“The Hulu tech stack and app will be decommissioned after all users have transitioned.”
Disney is moving closer to a major streaming shift that could eventually remove the standalone Hulu app completely, folding it into Disney+ as part of a single unified platform. The company is working on an internal strategy known as “Project Gemini,” which aims to bring Hulu’s content, features, and user experience directly into Disney+. This means the separate Hulu app may no longer exist in the long term once all users are fully migrated.
According to the report, the Hulu app “will be decommissioned” after the transition is complete. Disney, however, publicly states that there are “no current plans to sunset” the app, even as development activity on Hulu appears to be slowing. The strategy reflects a broader shift inside Disney to simplify its streaming ecosystem and reduce the need for multiple apps serving overlapping audiences.
Under the new structure, Disney+ is becoming the central hub for both Disney and Hulu content. Subscribers who use the Disney bundle already have access to Hulu content inside Disney+, along with new features like shared watchlists and improved content discovery tools. The long-term plan appears to be a fully integrated streaming experience where users no longer switch between separate apps.
Instead, everything would live inside Disney+. Industry observers say this approach is part of Disney’s “One Disney” vision, focused on consolidating services to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase user engagement. The company also aims to reduce subscription cancellations by keeping users on one platform instead of spreading them across multiple apps. The integration is not only about convenience. It is also about competition.
Streaming rivals like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video already operate as single unified platforms, which gives them a simpler user experience compared to companies with multiple apps. By merging Hulu into Disney+, Disney is attempting to match that simplicity while still keeping its different content brands intact.
Hulu has long been known for general entertainment content, including TV shows, dramas, and next-day network programming. Disney+ focuses more on family content, franchises, and major studios like Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. Combining them creates a much larger content library under one interface.
According to the report, Disney has already begun technical integration work behind the scenes. Some Hulu content is now accessible directly through Disney+ for bundle subscribers, and features like syncing viewing history and watchlists are already being rolled out. This signals that the transition is not just theoretical.
It is already happening in stages. Hulu-specific updates are slowing down, which could indicate that engineering resources are being redirected toward Disney+. That kind of shift often happens when companies prepare to retire a standalone product. Even though Disney has not confirmed an official shutdown date for the Hulu app, internal documentation shows a clear direction toward consolidation.
The “decommission” language used in internal planning suggests a full phase-out once migration is complete. For users, this could mean that the Hulu app gradually becomes less important over time before eventually disappearing from app stores entirely. Instead, Disney+ would become the single destination for all Hulu content.
This kind of consolidation is becoming more common in the streaming industry. Companies are increasingly merging services to reduce costs, simplify branding, and improve subscriber retention. Running multiple apps with overlapping content is expensive and operationally complex. Disney’s move reflects a broader industry reality where efficiency is becoming as important as content itself.
The company is also exploring the idea of turning Disney+ into a “super app” that could eventually include more than streaming. Future plans reportedly include deeper integration with Disney parks, merchandise, and live events. That would transform Disney+ from a streaming platform into a full digital ecosystem. For now, the biggest immediate change remains Hulu’s gradual absorption into Disney+.
While nothing changes overnight for users, the direction is clear. Disney is slowly building a future where one app replaces two. And in that future, the Hulu app may no longer exist at all.
