Disney Plus, Netflix, and HBO Max are the three mega streaming services. These streamers offer a vast catalog of films, TV shows, reality shows, etc., to watch. However, per a new rumor, one of them is shutting down.
Now, if I had to guess which one out of the abovementioned three, I would pick HBO Max due to the cash crunch its parent company- Warner Bros., is facing. However, that’s not true.
Instead, the rumor mill and Twitter/ X trending charts say that Disney Plus may end! But are these rumors true?
No, Disney Plus isn’t shutting down as per a November 8, 2023, Deadline, Disney CEO Bob Iger plans on merging Disney+ and Hulu into one app. Beta testing will begin in December 2023. The full rollout will be in March 2023. So, the Disney+ app will remain, but there will now be additional content from the Hulu library.
Will Disney Plus Platform Shut Down?
One look at the trending charts on various social media platforms will tell you that there’s high conversation around Disney Plus. Many people believe that it will end soon.
The original rumor originated from an August 13, 2023, article from Inside The Magic site. It was titled, “Disney Ends Disney+ Streaming Service, New Change Places Netflix in Charge.”
Other sites picked this up and then snowballed into a disinformation snowball. First of all, the headline is misleading. Disney Plus isn’t ending. Second of all, Netflix isn’t in charge.
The body of the article from Inside The Magic correctly states that Disney Plus isn’t ending but will get merged with Hulu. It also says people will probably prefer Netflix rather than the merged app.
Disney has confirmed it will buy out the one-third stake Comcast holds in Hulu. For now, Hulu and Disney+, along with ESPN+, are all available in one bundle, but they have separate apps.
If Disney+ and Hulu’s content library gets centralized in one app, it will massively benefit the House of Mouse.
As per Deadline’s November 8, 2023 article, Disney CEO Bob Iger has said at the latest earnings call that his company will begin beta-testing a combined Hulu and Disney+ app. Iger explained:
“We are basically putting it in beta so that we can prepare parents, largely, to implement parental controls because you’ll be able to access Hulu programming on the same app.”
As for why he is combining the two, it’s because:
“We found that where we bundle, we lower churn. And again, these are steps that are all taken to make [streaming] a great business.”
So, the goal is simple- more engagement, subscribers, and money from them. The company will begin beta-testing in December 2023 and is planning a full rollout of the combined app in March 2024.
Now, it isn’t yet clear if the new combined streaming service will be renamed. But fans think the name will remain Disney+ as that’s a more recognizable brand than Hulu.
Another issue that has begun the rumor of Disney+ ending is parental controls. Once Disney+ and Hulu merge, kids’ shows like Bluey will be available with something like American Horror Story.
As such, parents will have to step in and use the parental control features to ensure their kids don’t access adult content. The beta-testing phase is also meant to determine that this transition is seamless.
This is an important thing to ensure for a company that has prided itself on providing family-friendly entertainment for decades. But these aren’t anything new. Disney+ has also had built-in parental controls since its launch.
After all, along with PG-rated MCU titles, there are R-rated offerings like Deadpool and Logan.
So, what do you think of Disney+ and Hulu’s inevitable merger? Are you happy with the decision? Will you opt for Netflix if the merger goes through?
Let us know what’s on your mind in the comments below.
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