The Hulu app might not be dead right now. But Disney might be working behind the scenes to make you want to use it less. Disney’s streaming tech teams are working on a multi-phase plan called Project Gemini, which aims on bringing more of Hulu’s content and features into Disney+.
The reports claims that the unified experience is expected to be finished by the end of the year, based on a leaked internal document and two streaming employees. However, Disney told Business Insider that there are “no current plans to sunset” the standalone Hulu app.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this news, and it just seems like a matter of time now.
How Hulu is being buried deeper into Disney+
Disney has already been pushing Hulu into Disney+ for a while. In 2023, the company launched Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, letting them access Hulu’s library through a dedicated Hulu hub inside the Disney+ app. Back then, Disney said the integration was meant to create a more seamless viewing experience and boost engagement.
So it seems this is the next step to that integration. Earlier this month, the company announced that select Hulu subscribers could link their Hulu profiles to Disney+, bringing over watch history, watchlists, and recommendations. Disney said eligible Hulu subscribers can sign in to Disney+ with the same MyDisney login to stream Hulu content there at no extra cost, while standalone Hulu access remains available for now.
Why the Hulu app seems redundant now
The internal document reportedly says the Hulu tech stack and app will be decommissioned after users transition into Disney+. Three senior Disney tech employees also told the publication that resources are being diverted away from Hulu and that major new features are no longer being added to the standalone app.
One veteran Hulu product employee told Business Insider that Hulu is on “life support” with no active development, while another software engineer said maintaining two separate pipelines no longer makes sense. So overtime, we can expect Hulu features to start appearing on Disney+ , as the company slowly phases out the standalone Hulu app.