Disney boss says Disney Plus and Hulu could eventually merge in the US

The Handmaid's Tale — (Image credit: Hulu)

With so many streaming platforms, it's hard to keep track of which titles are hosted by which, so some may be glad to hear that Disney Plus and Hulu could very well combine in the future. At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Tech Conference recently, Bob Chapek hinted at a merger – and explained why it wouldn't happen for another couple of years if it does.

According to Deadline, the Disney Chief noted that while Hulu has been operated by Disney since 2019, the latter has to first take over Comcast – who owns part of Hulu – before it can link the service with Disney Plus. This is due to the deal inked when Disney acquired most of 21st Century Fox, which specifies Disney can only buy out Comcast at the start of 2024.

Despite being keen to get the ball rolling, Comcast isn't in a hurry, Chapek said. As the popularity of online content consumption continues to strengthen, the value of the stake is currently estimated to be $27.5 billion – and the figure will likely keep going up.

Disney Plus is said to have around 152.1 million subscribers worldwide, while Hulu has 46.2 million in the US alone, so the latter certainly has some sway. It's worth noting, though, that certain Hulu exclusives like Pam & Tommy, Only Murders in the Building, Wedding Season, and Prey are hosted via Disney Plus outside of the US anyway. (In the UK, The Handmaid's Tale fans are still waiting for it to jump ship from Channel 4).

"The thing that you worry about when you're Disney is brand friction, with some of the content that we may have in general entertainment," Chapek continued. "I am amazed every day in this job how elastic the Disney brand is. I would tell you that we have had no blowback whatsoever in terms of including that general entertainment content on a Disney-branded streaming proposition” in non-US territories. "I'm not saying it would be received exactly like that in the US, but it gives us some reason to believe that we have more degrees of freedom than anybody would have ever suspected."

For now, it's unsure how a merger would affect pricing. As of next months, Disney Plus will set subscribers who aren't keen on ads back $10.99. Meanwhile, those who don't mind ads can opt to continue paying $7.99. Elsewhere, Hulu's ad-free tier is jumping from $12.99 a month to $14.99, and its ad-supported version will increase to $7.99.

If you subscribe to both Disney Plus and Hulu but have found yourself stuck on what to watch recently, we've got you covered. Whether you're looking for your next binge or have a couple of hours to kill, check out our breakdowns of the best movies on Disney Plus or the best shows on Hulu for some viewing inspiration.

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