Disney+'s biggest 2026 hit? A show Disney doesn't own
Latest Nielsen tallies put a non-Disney-owned series at the top of Disney+ for 2026, measured by total minutes viewed in the US.
If you assumed Disney+ would naturally own its most-watched show, you might be in for a surprise. In 2026, the service’s top streamed series is Bluey—and Disney doesn’t even own the rights. Let’s untangle how that’s ended up being the case, and just how massive the numbers are for this unassuming Australian export.
Bluey pulled in a whopping 22.81 billion viewing minutes this year on Disney+.
Who calls the shots?
So, Bluey is produced by Ludo Studio in Australia. You’d be forgiven for thinking that Disney+’s branding means Disney’s in charge, but in reality, BBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation are the ones who commission it. The BBC actually holds the all-important global distribution rights, not Disney. That means Disney+ is really just the delivery van here, not the actual bakery.
This dog’s staying power
Bluey didn’t just pop up at the top of the charts by accident. The show’s basically been a juggernaut on streaming platforms for years. In 2024, it snagged the title of most-watched series that year. Then in 2025, it upped the ante with an eye-watering 45.2 billion viewing minutes. (For context, perennial heavy-hitter Grey’s Anatomy managed 40.92 billion. Stranger Things—which everyone assumes dominates—actually came in third with 39.95 billion.) Back in 2023, Bluey was runner-up, with Suits nabbing the lead spot.
Dethroned by Hawkins
For the overall top spot in 2026, Stranger Things season five pulled ahead. Still, Bluey comfortably held its place at number two across all series, and absolutely trounced every other acquired show in terms of raw viewing minutes. It’s outlasted not just hospital drama stalwarts and 80s-inspired sci-fi, but also American legal procedurals, which is frankly hilarious for a show about animated puppies in Queensland.
A quick note for the uninitiated
If you’ve somehow missed it, Bluey follows an energetic blue Heeler pup and her sister, Bingo, as they navigate everyday adventures that wind up far more ridiculous than you’d expect. That knack for keeping things funny but not cloying? It’s the series’ not-so-secret weapon, cementing it as a favourite with parents and kids alike—on both sides of the hemisphere.