Forget Wednesday, Disney+'s New Fantasy Series Beats Even The MCU

Published Oct 6, 2026, 2:00 AM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. While Wednesday has led the fantasy genre on TV in recent years, a worthy competitor is now taking over Disney+, and it has already beaten the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The fantasy genre is one of the most popular ones on TV and streaming, and Disney+ has gradually become a go-to platform for fantasy fans. With classic shows like Gravity Falls and new hits like Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Disney+ houses some of the best fantasy TV shows of all time. However, the dominant fantasy show in recent years belongs to Netflix, and it’s Wednesday. Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, Wednesday follows the Addams’ daughter, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), as she attends Nevermore Academy and develops her dormant psychic abilities. At the time of writing, Wednesday is preparing for its third season, but in the meantime, Disney+ now has a worthy competitor thanks to its newest fantasy show, Coven Academy. Coven Academy is a supernatural teen drama that premiered on October 1, 2026, on Freeform as part of its 31 Nights of Halloween, and was made available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu the following day. The entire first season of Coven Academy can now be enjoyed on Disney+, and at the time of writing, it has a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, making it Wednesday’s strongest competitor and beating the MCU’s best show to date on the platform’s charts. Coven Academy Has Beaten Loki At Disney+’s Top 10 Created by Tim Federle, Coven Academy is an original story, unlike some of Disney+’s biggest fantasy hits in recent years. Coven Academy takes its audience to New Orleans to meet Briar Roberts (Malina Weissman), a young woman from Brooklyn who is sent to Crescent Veil Academy, an elite boarding school for witches and warlocks. Briar has advanced telekinetic abilities but also anger issues, so she must find a balance between both and learn to control her temper and powers. Briar makes new friends at the academy: fellow witches Sasha (Jordan Leftwich), who has mind-manipulation powers, and Tegan (Ora Duplass), who has time-bending powers. Briar also has a couple of love interests, but one, in particular, might pose a threat not just to her but to her coven and the rest of the school. This forces the witches to protect each other, while also learning more about themselves and their individual powers. Coven Academy has been very well-received by critics so far, who have praised its emotional depth, themes of sisterhood and community, blend of magic, mystery, and teenage drama, and tone reminiscent of 2000s teen horror and drama stories. General audiences have also been welcoming of Coven Academy, and at the time of writing, it sits at the #1 spot on Disney+’s Top 10 TV Shows (via FlixPatrol), right above American Horror Story and many spots above the MCU’s Loki. Coven Academy beating shows like American Horror Story and Loki and leading Disney+’s Top 10 is a huge achievement, as the show hasn’t even been out for a week, and Loki often ranks high, even above new releases, while American Horror Story is one of the most anticipated TV releases of the year. What’s Next For Coven Academy? In just 10 episodes, Coven Academy tells a complete and exciting story, and in its season finale, it gives a satisfying conclusion to its main conflict while also paving the way for a second season. Without spoiling the ending of season 1 of Coven Academy, Briar manages to use her powers for good while also learning an unexpected truth about her family she couldn’t have seen coming. On top of that, Briar’s love triangle isn’t resolved, so there’s a lot left to explore in a second season. At the time of writing, Coven Academy hasn’t been renewed for a second season, but with its great critical reception and high spot on Disney+’s Top 10, it’s unlikely it will be canceled after just 10 episodes. Coven Academy can brag about beating Loki and American Horror Story, and it’s on the right path to being Wednesday’s biggest competition. Release Date October 1, 2026 Network Freeform Directors Tim Federle Writers Tim Federle Cast Malina Weissman, Malachi Barton, Jordan Leftwich, Ora Duplass, Louis Thresher, Tiffani Thiessen, Shane Dean, Devon Sawa, Brandon McEwan, Swayam Bhatia, Brendon Tremblay, Nathaniel Logan McIntyre Creator(s) Tim Federle