What you need to know
- Internal documents confirm Disney plans to merge Hulu into Disney+ and eventually shut down the standalone Hulu app.
- While Disney publicly insists it has “no current plans” to sunset Hulu, behind the scenes it is reportedly cutting back development on the Hulu app.
- The company reportedly wants users to access Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, FX, Hulu originals, live TV, and potentially more advanced Hulu features like live channels and DVR in one app.
Disney’s been pushing Hulu and Disney+ closer for years. Now, a new report suggests the company is getting ready to make the standalone Hulu app almost unnecessary by merging its experience into Disney+.
Business Insider has obtained internal documents that show Disney is working on a multi-phase internal project called “Project Gemini.” Reportedly, the plan is to integrate Hulu’s content, features, and technology into Disney+, and eventually shut down Hulu’s standalone app once users have migrated over.
This may contradict Disney’s recent public statements. The company said this month it had no current plans to sunset the Hulu app. However, the latest report presents a different narrative, suggesting that Disney is reallocating resources to Disney+ and reducing the significant development work on Hulu itself.
The integration has been years in the making
The change has been in the pipeline for some time. Disney started adding Hulu content to Disney+ years ago, enabling bundle subscribers to watch Hulu programming without ever leaving the Disney+ app. More recently, the company announced profile linking, which allows eligible users to sync their watch history, recommendations, and watchlists between the two services.
The pitch to consumers seems to be that rather than hop from service to service, viewers will find Disney originals, Marvel shows, Star Wars content, FX series, Hulu originals, and live TV features all in one place. Apparently, Disney is looking to bring more Hulu-specific features to Disney+, including live channels and DVR functionality.
There’s a business reason for the strategy, too. Having two different streaming services means two different technology stacks, two different teams, and two different user experiences to support them. Bringing those systems together could reduce costs, boost discovery of content, and keep subscribers on the site longer.
For Hulu subscribers, there’s nothing to do just now. The app is still there, and Disney is still selling Hulu subscriptions. But the recent rollout of profile-linking tools at Disney makes it clear the company wants users to start bringing their Hulu watching history and preferences into Disney+ now.
Android Central’s Take
For users already deep into the Disney ecosystem, Disney+ and Hulu, live TV, and possibly even theme park bookings and shopping all under one roof could make life a whole lot easier. It’s difficult to argue with fewer apps, more streamlined recommendations, and a single account experience. That said, Disney’s insistence that Hulu isn’t going anywhere while reports keep suggesting otherwise feels a bit like watching the company slowly pack Hulu’s boxes while insisting it hasn’t decided if it’s moving out. If the goal is to make the experience better, users will probably go along with it — but Disney might want to stop pretending the destination isn’t already mapped out.