-first strategy that has defined Marvel and Star Wars content since the launch of Disney+, with the cancellation of the Marvel series Wonder Man seen as the clearest signal yet. Rather than expecting audiences to follow an ever-growing web of Disney+ shows to keep up with these franchises, the company seems to be refocusing on cinema releases, the format that originally built both properties. The shift matters because it marks a retreat from a model that, while occasionally producing acclaimed television, increasingly made following Marvel and Star Wars feel like an obligation rather than entertainment.

Disney+'s early slate included genuine standouts, such as WandaVision and Loki for Marvel, and The Mandalorian and Andor for Star Wars, which expanded both universes in bold new directions. However, the sheer volume that followed, including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Secret Invasion, Echo, Agatha All Along and Ironheart for Marvel, alongside The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka, The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew for Star Wars, left fans overwhelmed. The article argues the issue was never quality but quantity, with the constant stream of interconnected series turning viewing into homework rather than enjoyment.