The Acquisition Heard Around the Streaming World
It’s undeniable; streaming wars are reshaping Hollywood’s landscape. With every major studio jostling to have the upper hand, Disney is making its next strategic move. Taking center stage in this drama, according to Deadline, Disney is ready to shell out an impressive $8.61 billion to acquire the remaining 33% of Hulu, which means the streaming service will be 100% owned by the Mouse House. This is a climax to the agreement between Disney and Comcast that started in 2019. This recent development closely follows after Comcast CEO, Brian Roberts, hinted in September about ongoing discussions between him and Disney CEO, Bob Iger, concerning a potential sale.
“It turns out Hulu will have one full owner in the foreseeable future.”
Will Hulu Be Swallowed by the Disney+ Juggernaut?
Perhaps the most pressing question on every streaming enthusiast’s mind is: With Disney getting full control over Hulu, does this mean Hulu might soon be enveloped into the vast world of Disney+?
Considering the overlapping nature of content on both platforms, such a move might seem logical. After all, why maintain two separate streaming platforms if their content converges? With Disney at the helm, it’s possible the company might think along these lines too.
“Unless Disney is planning on making significant changes to Hulu where it would benefit the studio in having the service exist on its own, combining it with Disney+ would be the logical choice.”
Learning from Past Mergers
In the ever-evolving streaming sphere, service mergers aren’t unprecedented. For instance, when Warner Bros. Discovery contemplated integrating HBO Max and Discovery+, the final outcome was a combined platform named Max. The significant advantage for Disney in a potential Disney+ and Hulu merger is Hulu’s rich content library. Popular titles like “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Bear,” and “Solar Opposites” could undoubtedly drive a subscriber boost for Disney+.
What Lies Ahead for Hulu?
Even though the acquisition news is fresh off the press, the completion of this colossal deal isn’t expected until 2024. It offers ample time for industry pundits, fans, and subscribers to speculate on the future roadmap Disney charts out for Hulu. With mammoth IPs like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars under Disney’s belt, Hulu’s place in this intricate tapestry is something to watch closely.
For now, one can only ponder, “Will Disney+ and Hulu merge into a super streaming service, or will Hulu continue to weave its distinct tale?“. Only time will tell.
