If you’ve opened your streaming apps lately, you probably noticed something feels... different. Maybe the colors are shifting, or your favorite gritty drama is suddenly sitting right next to Mickey Mouse. It’s not just a glitch. The question of who owns hulu tv used to be a complicated mess of corporate handshakes and shared custody, but as of 2026, the answer is finally simple: The Walt Disney Company owns it. All of it.
Honestly, for a long time, Hulu was the "it’s complicated" relationship of the media world. It was a joint venture, a Frankenstein’s monster of content owned by a bunch of rivals who didn’t always get along. But after years of legal bickering, secret appraisals, and billion-dollar wire transfers, the dust has settled. Disney is now the sole landlord.
The Messy Divorce: How Disney Bought Out Comcast
The final piece of the puzzle fell into place fairly recently. For a while, Disney owned about two-thirds of the company, while Comcast (the giant behind NBCUniversal) held onto the remaining 33%. It was a weird arrangement. Disney ran the show, but Comcast still had a seat at the table—or at least a claim to the profits.
Things got heated in 2024 and 2025. The two giants couldn't agree on what Hulu was actually worth. Comcast thought it was a goldmine; Disney, perhaps strategically, argued it wasn't worth nearly as much. They actually had to bring in a third-party appraiser to settle the bill.
- The initial payment: Disney sent Comcast over $8.6 billion back in late 2023.
- The final check: After the "valuation war" ended in June 2025, Disney had to fork over an additional $438.7 million.
- The total damage: Disney spent roughly $9 billion just to get that last third of the company.
With that final payment, the "silent partnership" with Comcast officially died. No more NBCUniversal involvement. No more shared custody. Just Disney.
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Wait, What Happened to Fox and AT&T?
To understand who owns hulu tv today, you have to look at the bodies left on the floor from the late 2010s. Hulu started in 2007 as a way for big networks to fight back against YouTube and piracy. At one point, it was a four-way split between Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal, and Time Warner (which became WarnerMedia/AT&T).
Everything changed in 2019. That was the year Disney bought most of 21st Century Fox for a staggering $71 billion. Suddenly, Disney went from being a minority owner to holding the majority stake. Around the same time, AT&T decided they wanted out so they could focus on building what eventually became Max (formerly HBO Max). They sold their 10% stake back to the company, leaving just Disney and Comcast.
It took another six years to get Comcast to leave the building, but the mission is finally accomplished.
Why the "Hulu App" is Actually Vanishing
Here is the part that’s catching people off guard in 2026. While Disney owns the brand, they aren't exactly keeping it in its own house. If you haven't heard the news, the standalone Hulu app is being phased out.
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Disney is moving toward a "one-app experience." They realized that paying for two separate sets of servers, two different engineering teams, and two different billing systems was a massive waste of money. Now, most of what you think of as "Hulu" lives inside a dedicated tile on the Disney+ app.
It’s a bit of a culture shock. You’ll see The Bear or The Handmaid’s Tale right next to Bluey and Star Wars. For parents, this meant a frantic weekend of setting up PIN codes and parental controls so their toddlers didn't accidentally wander from Cinderella into a R-rated slasher flick.
Is Hulu Still "Hulu" Without the App?
Technically, yes. The branding is sticking around for now because it has a lot of "equity." People recognize it. In international markets, Disney used to call their adult-targeted section "Star," but they’ve been rebranding that to Hulu recently to keep things consistent globally.
There's also the matter of Hulu + Live TV. This is where it gets even more corporate. In early 2026, Disney finalized a deal to merge the Live TV side of Hulu with FuboTV. Disney still holds a 70% controlling stake in that combined mess, but it shows they are trying to offload the headache of managing cable-like channel lineups to focus on their core streaming library.
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What This Means for Your Wallet
Ownership changes always lead to price changes. Always. Now that Disney doesn't have to share a dime of Hulu’s revenue with Comcast, they have total control over the "Disney Bundle."
Expect the standalone Hulu subscription to get harder to find. Disney wants you on the bundle. They want you anchored into their ecosystem so deeply that canceling feels like a chore. The good news? The integration usually means a smoother app experience. The bad news? You’re likely paying more than you were three years ago for the same shows.
Your Next Steps for Managing the Switch
- Check your login: If you still have a standalone Hulu account, try logging into Disney+ with those same credentials. Most accounts have been migrated to a "Disney Unified Account."
- Audit your bundles: Look at your billing statement. If you're paying for Hulu and Disney+ separately, you're almost certainly overpaying. Switch to the combined "Duo" or "Trio" plans.
- Update your Profile: Since the apps are merging, check your "My List" or "Watchlist." Sometimes the migration drops a few shows, so make sure your favorites are still saved in the new Disney+ interface.
The era of the "Streaming Wars" is transitioning into the "Era of Consolidation." Hulu isn't the independent underdog anymore—it’s just another room in the massive castle that Disney built.