Will Disney soon become the sole owner of Hulu?

Will Disney soon become the sole owner of Hulu?

New York, November 10, 2023

Disney will release the beta version of a combined Disney+ and Hulu app in December. The app will bring together Disney+ and Hulu content into a unique experience for bundle subscribers. It is expected to launch in spring 2024.

CEO Bob Iger announced the app’s launch during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday.

Iger expects the combined app to increase engagement and reduce churn, as well as provide more advertising opportunities.

The company currently offers a discounted package of Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $9.99 per month ($19.99 per month without ads), but customers must use separate apps.

Disney recently announced plans to buy Comcast’s Hulu shares for $8.6 billion, making Disney the sole owner of Hulu and enabling the shared app.

The CEO was very optimistic about the streaming business, saying Disney is expected to be profitable by the fourth quarter of the 2024 fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2024.

After losing subscribers for three quarters in a row, Disney+ added 7 million paid users in the fourth quarter of 2023, bringing its total to 150.2 million, although it still lags behind Netflix and Amazon in the streaming market.