Disney is knitting together its streaming empire, confirming that Hulu will be fully integrated into the Disney+ app in 2026—a single, unified experience that blends general entertainment, family franchises, news, and live sports into one place for U.S. users and beyond. “This will create an impressive package of entertainment” and a better consumer experience, Disney CEO Bob Iger said, positioning the combined platform for higher engagement, lower churn, and stronger ad sales.

The Big Picture: Why Disney Is Doing This Now

Disney now owns 100% of Hulu after settling a lengthy appraisal process with Comcast in June 2025, paying a total of about $9 billion for NBCUniversal’s one-third stake—clearing the last major hurdle to streamline its tech stack and brand strategy. The buyout followed an earlier $8.61 billion payment in 2023 tied to Hulu’s $27.5 billion floor valuation and concluded with an additional $438.7 million to finalize the transaction. With ownership sorted, Disney can make Hulu the company’s global general entertainment brand and fold it into Disney+’s core experience, including replacing the Star tile internationally this fall.

What Changes for U.S. Viewers

  • Unified app, flexible subscriptions: Disney says the single app will host both Disney+ and Hulu content in 2026, while still offering separate subscriptions for those who want them—plus bundles for those who don’t.
  • Smarter UX and discovery: Expect a more personalized homepage, new app features, and a more cohesive discovery layer across genres and ratings, building on the Hulu tile introduced inside Disney+ in 2024.
  • ESPN bundle synergy: Disney is launching an enhanced ESPN app that can bundle with Disney+ and Hulu, with a stated launch price promo of $29.99/month for the first 12 months—an aggressive cross-sell lever in a consolidated app world.
  • Live TV path: Hulu + Live TV is expected to be integrated into Disney+ sometime in 2026, aligning linear and live sports within the same destination over time, according to reporting tied to Disney commentary.

Advertising, ARPU, and Churn: The Business Logic

A unified app shrinks friction, makes cross-promotion easier, and amplifies ad inventory across a wider content graph, which Disney believes will lift engagement and reduce churn—a key KPI in today’s rationalized streaming landscape. Consolidating tech and brand footprint also enables operational efficiencies Disney can reinvest in content and product, while “packaging” ad sales more effectively for marketers seeking reach with precision across kids, families, general entertainment, news, and live sports. In a sign of the shift from volume to value, Disney will stop reporting quarterly subscriber and ARPU figures for its streamers, and instead focus investors on entertainment DTC profitability.

Competitive Stakes: The Super-App Era Arrives

For consumers, this is a simplification win; for Disney, it’s a defensive and offensive move. Netflix remains the category default; Amazon’s Prime Video continues bundling benefits; Warner Bros. Discovery merged HBO Max and Discovery+ into Max; and Comcast is scaling Peacock with sports and NBCU IP. Disney’s single-app strategy aims to clarify its value proposition—Marvel and Star Wars alongside FX, ABC, Hulu Originals, news, and live sports in one destination—and leverage pricing power more effectively over time.

Internationally, swapping Star for Hulu branding tightens global brand coherence while expanding Hulu’s footprint well beyond its U.S. roots.

What Marketers Should Watch

  • Audience reach with intent: Expect stronger ad formats and better cross-portfolio targeting as Hulu’s AVOD strength meets Disney+’s scale.
  • Seasonal and tentpole planning: One app means streamlined placements across theatrical windows, franchise launches, and sports calendars.
  • Measurement and performance: Consolidated identity and optimization across profiles should improve frequency management and incrementality testing.
  • Pricing dynamics: Disney hinted at “price elasticity” down the road—watch for premium tiers, sports add-ons, or experiential bundles that blend content and commerce.

What Consumers Should Do Now

If already bundled, the Hulu tile inside Disney+ offers a taste of the future today; if not, sampling will expand, with Disney giving standalone Disney+ users temporary access to select Hulu titles as integration approaches. The unified app experience rolls out in 2026, with more UI/UX upgrades landing in the coming months, and the Hulu brand replacing Star globally this fall.

The Bottom Line

Disney’s Hulu-on-Disney+ is less a merger than a thesis: consolidate, simplify, monetize—then scale globally with a clearer story for viewers, brands, and Wall Street. With full Hulu ownership secured and a single tech stack on the horizon, Disney is betting that one premium doorway beats two crowded hallways.

“All of this will culminate with the unified Disney+ and Hulu streaming app experience available to consumers next year,” Disney said—pushing the industry further into the super-app era.
  • Launch timing: unified app in 2026; Hulu tile replaces Star internationally this fall.
  • Ownership: Disney now owns 100% of Hulu after paying an additional $438.7 million to Comcast in June 2025, totaling about $9 billion.
  • Strategy: stop reporting subs and ARPU; emphasize DTC profitability, engagement, and ad revenue efficiency.