exist Monday LinkedIn Postformer vice president Hu Lu Lamenting Disney’s decision to shut down the iconic Hulu app and fully merge Hulu’s products with Disney+, marking the end of an influential chapter in streaming history. Ben SmithHe served as senior vice president of Hulu from 2015 to 2018, leading the development of Hulu’s product strategy and customer experience, and he said he didn’t have enough positive words about his former colleagues and Hulu’s overall culture.
“Many companies are talking about caring about their customers, and Hulu does,” Smith wrote. “Many companies say they’re ‘working hard and working hard’. Hulu is really gone.”
“Sometimes good people don’t win,” he added. “RIP.”
Smith helped shape the Hulu app and oversee everything related to Hulu’s audience experience, drawing emotional attention among colleagues and fans of once huge streaming companies Disney prepares for sunset Hulu’s independent platform Starting in 2026, after the recent acquisition of full ownership of the service Comcast.
Hulu’s Streaming Legacy
Hulu was founded as a joint venture between NBC in 2007 Common21st century foxand Providence Equity Partners; Disney joined later in 2009.
Hulu aims to deal with changing audience habits and challenge early spoilers, e.g. Netflix– Essentially, giving linear broadcasters a foothold in the streaming world. Hulu’s apps have received widespread attention for its user-friendly interface and innovative feature set, which often earn praise for accessibility and content discovery. Hulu has built a reputation for original programming over its lifetime, including The story of the maid,,,,, frameand Murder in buildings only.
But Disney has managed Hulu for many years. The company bought a majority control of Hulu for $71.3 billion in 2019, and then bought the remaining shares from AT&T and Comcast. Disney finally completed the acquisition of Comcast shares in June 2025, and in the controversial valuation process, it eventually involved the valuation of the arbitrators, paying about $9 billion. wealthShawn Tully reported The complex deal was crucial to Bob Iger’s turnaround plan after Boomerang’s CEO returned to the corner office, and the recent announcement marked the culmination of Disney’s long-term plan to unify its direct consumer strategy, combining audiences and content from Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Hulu will continue
While the standalone Hulu app will eventually sunset in 2026, Iger said the Hulu brand and catalog will live as a central entertainment hub within the Disney+ platform. Customers can still subscribe to Hulu’s content (from original and web hits to live TV), whether it’s standalone or part of a bundled TV with Disney+ and ESPN+. But the way users access displays will fundamentally change: Disney promises new unified application “Impressive Entertainment” will be provided with deeper personalization and enhanced live sports products.
That said, among streaming insiders, long-term viewers and subscribers, many believe that the death of the Hulu app is the loss of an idol from the early era of streaming wars. “Never forget that Hulu was originally free,” A commenter wrote on reddit. “I’m in Hulu Beta,” Another said. “RIP.”
To be clear, Hulu hasn’t disappeared as a service – with Hulu replacing Disney+’s “Star” tiles this fall, it’s likely to develop internationally, but it certainly represents a door closure. Hulu is a transformative force that opens up a bigger battle for streaming domination. So while the app will disappear soon, its cultural impact will continue to be felt.
Disney and Smith did not respond to requests for comment.
For this story, wealth Use the generated AI to help with the initial draft. The editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
