The Hollywood Reporter has launched THR Charts, a comprehensive new hub designed to be the definitive source for entertainment viewership data across all platforms. This innovative platform, updated daily, collates box office returns, linear broadcast ratings, and streaming figures from trusted sources like Nielsen, Comscore, and Parrot Analytics. It offers an unparalleled, agnostic view of the entertainment landscape for both industry executives and everyday consumers.

Just yesterday, July 9, 2026, the latest update revealed Peacock’s Love Island USA surged to the No. 1 overall spot, demonstrating a remarkable 40 percent week-over-week growth as its eighth season premiered. Meanwhile, Netflix’s true crime documentary Maternal Instinct dominated the movies chart, leading ahead of Pixar’s Hoppers and the Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein rom-com Office Romance. These figures underscore the dynamic shifts in audience preferences and the increasing importance of real-time data in a rapidly evolving media world.

Streaming Dominance and Global Viewership

Peacock’s reality hit, Love Island USA, cemented its position at the top of the overall charts, showcasing a significant 40 percent increase in viewership week-over-week. This impressive growth highlights the enduring appeal of reality television and the power of consistent seasonal releases to capture and retain audiences.

Netflix continued its strong performance across various genres. The true crime documentary Maternal Instinct captivated viewers, securing the top spot on the movies chart. It outperformed anticipated releases like Pixar’s animated feature Hoppers and the star-studded romantic comedy Office Romance, indicating a strong appetite for non-fiction content.

The fifth season of Netflix’s drama Sweet Magnolias debuted at No. 5 on the charts, accumulating an impressive 806 million minutes viewed. This placed it just ahead of the popular Dutton Ranch for the week, underscoring the consistent demand for established drama series.

Further diversifying Netflix’s success, the telenovela Rosario Tijeras, also in its fifth season, successfully cracked the charts among the most-viewed library shows. This demonstrates the global reach and diverse content strategy of streaming platforms.

Beyond streaming, the FIFA World Cup continued to draw massive live audiences. The Mexico City face-off between Mexico and England scored the biggest goal for the event so far, attracting 32 million viewers. While the United States and Mexico are now out of the tournament, several games not involving either team have still drawn over 10 million viewers, indicating strong sustained interest in the remaining matches.

Box Office Triumphs and Unexpected Turns

The box office saw a mix of indie success stories and franchise disappointments. Curry Barker’s Obsession, a film made for a modest 750,000 USD and acquired by Focus for 15 million USD at the Toronto International Film Festival, has now crossed 400 million USD worldwide. This remarkable return on investment positions Obsession set to become ANZs biggest horror in a decade.

Similarly, Kane Parsons’ 10 million USD A24 adaptation of his viral YouTube short film, Backrooms, has achieved a significant milestone, hitting 350 million USD globally. These successes highlight the potential for low-budget, high-concept films to resonate with audiences and generate substantial revenue.

In contrast, Minions & Monsters, despite opening at No. 1, did not achieve the Hollywood ending it had hoped for. The film, a sendup of old Hollywood, launched to a 62 million USD five-day opening over the long July 4 weekend. Its three-day number of 37 million USD marked a franchise low, suggesting that even established properties can face audience fatigue, even when there was much crowd at the box office during the holiday period.

On Broadway, Maya Rudolph’s final performance in Oh, Mary! on Sunday concluded with a strong 1.5 million USD box office tally. This made the play the fifth highest-grossing show of the week, commanding the highest average ticket price on Broadway at 214 USD. It came in just behind MJ, which brought in 1.6 million USD, demonstrating the power of star appeal in live theater. Meg Stalter took over the role from Rudolph on July 6.

Media Consolidation and Industry Shifts

The rapidly consolidating media industry remains a central focus, with Nielsen’s latest Media Distributor Gauge offering striking insights. YouTube continues its dominance in total TV use, but a significant development is Paramount, which includes CBS and Paramount+, matching Netflix in overall TV consumption. This parity underscores the growing strength of traditional media giants adapting to the streaming landscape.

The landscape is poised for further dramatic shifts with impending deals. David Ellison’s 111 billion USD acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery will add its substantial 6 percent share to Paramount’s existing footprint, creating a formidable new entity. This move could significantly alter the competitive balance among major media players.

Another potential game-changer involves Lachlan Murdoch’s ambition to integrate The Roku Channel’s 3 percent share into Fox through a proposed 22 billion USD deal. These high-stakes mergers and acquisitions reflect a strategic imperative to aggregate content and audience share in an increasingly fragmented market. The broader trend of films facing second consecutive setbacks has been a concern for studios, making these consolidations even more critical for risk mitigation and market control.

These industry movements are not merely about financial transactions; they represent a fundamental restructuring of how content is produced, distributed, and consumed. The ability to leverage vast content libraries and diverse distribution channels will be crucial for survival and growth. This performance stands in stark contrast to other recent releases, such as Huma Qureshi’s Baby Do Die Do, which struggled significantly, highlighting the volatile nature of the entertainment business.

Upcoming Premieres This Week

Viewers have a fresh slate of content to look forward to across various platforms this week. Yesterday, Thursday, July 9, saw the debut of Little House on the Prairie on Netflix, The Five Star Weekend (all episodes) on Peacock, and Project Runway across Freeform, Hulu, and Disney+.