Article Overview
Disney's acquisition of Hulu could lead to a major change for Disney+. The move sets Disney+ apart and makes a big shift in the streaming world inevitable.
Disney's long-anticipated merger of Hulu and Disney+ appears to be on the horizon. Boasting a substantial 48 million subscribers, Hulu brings a diverse range of content to the table, while Disney+ holds its own with a staggering 150 million subscribers and exclusive original shows. Nevertheless, the amalgamation of these two platforms appears to be an unavoidable step.
Speculation about Disney's desire to acquire Hulu has finally been confirmed, prompting speculation about potential changes to Disney+. As the battle for streaming supremacy continues, platforms are vying for viewership by offering the best content. With Disney+ already dominating the market by constantly adding new shows and movies, a full acquisition of Hulu would further solidify its position and inevitably bring about significant differences between Disney+ and Hulu. Once Netflix reigned as the leading streaming platform, showcasing content from various studios at an affordable subscription price. However, Netflix then ventured into producing its own original content, inspiring other studios to follow suit. Warner Bros partnered with HBO to create HBO Max, which later merged with Discovery+ to become Max. Disney introduced Disney+, alongside strong competitors like Hulu, Peacock, and Apple TV+. This latest development with Hulu could potentially disrupt the streaming landscape and reshape the industry.
Disney's Ownership Of Hulu Explained
Disney Has Been Planning It For Years
Disney has been working on acquiring ownership of Hulu for several years. Hulu was officially launched in 2008 through various partnerships, and then The Walt Disney Company became involved in 2009. In 2019, Disney increased its ownership stake in Hulu to 60% after acquiring 21st Century Fox. Following the sale of 10% of its shares by WarnerMedia, Disney further solidified its control by reaching an agreement with Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal. As part of the agreement, Comcast will sell its 33% ownership stake to Disney within five years. Disney is now set to take complete control of Hulu for $8.61 billion dollars.
As Disney acquired majority stakes in Hulu, it initiated various changes in terms of content and strategy. With a collection of streaming services that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, Disney now has the option to allocate its content across these platforms. Prior to the anticipated update where Hulu will have a sole owner, Disney utilized this streaming service to produce and distribute original content, inevitably leading to significant alterations.
Why It's Likely Hulu & Disney+ Will Merge In The Near Future
The Move Seems Inevitable
The conversation surrounding a potential merger between Hulu and Disney+ has been ongoing for some time now, and it seems highly probable that this merger will occur in the near future. Currently, Hulu boasts approximately 48 million subscribers and offers a wide range of content from ABC, FX, Fox, and others. This includes popular original shows like The Handmaid's Tale, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, as well as reality shows such as The Kardashians. On the other hand, Disney+ operates both domestically and internationally, offering its own portfolio of original content, including shows from the Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises. As of 2023, Disney+ has amassed around 150 million subscribers. However, it is inevitable that a significant change will take place: the merge of these two platforms.
Disney has been actively planning to create a single app that combines the content from Disney+ and Hulu by the end of the year. Despite this merger, Hulu will continue to operate as a separate service. With Disney assuming full ownership of Hulu, subscription plans and pricing may undergo alterations. Bringing together Hulu and Disney+ appears to be the logical and unavoidable choice.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the potential merger of Hulu and Disney+. On the one hand, I am excited about the prospect of having all of my favorite content in one place. I am a big fan of both Hulu and Disney+, and I think that combining the two platforms would create a streaming service that is truly unbeatable. On the other hand, I am worried about the potential impact of the merger on the price of Hulu. Hulu is currently one of the most affordable streaming services on the market, and I am concerned that the merger will lead to a price increase.
Overall, I think that the merger of Hulu and Disney+ is a positive development. I am excited to see what the future holds for these two platforms, and I hope that the merger will lead to a better streaming experience for consumers.
