It wasn’t long ago thatDisney announced plans to merge Disney+ with Hulu, and now that day has finally come. Hulu will be fully integrated with Disney+, merging libraries from both streaming platforms, months after The Walt Disney Company got full ownership of Hulu.
According tothis latest report, this unified app will launch in 2026, and users can still grab a standalone Hulu subscription if they don’t want to pay for Disney’s content and vice versa. Once the fully integrated Disney+ app is ready for release, the OG Hulu app will officially shut down. Walt Disney CEOBob Igerand CFOHugh Johnstoncommented on the latest news during an earnings call, expressing excitement about the merger and boasting about an “improved consumer experience” as everything will be on one platform.
“Today, we are announcing a major step forward in strengthening our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney+. 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…
… 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.”
Hulu’s Merger With Disney+ Explained
Hulu is a streaming platform that was first launched in 2007, whichComcast previously owned. But following theWalt Disney Company’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, the House of Mouseowns a majority stakein the streaming platform, from 30% to 60%, thus beginning plans for its eventual merger and to buy the remaining stake.
In 2023, Disney announced plans to buy the remaining stake for full ownership. But in that same year, Iger announced plansto sell the streaming platform. After a lengthy process, with Disney pulling content as acost-cutting measure for a potential purchase, andannouncing bundlesthat would allow shows likeThe Bearto be streamed on Disney+, The Walt Disney Comcast finally came to an agreement in June 2025 andbought the remaining stock for $438.7 million, with an additional$8.6 billion back in 2023, thus gaining full ownership of the streaming platform.
The unified Disney+ app will launch in 2026. Follow Collider to keep up to date with the latest updates.
