Disney+ and Hulu to be unified in one app later this year

During Disney’s (DIS) Q2 2023 earnings call, we got a better idea of how business has been going at the entertainment empire over the past few months. This included some talk about its efforts in the streaming business, as Disney operates Disney+, ESPN+, and is the majority stakeholder in Hulu. During the call, it was announced that Disney+ and Hulu content will be combined into one app by the end of 2023.

Disney CEO Bob Iger was the one that announced the new platform-combining app during the latest Disney shareholders meeting. The app will be released by the end of 2023. While it combines the libraries of the two streaming services, the two services will still be offered as standalone options. Disney currently owns two-thirds of Hulu, but has come to an agreement with Comcast in order to take total control of the platform and execute the merger.

Source: Hulu

“While we continue to offer Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our DTC offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers, while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience,” he said.

It doesn’t appear that there are any plans to fold ESPN+ into this new app. This announcement came alongside the news that Disney+ lost 4 million subscribers in its latest quarter.

Disney currently offers a bundle for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. There seems to be some confusion about how those subscriptions will transfer over once the new app is released later this year. If you’re interested in hearing us discuss the results of Disney’s latest earnings results, as well as other news in the film and TV industry, be sure to tune into Pop! Goes the Culture! on Thursdays.