Published Jun 16, 2026, 8:31 AM EDT
Amanda M. Castro is a Network TV writer at Collider and a New York–based journalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, where she contributes as a Live Blog Editor, and The U.S. Sun, where she previously served as a Senior Consumer Reporter.
She specializes in network television coverage, delivering sharp, thoughtful analysis of long-running procedural hits and ambitious new dramas across broadcast TV. At Collider, Amanda explores character arcs, storytelling trends, and the cultural impact of network series that keep audiences tuning in week after week.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Amanda is bilingual and holds a degree in Communication, Film, and Media Studies from the University of New Haven.
For the last 10 years, streaming has been teaching viewers how to use different applications. Everyone had their own place to watch things: there was a Netflix corner and a Disney+ corner, but there were also many other streaming options (e.g., Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount Plus), all vying for your attention. The entire industry was based on different brands. Disney’s increasingly aggressive efforts to fold Hulu into Disney+ suggest that streaming’s future won’t revolve around standalone services. Instead, the biggest players are betting on something much larger: unified ecosystems that keep subscribers inside a single platform for as long as possible.
Disney hasn’t officially shut down Hulu, and the company continues to say the standalone app will remain available, but the direction of travel has become difficult to ignore. Between profile linking, shared watch histories, Hulu hubs within Disney+, and plans to migrate additional features over time, Disney is steadily making the distinction between the two services less important.
Disney+ Is Becoming the Center of Disney’s Streaming Universe
Image via Disney+For years, Hulu and Disney+ occupied different lanes. Disney+ housed Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and family entertainment, while Hulu became the home for more adult-oriented programming. After completing its acquisition of Hulu, Disney began pushing toward what it has described as a “fully integrated unified app experience.” Recent updates allow users to bring over their Hulu watch history, recommendations, and watchlists directly into Disney+, making the transition feel almost invisible.
Hulu already has its own dedicated section within Disney+, and more features are expected to make the jump in the future. Live TV options and other additions currently exclusive to Hulu are expected to arrive later. Disney appears to have concluded that maintaining two separate experiences no longer makes sense when one platform can do the work of both.
Streaming Companies Care More About Ecosystems Than Individual Brands
Image by Collider StaffIn streaming’s early years, brand identity mattered above everything else. Each service wanted to carve out its own personality and convince consumers it deserved a place on their home screen. Disney’s strategy reflects a broader shift happening across the industry. The goal isn’t necessarily to convince viewers to subscribe to more apps, but to convince them to spend more time within a single ecosystem.
The benefits are obvious. A Marvel fan who stumbles across a Hulu comedy might stay subscribed longer, and someone watching a prestige FX series could be tempted into a Star Wars binge. More viewing translates into fewer cancellations and stronger engagement. Consolidation also reduces costs. Supporting multiple apps, technology stacks, and development pipelines requires resources. A unified platform is easier to maintain and allows companies to focus their investments in one place.
The Future of Streaming Could Belong to a Few Mega Platforms
Image via HuluDisney isn’t alone in chasing scale. The streaming wars once promised endless choices, but the market has gradually shifted toward concentration. Consumers are showing signs of subscription fatigue, and companies are increasingly seeking ways to make themselves indispensable, favoring platforms with enormous libraries and broad audiences. Netflix already offers everything from prestige dramas and reality shows to anime and live events. Amazon bundles streaming with Prime benefits. Disney appears to be building its own version of an all-in-one destination, one that stretches beyond television and movies.
Reports have suggested Disney ultimately envisions Disney+ as something closer to a super app, connecting entertainment with merchandise, theatrical releases, cruises, and theme parks. In that world, Hulu’s identity becomes less important than the larger Disney ecosystem surrounding it. The irony is that Hulu helped define the streaming revolution. For years, it stood as one of the industry’s biggest names and one of Netflix’s earliest challengers, but streaming has changed dramatically since those days. Today’s competition is about who can make it impossible to leave, and if Disney’s recent moves are any indication, the company believes that the future begins with a single home screen.
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