November 10, 2023
People who subscribe to Disney+ and Hulu soon will be able to stream TV shows and movies from the services on the same app.
Next month, Disney will begin testing an app that merges its Disney+ and Hulu services into a single platform for people who subscribe to both, Variety reported. The combined app is expected to become more widely available next spring.
The news comes as Disney attempts to close a deal with Comcast to buy out NBCUniversal's 33% stake in Hulu. Disney has said it would pay Comcast at least $8.61 billion to gain full ownership of the app.
"We remain on track to roll out a more unified one-app experience domestically, making extensive general entertainment content available to bundle subscribers via Disney+," Disney CEO Bob Iger said on the company's third-quarter earnings call, per Variety.
Earlier this fall, Disney began offering Disney+ and Hulu in an ad-free bundle that costs $19.99 per month, but users must stream their content through the two separate apps. Disney also raised its monthly fees for its Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ streaming services.
Disney expects that bringing Hulu's content onto Disney+ will increase engagement and ad revenue, Iger said.
The streaming services are home to a wide variety of TV shows and movies. Disney+ subscribers can stream Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic movies, along with some ABC shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and a vast number of children's titles. Hulu is largely home to shows geared toward more mature audiences — like "The Kardashians," "The Bear" and "The Handmaid's Tale" — and ABC series like "The Bachelor" franchise and "Abbott Elementary."
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