HULU: The Disappearing Streaming Service And App
HULU is a streaming service that has been around “since 2007 as a joint venture between NBC Universal, 21st Century Fox, and Providence Equity Partners.†According to Fortune. It was the go-to site people used when they missed an episode of their favorite NBC, ABC, FOX & some CBS shows. It was a free service. Then HULU started adding more shows from other networks and creating its original content, which people could only view if they purchased a subscription service.
On August 6, Variety reported,†Disney said it is ‘fully integrating’ the Hulu service, which it now owns 100%, into its flagship Disney+ streamer.†A rep revealed to Variety,â€a new ‘unified’ Disney+ and Hulu streaming app will be available in 2026.â€
August 12, 2025, former vice president of experience, Ben Smith, took to his LinkedIn account and†lamented Disney’s decision to shut down the iconic Hulu app and fully merge Hulu’s offerings with Disney+, marking the end of an influential chapter in streaming history,†Fortune disclosed. Mr. Smith also inscribed,†Lots of companies talk about caring about their customers, Hulu did. Viscerally, a lot of companies say they ‘work hard and play hard.’ Hulu walked the walk…Sometimes the good guys don’t win. RIP.â€
As stated earlier, HULU began in 2007. But, joined Disney + in 2009. Fortune also communicated,†HULU was designed to respond to changing viewer habits and challenge early disrupters such as Netflix—to give the linear broadcasters a foothold in the streaming world, essentially.
Hulu’s app became well-regarded for its user-friendly interface and innovative feature set, frequently winning praise for accessibility and content discovery. Over its life span, Hulu established a reputation for original programming, including critical and commercial successes, including The Handmaid’s Tale, Ramy, and Only Murders in the Building…Disney’s stewardship of Hulu was years in the making.
The company
The company assumed majority control of Hulu in 2019 when it purchased 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion, followed by the purchase of remaining stakes from AT&T and Comcast. Disney finalized its acquisition of Comcast’s share in June 2025, paying around $9 billion after a contentious valuation process that ultimately involved an arbitrator… [The] stand-alone Hulu app will finally sunset in 2026.â€
To this writer, it makes sense not to have Hulu as a separate stand-alone app, because I see the same movies and shows listed on Disney+ and HBO Max.I have seen shows on Netflix and Paramount+, such as NCIS, which is available on all those services.
Variety recounted Disney+’s CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston informed, “This will create an impressive package of entertainment, pairing the highest-caliber brands and franchises, great general entertainment, family programming, news, and industry-leading live sports content in a single app.†when they made a statement on the media giant’s quarterly earnings.
Furthermore, Variety revealed that Iger believes the “single Disney+ app with Hulu will deliver an “improved consumer experience…Both services will be ‘on one tech platform,’ which will result in cost synergies…. In addition, Disney — which already sells ads for Disney+ and Hulu together — sees new opportunities for bundling ad sales by fully combining them, he said.’ Those that have a HULU acdount will continue to have that account, but new customers will need to go through Disney+ come 2026.
What are your thoughts and feelings about Disney+ becoming an all-inclusive app?
Written by Belle De La Keur
Photos are courtesy of Nerdist, Hulu. Disney+, & Varietry
