Hulu App Set to Become Defunct

Hulu’s standalone streaming app will soon be no more.

Disney announced Wednesday that it will be “fully integrating” the Hulu service into its flagship Disney+ streamer starting in 2026.

“Today we are announcing a major step forward in strengthening our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney+,” CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston said during Wednesday’s earnings call, as per Variety. “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 single Disney+ app is set to deliver an “improved consumer experience” and will hopefully provide Disney with new opportunities for bundling ad sales by fully combining them, according to Iger.

A Disney rep told Variety that customers will still be able to buy a standalone Hulu or Disney+ subscription, despite the integration.

“By creating a truly differentiated streaming offering, we will be providing subscribers tremendous choice, convenience, quality, and enhanced personalization,” the Disney execs said in a prepared statement. “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.”

“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,” said Iger and Johnston.

While the full integration is scheduled for 2026, starting in the fall of this year, Hulu will replace the Star tile on Disney+ internationally, making it a global general entertainment brand. Disney+ also previously rolled out a full integration of Hulu content in spring 2024.

These changes come as Disney paid Comcast about $9 billion for NBCUniversal’s one-third stake in Hulu, which included $8.61 billion in November 2023 and $438.7 million in June.