For a franchise built around one of Marvel’s most beloved street-level heroes, Daredevil: Born Again continues to struggle in a major way when it comes to audience traction and ratings. The latest Nielsen streaming numbers paint an ugly picture for Disney+, as the series once again failed to crack the Top 10 original streaming chart — and this time, it was beaten not only by rival superhero shows, but also by a revived reality dating series.
According to the latest Nielsen data for the week of April 13–19, the fifth episode of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (along with the four previous episodes) failed to generate enough viewership to enter the Top 10 originals chart. Instead, the rankings were dominated by shows like The Boys, Invincible, and even Temptation Island.
Nielsen top 10 original series April 13-19, 2026 – The Hollywood Reporter
The optics here are brutal for Marvel and Disney+.
Not only is Daredevil: Born Again based on a recognizable Marvel property with years of built-in goodwill from the original Netflix run starring Charlie Cox, but Disney has also poured substantial resources into reviving the series. The production famously underwent a major creative overhaul midway through development after early footage reportedly failed to impress Marvel executives. Despite that expensive reset, the audience simply doesn’t appear to be showing up.
Beaten By Reality TV and Amazon Superheroes
Perhaps the most embarrassing part of the Nielsen chart is what actually did outperform Marvel’s flagship street-level revival.
Temptation Island — a reality show that originally debuted in 2001 before being canceled and later revived — managed to outperform Daredevil: Born Again. Meanwhile, Amazon continues to dominate the superhero streaming conversation with The Boys and Invincible, both of which ranked comfortably above Disney’s struggling Marvel series.
That comparison matters because neither Amazon property has the decades of mainstream brand recognition that Marvel’s Daredevil carries. Yet audiences continue gravitating toward those shows instead. This flies in the face of the “superhero fatigue” excuse Marvel likes to throw around in the media to explain its poor performance since Avengers: Endgame.
It also undercuts the common excuse that mature-rated superhero content is somehow too niche for streaming audiences. Both The Boys and Invincible are notoriously violent, vulgar, and extreme, yet they continue to generate major streaming traction.
Disney+ Has a Bigger Problem Than Just Daredevil
The Nielsen numbers also highlight a broader issue for Disney and Disney+ overall.
Disney+ failed to place a single original series in Nielsen’s Top 10 during that week. The platform’s only real bright spot remains Bluey, which continues dominating acquired streaming charts rather than original programming.
Bluey, Bingo, and Bandit from Bluey – Disney Plus
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That has become an increasingly concerning trend for Disney’s streaming business. Marvel and Star Wars were once expected to anchor Disney+ with must-watch exclusives, but audience enthusiasm appears to have cooled significantly over the last several years.
For Marvel specifically, the warning signs have been piling up for quite some time. Multiple Disney+ Marvel projects have struggled to maintain momentum, and Nielsen’s latest chart suggests Daredevil: Born Again may now be joining that growing list.
Can Season 3 Actually Turn This Around?
Despite the weak performance, Daredevil: Born Again has already been renewed for a third season, with production reportedly underway. Future episodes are expected to feature additional Netflix-era Defenders characters, including Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones.
But that raises a serious question: if Daredevil himself can’t pull audiences back to Disney+, will adding the rest of the Defenders really make a difference?
Daredevil and Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 – Disney+
Marvel clearly hopes nostalgia will reignite interest, but the Nielsen data suggests viewers may already be moving on. At some point, Disney has to decide how much money it’s willing to continue spending on streaming projects that fail to generate major engagement.
For now, Daredevil: Born Again remains alive. But missing the Nielsen Top 10 week after week while being outperformed by dating shows and Amazon competitors is not exactly the kind of comeback story Marvel likely envisioned.
Are you surprised by these Daredevil: Born Again ratings? Sound off and let us know your thoughts!
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