Viewership Descendants: The Rise of Red was watched by 6.7 million viewers in its first three days of streaming on
Disney+. It became
Disney Branded Television’s highest original movie premiere on the streaming service.
Luminate, which measures streaming performance in the U.S. by analyzing viewership data, audience engagement metrics, and content reach across various platforms, calculated that the film was the most-streamed original movie from July 12 – 18, with 1.1 billion minutes of watch time. It was later the third most-streamed original movie from July 19 – 25, with 299.1 million minutes of watch time.
The Rise of Red was subsequently the fourth most-streamed original during the week of 26 July – August 1, with 141.8 million minutes of watch time and 1.5 million views. FlixPatrol, which monitors daily updated VOD charts across the globe, reported that the movie reached Disney+'s number one film ranking in the United States on July 27, and reached number two on August 11. Analytics company
Samba TV, which gathers viewership data from certain
Smart TVs and content providers, reported that
The Rise of Red was the eighth top streaming programs for the week of August 5–11. In August, Disney announced that the film has reached 20 million views worldwide. In October, the movie became Disney+'s most-watched live-action original movie since
Hocus Pocus 2 in September 2022. Since its release on July 12, it garnered 33 million viewers over 12 weeks.
Critical response On the
review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes, 57% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.10/10. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal of
Parents praised how
The Rise of Red reminds viewers that childhood experiences shape who people become, complimented the movie's emphasis on "girl power," saying characters like Red serve as strong role models, and stated the film depicts meaningful conversations between parents and children about personal growth and overcoming challenges. Katelyn Mensah of
Radio Times gave
The Rise of Red a grade of four out of five stars, praised the performances of the actors, particularly Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker, noting their strong chemistry and character development, complimented the diverse musical styles and the dynamic duets, especially between Cantrall and Rita Ora, and highlighted the film's positive themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and unexpected friendships. John Serba of
Decider remarked that the film adheres to the Disney Channel's typical formula, citing vibrant visuals and upbeat atmosphere, noted that the new characters are not significantly different from the originals, suggesting fans of
Descendants will likely enjoy them, and said that
Rise of Red delivers positive messages and expected feel-good experience, although without taking any creative risks. Jennifer Green of
Common Sense Media gave
The Rise of Red a score of three out of five stars, noted the presence of positive messages and role models, citing empathy and treating others with kindness, but called the film "overstuffed."
Accolades Impact In July 2024, the soundtrack for
Descendants: The Rise of Red accumulated over 26 million streams across various platforms, while the hashtag "#Descendants" has garnered more than 95 million views in the United States and over 9 billion views globally. The track "Red" gained significant popularity on
social media, generating numerous fan choreography covers and dance challenges on platforms like
TikTok and
Instagram. In October 2024, Frightgeist, which tracks
Halloween costume trends in the United States, highlighted the character of Red as one of the top-costume choices for the celebration. == In other media ==