The Walt Disney Company has announced the full integration of Hulu into its flagship Disney+ platform, effectively phasing out the standalone Hulu app. The unified app, combining content from both services, is slated to launch in 2026, marking a new era for Disney’s entertainment offerings.
Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston revealed the plans during the company’s fiscal third-quarter earnings call on August 6, 2025.
“Today we are announcing a major step forward in strengthening our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney+,” they stated in prepared remarks. “This will create an impressive package of entertainment, pairing the highest-caliber brands and franchises, great general entertainment, family programming, news, and industry-leading live sports content in a single app.”
The logo for Disney+ – YouTube, Disney+
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The integration comes on the heels of Disney’s complete acquisition of Hulu, which closed by July 24, 2025, giving the company 100% ownership of the service previously shared with Comcast. This full control allows Disney to consolidate its streaming assets, building on earlier efforts like the beta launch of Hulu content within Disney+ in March 2024 for bundle subscribers.
Background: From Partial Ownership to Full Integration
Hulu, launched in 2008 as a joint venture between media giants including Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal, and Time Warner, has long served as a hub for general entertainment, including next-day TV episodes, originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, and live TV options. Disney first gained a controlling stake in 2019 after acquiring 21st Century Fox, and progressively increased its ownership, culminating in the recent buyout of Comcast’s remaining 33% stake.
HULU ON DISNEY+ CELEBRATION – Some of the biggest stars across The Walt Disney Company celebrate the official launch of Hulu on Disney+ at an exclusive cocktail reception hosted by Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with special guest Bob Iger, on Friday evening in Los Angeles. (Disney/Greg Williams)
DANA WALDEN (CO-CHAIRMAN, DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY), ROBERT A. IGER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY), ALAN BERGMAN (CO-CHAIRMAN, DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY)
The push toward integration began in late 2023, when Disney started incorporating Hulu content into Disney+ for bundle users, aiming to reduce subscriber churn and boost engagement. By March 2024, the “Hulu on Disney+” feature went live, allowing users to access Hulu’s library directly within the Disney+ app, though both services remained available separately.
Industry analysts speculated this was a precursor to a full merger, with some predicting the standalone Hulu app’s demise shortly after the acquisition closed.
Now, with the 2026 unified app, Disney is set to eliminate the need for separate apps, promising a “truly differentiated streaming offering” with enhanced personalization, a more intuitive homepage, and seamless access to a vast content library.
Bob Iger via CNBC Television YouTube
Iger and Johnston emphasized the benefits, saying, “By creating a truly differentiated streaming offering, we will be providing subscribers tremendous choice, convenience, quality, and enhanced personalization. This will enhance our ability to continue to grow profitability and margins in our entertainment streaming business through expected higher engagement, lower churn, and advertising revenue potential, as well as operational efficiencies that over time may result in savings that we can reinvest back into the business.”
During the earnings call Q&A, Iger further highlighted the improved consumer experience and potential for price elasticity in the future.
International Expansion and Brand Evolution
Beyond the U.S., Hulu is poised to become Disney’s global general entertainment brand.
Starting in the fall of 2025, Hulu will replace the “Star” tile on Disney+ in international markets, where Star has served as a hub for mature content from Disney’s portfolio, including shows from FX, ABC, and Searchlight Pictures.
The Train Station at Main Street USA
This rebranding aims to unify Disney’s global streaming identity, leveraging Hulu’s established reputation for adult-oriented programming.
“Work is already underway to continue enhancing our technology, and over the coming months, we will be implementing numerous improvements within the Disney+ app, including exciting new features and a more personalized homepage,” Iger and Johnston added.
Broader Streaming Strategy Shifts
The Hulu integration is part of a larger overhaul of Disney’s streaming business. On the same day, Disney announced it will cease reporting subscriber numbers and average revenue per user (ARPU) for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ starting in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 (October-December 2025). This follows similar moves by competitors like Netflix, shifting focus to overall financial health rather than subscriber growth metrics.
This comes at a time in which Disney+ subscriptions are pretty much stagnant from the same time last year in the U.S.
A clip from the NFL on YouTube – YouTube, NFL
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Additionally, Disney confirmed the launch of its standalone ESPN streaming service on August 21, 2025, priced at $29.99 per month. This sports-focused offering will complement the unified Disney+ app, providing live events, analysis, and exclusive content without requiring a cable subscription.
Looking Ahead: A Unified Future for Disney Streaming
As Disney continues to navigate the competitive streaming landscape dominated by Netflix, this integration positions the company to offer a more comprehensive, all-in-one entertainment platform.
By 2026, subscribers can expect a blend of family-friendly Disney classics, Marvel and Star Wars offerings, Pixar animations, National Geographic documentaries, and Hulu’s edgier fare—all under one roof.
Bob Iger via New York Times Events YouTube
This is all part of Disney’s strategy to prioritize profitability over rapid expansion, with operational efficiencies potentially funding further content investments. As the fall 2025 international rollout begins, users worldwide will start seeing Hulu’s influence on Disney+, paving the way for the full unification next year.
How do you feel about Disney+ absorbing Hulu? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
This was inevitable, but it will still be sad to have to see Hulu gated behind a D+ subscription.
I love how this is positioned as sort of a “We made this amazing business move!” when the truth is that Disney had their back to the wall as they were contractually obligated to buyout Comcast this year. If the deal had not been completed Comcast could have shopped their stake around to other media companies who might be less inclined to sell to Disney.
Hulu valuation must have dropped through the floor; 4 or 5 years ago Comcast’s portion was estimated to be worth $5 billion. Good thing for Comcast that everyone agreed to a minimum possible value of the venture at ~$27 billion. Without that Disney might have been able to get the Comcast ownership for far less than the $439 million they ended up paying.
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