Overview

• Disney finalized full acquisition of Hulu from Comcast for about $9 billion in June 2025 after a contentious arbitration.
• The standalone Hulu app will be shuttered in 2026 as its catalogue and brand move into Disney+, with customers able to subscribe to Hulu content on its own or through Disney+/ESPN+ bundles.
• Disney is consolidating to cut costs and support Bob Iger’s direct-to-consumer turnaround, aiming for greater profitability across streaming services.
• Internationally, Hulu will replace the Star tile on Disney+ this fall, marking the service’s first major expansion beyond U.S. borders.
• Ben Smith, a former senior vice president at Hulu, lamented the decision on LinkedIn, calling the app’s demise a cultural loss for customer-focused innovation.