Movie and TV fans have been preparing for Disney to drop its exclusive streaming service for years now, and now Disney+ is closer than ever. The new streaming platform is slated to make its big debut on Nov. 12, and until then, fans are anxiously awaiting updates about the platform. One such update that was recently announced comes as good news to subscribers of an existing streaming service: Hulu users will not have to worry too much about trying to figure out yet another streaming app, as Disney+ will be available as a Hulu add-on, Hulu’s senior vice president of originals Craig Erwich said at the Television Critics Association, according to the entertainment blog /Film.
The new announcement means anyone who already has a Hulu subscription will be able to access Disney+ originals through Hulu, so you do not even need to bother signing up for yet another streaming platform if you don't want to. However, Erwich did not reveal how much this Disney+ add-on may cost Hulu subscribers, so that is still a big question. Disney recently revealed Disney+'s subscription fee will be $7 per month, so audiences at home will just have to wait to see whether the Hulu add-on is a better deal than a standalone Disney+ subscription.
Hulu currently offers a handful of premium add-ons, which allow subscribers to access original content from HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz for an added fee to their monthly Hulu payment. The payment system varies, seemingly depending on the add-on network's popularity, with the HBO add-on being the most expensive at $14.99 per month and Starz being the cheapest at $8.99 per month. The platform also offers a live TV add-on for $44.99 per month. It is likely a buzzy new streaming service like Disney+ may cost something similar to HBO's $14.99 to add on to Hulu, but Disney may lower that to keep it competitive with the $7 standalone price.
The add-on feature makes business sense because Disney actually owns the majority stake in Hulu. When the studio giant's buyout deal with 20th Century Fox closed earlier this year, the company gained control of Hulu. The integration of Disney+ and Hulu shows how Disney is planning to keep its streaming empire interconnected, and it may also explain the sudden cancellation of all the Marvel shows on Netflix prior to the merger deal closing.
Disney has already teased an impressive lineup of new original shows and movies that will be available exclusively on Disney+. Most notably, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will expand to the streaming service with five new spin-off series: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki, What If..., and Hawkeye.
The franchise crossover continues with three new Star Wars series planned, as well as new shows based on past Disney hits High School Musical and Monsters, Inc. In terms of movies, the new service is also slated to release a reboot of Lady & the Tramp and an adaptation of the popular young-adult novel Stargirl.
While fans still have a lot of questions about what Disney+ will look like when it finally arrives, at least now they know there is an option to just add it onto Hulu and not fuss over another streaming app. Disney+ will be available on Nov. 12.
