Disney has internal plan to sunset Hulu app: Report

Disney has reportedly created a loose internal strategy that could lead to it eventually shutting down Hulu as its own standalone app.

The effort, reportedly dubbed “Project Gemini,” does not have a firm timeline but its ultimate goal may be to combine the Hulu app into Disney+, Business Insider was first to report.

The potential move isn’t a surprise. Disney has hinted that it may eventually drop the Hulu app. 

In 2024, Disney merged both of its streaming platforms onto a shared backend technology stack. This move had the advantage of reducing development and maintenance costs from having to support and update two separate systems.

Disney has also introduced the ability to access Hulu content from the Disney+ app and vice versa. It also heavily promotes its “Disney Bundle” offerings, which combine Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions into one discounted monthly price with the option to add Hulu’s vMVPD service and other, non-Disney-owned streamers at higher price points.

Hulu was originally a standalone joint venture controlled by News Corp., NBCUniversal, Providence Equity, Disney and Time Warner. As part of the deal, content from Fox, ABC and NBC and other brands were offered within Hulu, which offered both free, ad-supported options and a paid plan.

Disney gained Fox’s stake in the venture in 2019 when it bought 21st Century Fox. It then bought out AT&T’s Time Warner stake in 2019 and Comcast’s NBCUniversal share in 2023. This effectively gave Disney full control of the app.

While Hulu continued to include non-Disney-owned content (mostly in the form of original series, off-network series and films), Disney appeared eager to create it as a sort of second home for IP it owned. At the time, Disney+ was largely considered “family friendly,” with Hulu serving as the home for other content. 

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While similar in name to Google Gemini, the two efforts are not related. 

The name Gemini is largely attributed to the astrological sign, which is symbolized by twins (in Disney’s case the name may have a bit of irony since it could be a nod to two “twins” becoming one).

Disney has not confirmed plans to sunset Hulu, however.

It recently told Variety that “there are no current plans to sunset the Hulu app.”