Disney+ Launches Top 10 List In Bid to Boost Engagement

Disney is adding a new feature to Disney+ that will be familiar to subscribers of Netflix.

The entertainment giant is adding a Top 10 list to Disney+, which will highlight popular movies and TV series on the streaming platform. Notably, the list will be different for different subscribers, with the parental control settings impacting what is displayed, as well as the inclusion of Hulu titles for Disney Bundle subscribers.

Similarly, users in different countries may have slightly different lists depending on the availability of content.

Disney says that it will determine what cracks the list based on total views at the episode and movie level, as well as other factors like the growing popularity of new titles. In other words, for a series, it will not show the series title, but the episode that is trending.

When The Hollywood Reporter looked at its Top 10 list today, it was stacked with Halloween-themed fare like Hocus Pocus and a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror special.

Discoverability has become one of the defining product issues with streaming, and while algorithmic recommendations are key, Top 10 lists or similar features meant to highlight popular content have also become popular. After all, people want something to discuss at the watercooler.

Netflix, for example, launched its Top 10 list in 2020, and now publishes them on a website. Disney says it hopes its new list drives “engagement and discovery of new titles.”