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I watched the behind-the-scenes documentary Disney Worldbuilders and it's inspiring — but I wish they had turned it into a Disney+ series instead

After falling in love with Disneyland Handcrafted, I was excited to dive into the studio's latest documentary movie, Disney Worldbuilders. Directed by Leslie Iwerks, the new movie has a tiny runtime of 58 minutes and call me greedy, but I really wanted more.

Disney Worldbuilders gets up-close-and-personal with some of Disney's most influential voices, where we learn about creative processes and their lasting impact on both cinema and the Disney Parks around the world.

Even though I loved what I saw, I did feel as though Worldbuilders tries to squeeze too much into its runtime. Unlike Handcrafted, which solely focuses on Walt's vision for Disneyland in Anaheim, this jumps around between subjects, and I wish we'd had an episode for each person interviewed so we could've taken a deeper dive.

The stacked line-up is made up of Bob Iger, James Cameron, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, Jennifer Lee, Pete Docter, Dave Filoni, Jared Bush, and Josh D’Amaro. That's a lot of people to talk to in under an hour, so I really wish we'd had more time with all of them!

Bob Iger in particular deserves a documentary of his own, and I hope we get one so we can properly examine the huge impact he's had on the Walt Disney Company, because it's not to be sniffed at. His segments didn't seem to fit with the rest of the interviews.

Still, that doesn't mean Worldbuilders is not worth your time. Far from it, in fact; I think it gives some really valuable and inspiring insights from some of the biggest names across Disney properties like Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel, and it's hard not to smile when you're greeted with this footage.

Disney Worldbuilders first look

Jennifer Lee and her sister have an emotional scene in Disney Worldbuilders. (Image credit: Disney)

The scale of the Disney Parks really is fascinating, and I liked how we were able to see the early days of areas such as Hollywood Studios' Galaxy's Edge and Animal Kingdom’s Pandora, especially how the directors of those movies responded to seeing their creations come to life. Now, fans get to walk through the worlds we see on screen, and the constant innovation going on across the global parks is jaw-dropping.

I found myself getting emotional during certain parts, particularly Jennifer Lee's reaction to World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris. Seeing her wandering around with Olaf and reflecting on her relationship with her sister is incredibly touching, given how Anna and Elsa are such inspirational figures to a lot of people out there.

Even though the interviews with each subject are short, we do get a lot of heartfelt anecdotes which I found to be very interesting. As someone who has been enamored with filmmaking from a young age, it's inspiring to see how these amazing creatives can help shape future attractions for all ages. In Worldbuilders, they reflect on their own childhoods and how they ended up working for one of the biggest media companies in the world.

Ultimately, this would have worked so much better in an episodic format because I could have happily watched eight hours of this, as opposed to the one hour we did get. I am hopeful that Disney will do more long-form Parks-focused documentaries like this, especially ones that talk to the creatives responsible for writing these worlds we know and love.

Disney Worldbuilders comes to Disney+ on August 20. While you wait, why not check out the best Disney+ movies and best Disney+ TV shows to stream right now.

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After jacking up prices, Disney+ and Netflix consider offering free alternatives

Disney is “exploring a free product” for streaming customers, CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed in a call with investors today.

D’Amaro, who succeeded Bob Iger as Disney’s chief in March, said that a free Disney-owned streaming service would help Disney reach more “price-sensitive” customers, which is a “strategic priority” for Disney, according to a transcript of the call.

A free streaming service would also generate more ad revenue, which has become increasingly important for streaming services challenged by plateauing subscriber numbers, subscriber churn, and competition from cheaper and free rivals.

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The hardest Bob's Burgers quiz of all time is here — but can you handle the grill heat and score more than 80%?

Fun fact: whenever I have days that I work remotely, I'll always have an episode of Bob's Burgers on in the background. In fact, I watch all 16 seasons of the hit Hulu and Disney+ animated comedy so often, that I could tell you exactly what episode was on without directly looking at it.

I felt incredibly prepared for the handful of Bob's Burgers quizzes already on the internet claiming to be the hardest, but nobody has yet been able to truly test the reams of random knowledge I've acquired from watching the series so often.

Should I be able to tell recite the lyrics to the song that plays over Tina and Tammy's first time collectively ditching class in season 2? Probably not.

So, behold — the genuinely most difficult Bob's Burgers quiz that I have played to date (because I made it). If you get more than 80%, I'll assume that you're actually a Wharf resident who's somehow found their way into the real world.

I have left out anything that happens in The Bob's Burgers Movie, but you'll need to have seen seasons 1-16 in order to answer all of the questions.

Check back when Bob's Burgers season 17 (hopefully) airs in early 2027... you know that the above will be updated accordingly.

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Apple TV climbs to fourth-largest SVOD platform in the U.S. with strongest annual growth

Apple TV

Apple TV has achieved a notable milestone in the fiercely competitive U.S. streaming market, rising to become the fourth-largest subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform according to the latest JustWatch Q2 2026 Market Shares report.

The data, based on more than 45 million streaming interactions tracked via the JustWatch app and website across more than 320 SVOD services, measures shifts in user interest and engagement (including searches, clicks, and watchlist additions) over the past three months.

Q2 2026 U.S. SVOD Market Shares (JustWatch)

• Netflix: 20%
• Amazon Prime Video: 15%
• Disney+: 13%
• Apple TV: 13%
• Hulu: 11%
• Max (formerly HBO Max): 10%
• Peacock Premium: 4%
• Paramount+: 3%
• PBS: 2%
• Starz: 1%
• Other services: 4%

Apple TV gained 1 percentage point in the quarter and an impressive 5 percentage points year-over-year — the strongest annual growth among major platforms. This surge allowed it to overtake Hulu and Max and secure sole possession of fourth place.

Netflix continues to lead, but saw some quarterly softening in prior periods before rebounding slightly. Prime Video remains a strong second despite flatter annual performance. Disney+ holds steady in third.

Subscriber Context and Apple’s Strategy

Apple does not publicly disclose exact subscriber numbers for Apple TV. Industry estimates place global paid subscribers around 45 million as of late 2025/early 2026 vs. Netflix (300M+ paid), Amazon Prime Video (200M+ global users), and Disney+ (131.6 million paid).

However, Apple TV punches above its weight in the U.S. thanks to deep integration with Apple’s hardware ecosystem. Promotional offers (such as three free months with new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV purchases) and bundling through Apple One help drive adoption. The service maintains a premium, ad-free positioning while competitors have widely adopted ad-supported tiers.

High-quality originals continue to fuel momentum. Acclaimed titles like Severance, Shrinking, and others have driven record viewership in recent periods. Looking ahead, Apple’s multi-year exclusive U.S. rights to Formula 1 (starting in 2026) represent a significant expansion into live sports, potentially broadening its appeal.

Broader Streaming Landscape

The U.S. SVOD market remains dynamic. While scale leaders Netflix and Prime Video dominate overall, mid-tier services are closing gaps through content quality, user experience, and bundling. Many households now subscribe to multiple services (often 4–6 on average), increasing competition for attention and wallet share.

Apple TV’s strong engagement growth signals that a focused, high-production-value approach can resonate even without the massive libraries of its larger rivals.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple TV’s momentum is accelerating in a competitive market thanks to its focus on premium content; quality over quantity (even as the quantity continues to grow)!

Note on methodology: JustWatch’s figures reflect engagement and interest on its platform rather than total subscribers, paid viewing hours, or revenue. This can differ from other rankings (e.g., those from Parks Associates or analyst estimates focused on subscriber counts).


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