Hulu launches on Disney+ in the US for bundle subscribers

Hulu has landed on the Disney+ US streaming platform, available to Disney Bundle subscribers, which includes access to access to both Disney+ and Hulu, along with ESPN+.

The launch has sees Hulu’s content integrated into the recommendations, sets, and collections features across Disney+.

The beta version of Hulu rolled out earlier on Disney+ in December where subscribers were instead taken to a Hulu Hub, they’ll were able to choose content from Hulu’s library for playback via Disney+.

The new addition will see value proposition of the Disney Bundle increase for consumers with now a wider combined content offering, revealed Joe Earley, president of direct-to-consumer, Disney Entertainment. Hulu’s content, includes titles such as Grey’s Anatomy, Only Murders in the Building, Poor Things and The Bear,

The US streamer will remain available as a standalone offering, along with Disney+ While, bundle plans are available from US $9.99 per month. For standalone Disney+ subscribers, the media giant said Hulu content promoted across Disney+ will come with expanded upsell options across additional devices, enabling customers to upgrade their subscription to the Bundle starting from US $2.00 per month.

Disney also enabled advertisers to buy inventory across streamers Hulu and Disney+ in a single campaign at the start of the year. The company  reported last month that Hulu subscribers increased by 1.2 million during the first fiscal quarter. The base was up 2% year-on-year to 49.7 million, with all of the increase from SVOD-only subs, with the Live TV + SVOD base flat year-on-year at 4.6 million.

Disney boss Bob Iger recently said that “about 50% or more of new Hulu subscribers are now bundling with Disney+”. He said that company did not have plans currently to turn Hulu into a global brand” given that its Star offering was available in EMEA, Latin America and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.

The Hulu roll out also includes new features on the US Disney+ platform, including a refined logo and color palette. Disney said the enhancements blends Hulu’s signature green into Disney+ blue colour palette to “mark a new chapter in storytelling for the streaming service”.

“What’s thrilling about the full launch of Hulu on Disney+ is we’re reducing friction for Bundle subscribers,” said Earley. “During the beta, the Hulu content was purposefully isolated to the Hulu Hub, but now it will be fully integrated into Bundle subscribers’ homepages.”

He added, “The collective power of Disney+ and Hulu – outstanding originals from the most powerful brands and studios in the industry, libraries filled with decades of iconic favorites, and industry-leading advertising and technological capabilities – is transformative.”

Aaron LaBerge, president & CTO, Disney Entertainment & ESPN added, “This marks the most significant technical, operational, and product evolution for Disney+ since its launch – one that reflects a wider technology transformation that we have been undertaking. That work is going to drive an enhanced, more engaging user experience with Disney+ and lays the foundation for the innovations and enhancements we are planning for the future.”

Disney took full ownership of the Hulu in November,  acquiring Comcast-owned NBCUniversal (NBCU)’s 33% stake in the business as part of a $8.6bn deal.