Disney Channel Original Movie DESCENDANTS 2 Ranks as Top Cable TV Telecast

Live + 7 Day ratings for the premiere of Disney's "Descendants 2" made it the #1 cable TV telecast since the original "Descendants" (July 31, 2015) in Total Viewers (10.9 million), all major youth Kids 2-11 (5.2 million/13.1 rating), Kids 6-11 (3.9 million/16.4 rating), Tweens 9-14 (3.5 million/14.4 rating), Kids 6-14 (5.3 million/14.8 rating) demographics and Adults 18-49 (3.0 million/2.3 rating). To date, "Descendants 2" has reached over 26 million Total Viewers on linear television alone, including 10 million Kids 2-14 and 9 million Adults 18-49, and added nearly 4 million engagements across Disney Channel VOD and the Disney Channel App.

"Descendants 2" increases Disney Channel's historical record to seven of the Top 8 original cable TV movies ever ("High School Musical 2," "Teen Beach Movie," "Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie," "Descendants," "Descendants 2," "Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension" and "Camp Rock"). "Descendants 2" also continued Disney Channel's history of significant co-viewing, joining "Descendants" as the Top 2 cable TV movies in nearly five years among Adults 18-49 - since Lifetime's "Steel Magnolias" remake on October 7, 2012.

This movie's strong linear TV performance also gives Disney Channel the Top 11 rated cable TV telecasts in nearly five years in Kids 2-11, the Top 7 in Kids 6-11 and the Top 4 most watched kids cable TV telecasts in Total Viewers - since December 2012 and November 2012, respectively.

For Live + 7 versus Live + Same Day ratings, "Descendants 2" was the biggest cable gainer in well over a year in Total Viewers (+104% - 10.869 million vs. 5.326 million) - since "Game of Thrones" in March 2016 - and boasted double-to-triple digit percent increases across target Kids 2-11 (+131% - 5.166 million vs. 2.232 million), Kids 6-11 (+122% - 3.916 million vs. 1.766 million), Tweens 9-14 (+87% - 3.498 million vs. 1.875 million) and by +96% in Adults 18-49 (+96% - 3.001 million vs. 1.534 million).

Outside the U.S., the sequel is on course to repeat the success of the first "Descendants." The premiere of "Descendants 2" on Disney Channel Canada (July 21) ranked as the #1 program of the night across all Canadian English Specialty channels in Total Viewers and target Kids 2-11, Kids 6-11, Tweens 9-14 and Adults 25-54 demographics. It also became Disney Channel Canada's highest-rated telecast since its September 2015 launch in the demographics. For its July 28 Australian premiere, "Descendants 2" was the #1 show for the day across all channels (STV+FTA) among Kids 5-15 and the #1 show on STV in Total Viewers.

The movie hit #1 on the iTunes TV Top Seasons chart.

The "Descendants 2" soundtrack (released Friday, July 21) remains in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart in its second week. It also shot up to #1 album on iTunes in less than three days, and its six singles hit the Top 10 Soundtrack Songs less than 24 hours after the movie's premiere. They include "It's Goin' Down," "What's My Name," and "Chillin' Like a Villain."

"Descendants 2" videos on DisneyMusicVevo have garnered over 259 million views, including over 76 million views for the official "Ways to be Wicked" video and over 119 million views of the movie's music and dance numbers, released on premiere night.

Across social media, "Descendants 2" continues to shatter records for the network driving more Video Views (211 million) than any social campaign in Disney Channel's history, including 41 million new views during the week of July 24-30.

"Descendants 2" stars Dove Cameron as Mal, Cameron Boyce as Carlos, Sofia Carson as Evie, Booboo Stewart as Jay and Mitchell Hope as King Ben; and ushered in new villains China Anne McClain as Uma, the daughter of Ursula; Thomas Doherty as Harry, son of Captain Hook; Dylan Playfair as Gil, son of Gaston; and Anna Cathcart as Dizzy, daughter of Cinderella's evil stepsister Drizella and granddaughter of wicked stepmother Lady Tremaine. Also starring are Brenna D'Amico as Jane, the daughter of Fairy Godmother; Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother; Dianne Doan as Lonnie, the daughter of Mulan; Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad, THE SON of Cinderella; Zachary Gibson as Doug, THE SON of Dopey; Keegan Connor Tracy as Belle and Dan Payne as Beast.

Emmy Award and DGA Award-winning director Kenny Ortega ("Descendants," "High School Musical" movies) is the director, executive producer and choreographer of "Descendants 2." Wendy Japhet ("Descendants," "An Education," "The Italian Job") is also executive producer. Writers Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon ("The Starter Wife," "Runaway Bride"), who won a 2016 Writers Guild Award for "Descendants," wrote "Descendants 2" and also serve as executive producers. Kara Saun ("Descendants," "Project Runway") is the costume designer. The production designer is Mark Hofeling ("Descendants," "Teen Beach Movie," "High School Musical"). Tony Testa ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "This Is It") is the choreographer with Ortega. Shawn Williamson ("Adventures in Babysitting") is producer. David Lawrence ("High School Musical" movies, "Teen Beach Movie" and "Teen Beach 2"), who was nominated for an Emmy for his "Descendants" score, returns as composer. The casting directors are Natalie Hart and Jason La Padura, C.S.A. ("Descendants," "High School Musical" and "Teen Beach" movies), as well as Kendra Patterson ("Teen Beach Movie").

Photo credit: Disney Channel

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