The Walt Disney Company has just fired off a streaming triple play, revamping Hulu, ESPN and its broader subscriber strategy—all in a bold move to future-proof its digital empire. In a major update to its streaming roadmap, the company announced three big changes in its quarterly earnings report yesterday (Aug. 6): the standalone Hulu app in the U.S. is being retired; ESPN’s long-anticipated standalone streaming service is finally launching; and Disney will stop reporting subscriber numbers for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ on a quarterly basis—mirroring Netflix’s recent decision to do the same.
The message from Bob Iger & Co. couldn’t be clearer: the rules of the streaming game have changed. And just like that, Disney is starting to look less like a legacy media giant and more like a serious contender to Netflix’s streaming dominance. “We were losing a billion dollars a quarter on that business not long ago,” Disney CFO Hugh Johnston told CNBC’s Squawk Box yesterday. “We now really have a solid foundation.”
In June, Disney completed its acquisition of NBCUniversal’s remaining stake in Hulu. As a result, the standalone Hulu app will officially be retired in the U.S. in 2026, with Hulu and Disney+ fully merged into a single platform.
That shift aligns with a larger global rebranding effort. Until now, Hulu content was only available in the U.S., while Disney+ subscribers abroad accessed similar titles through the “Star” tile within the app. The problem? The Star hub also included content unavailable to U.S. viewers, creating a fragmented experience. To unify things, beginning this fall Hulu will replace the Star branding on the international Disney+ app. This change will establish Hulu as Disney’s single global general entertainment brand.
But this isn’t just about simplifying tech; it’s about improving user engagement. As Puck’s Julia Alexander, who previously worked at Parrot Analytics, pointed out on X that Disney+ and Hulu’s separate libraries weren’t compelling enough to keep users coming back to both apps, and a unified platform could change that.
Standalone subscriptions for Disney+ and Hulu will still be offered, though Disney hasn’t yet clarified how they’ll work going forward. The company has also entered a joint venture with Fubo to combine their live TV streaming offerings, including Hulu + Live TV.
Another major streaming move is ESPN. On Aug. 21, the long-awaited standalone ESPN streaming service will debut, offering one of the most robust digital sports packages for cord-cutters. The new ESPN app will launch with two subscription tiers, including a $29.99/month plan that provides access to all ESPN linear channels and ESPN+. The platform will also feature live stats, real-time betting integrations, multiview options and a personalized SportsCenter feed (essentially a digital sports arena)—just in time for the NFL, college football, the US Open and global soccer season.
To drive early adoption, Disney is bundling ESPN, Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month during the app’s first year.
In yet another strategic pivot, Disney announced it will stop reporting subscriber numbers for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ starting in this fall. “Subscriber numbers have become less meaningful to evaluating the performance of our businesses,” Iger and Johnston said in prepared remarks. Instead, Disney will emphasize engagement and profitability as its core metrics.
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