New data reveals that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has set a viewership record on Disney+.

According to Samba TV, 2.1 million households in the United States watched the Sam Raimi-directed MCU film within its first five days on Disney's streaming service. This bests the previous record for an MCU film held by The Eternals, which was viewed by 2 million US accounts across the same time frame in January 2022.

Related: Benedict Cumberbatch Explains Why He's Ready for Doctor Strange 3

A sequel to Scott Derrickson's 2016 film Doctor Strange, which introduced audiences to Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the Master of the Mystic Arts, Multiverse of Madness was released theatrically on May 6, 2022. To date, the movie has accumulated a box office tally of $950 million worldwide, including $409 million domestically. Derrickson was initially attached to direct the sequel, but exited the role in January 2020, citing creative differences, but remained an executive producer on the project. Notably known for his collaboration with Ethan Hawke on the supernatural thriller Sinister (2012), Derrickson returned to his horror roots by directing the recently released The Black Phone, also starring Hawke.

Sam Raimi took over as director of Multiverse of Madness shortly after Derrickson's departure. This was Raimi's first feature film as director since Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). While the Doctor Strange sequel was Raimi's MCU filmmaking debut, he is no stranger to the landscape of comic book movies. Raimi famously directed the Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man trilogy from 2002-2007. Additionally, he had a prominent background in the horror genre with such creative ventures as the Evil Dead franchise, which lent to his selection as Derrickson's successor.

Related: Multiverse of Madness Director Reveals Which Universe Defender Strange Is From

Reviews for Multiverse of Madness were generally positive, with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 74% based on 430 reviews from critics. However, of the 28 films in the MCU, this ranks at 24 according to the aggregator site. Raimi's stylistic direction and horror sensibilities received praise in particular, with negative reviews pointing toward the complexity of the ever-growing tapestry of this cinematic universe, which was conceived 14 years ago. With more than 10,000 verified audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score rests at a higher tier of 85%, with many praising the visuals and darker tone of Doctor Strange's latest big-screen adventure.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+ and is slated to release on Blu-ray and digital on July 26, 2022.

Source: Twitter