A new era of streaming: Disney+, Hulu, and Max join forces

A game-changing bundle for entertainment enthusiasts

Dragons, Jedis, Marvel and DC superheroes, Harry Potter, Disney princesses—and more from Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery—are now available to stream at a reduced monthly price. Starting Thursday, July 25, a new streaming bundle featuring Disney+, Hulu, and Max goes on sale in the U.S. This bundle offers a significant discount for both ad-supported and ad-free plans, making it an attractive option for new and existing subscribers.

Unveiling the bundle: Pricing and savings

Eligible subscribers can purchase the three-way bundle for $16.99/month with ads and $29.99/month without ads. On the ad-supported side, this represents a savings of up to 38.8% compared to purchasing the services separately (Disney+ Basic at $7.99, Hulu with ads at $7.99, Max With Ads at $9.99). For the ad-free bundle, you can save nearly 35% compared to the regular monthly standalone prices (Disney+ Premium at $13.99, Hulu no-ads at $17.99, and Max Ad-Free at $16.99).

A strategic alliance: Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery

Despite being fierce competitors, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans for this bundle in early May. Available only in the U.S., the bundle provides content from across each media company’s portfolio of brands, including Disney, HBO, Hulu, Warner Bros. Pictures, FX, ABC, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, Star Wars, CNN, DC, Discovery, Food Network, and HGTV.

Boosting engagement and reducing churn

The strategy behind this bundle is to boost engagement and reduce churn (i.e., cancellations). Evidence suggests that consumers who opt for price-discounted bundles have higher retention rates. In a similar move, Disney, WBD, and Fox Corp. are planning to launch the Venu Sports bundle of live channels in the fall.

A nod to the past: Reconstituting pay-TV packaging

In many ways, the Disney+-Hulu-Max bundle represents a move to reconstitute the consolidated packaging of pay-TV, which has been steadily eroding over the past several years amid the surge in lower-cost streaming options.

How to sign up

Consumers can sign up for the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle via direct-billed purchases on the web directly through the Max, Disney+, or Hulu websites. Existing subscribers can switch from their current Max, Disney+, or Hulu subscription to the bundle. However, neither Hulu + Live TV nor the Max Ultimate Ad-Free plan are available as part of the bundle offer.

A robust marketing campaign

To support the launch, a coordinated, cross-platform national marketing campaign kicks off today. This campaign focuses on each streamer’s collection of fan-favorite TV series, films, and characters. The carefully tailored campaign includes a robust blitz across national broadcast, social, digital, and owned-and-operated channels.

Synthetic vs. hard bundles

In industry terms, the Disney+-Hulu-Max combo is a “synthetic” bundle, meaning the services remain operationally separate (i.e., you access each service in its respective app). This contrasts with a “hard” bundle that fully integrates separate streaming packages into one user experience, as Disney has done in merging Hulu into Disney+ for customers of both.

A restructuring of content consumption

The new bundle reflects “a restructuring of how people view content,” according to industry leaders. This shift is reminiscent of past disruptions in the media landscape, such as the rise of cable TV. As we look ahead, there will likely be further changes in how people consume content.

Netflix’s stance

Meanwhile, Netflix, reflecting its market-leading position, has stated that it hasn’t entered into direct-bundling deals with other streamers like Disney+ or Max. Netflix believes it already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment due to the breadth and variety of its slate and superior product experience.

A treasure trove of content

Disney and WBD have touted the broad swath of content available from the trio of services in the new bundle. The lineup includes popular TV shows like Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and The Simpsons; movie franchises like Disney’s Frozen, Marvel’s Avengers, Star Wars, and Pixar’s Toy Story; and Warner Bros. Discovery movie and TV franchises like Batman, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and House of the Dragon. Upcoming original premieres include Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building Season 4 (Aug. 27), Agatha All Along on Disney+ (Sept. 18), and The Penguin on Max (September).

Explore more

For those eager to dive into the world of streaming, here are some direct links to trailers and information pages for the mentioned shows and movies:

Final thoughts

This new bundle is a testament to the evolving landscape of streaming services. By offering a diverse range of content at a reduced price, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are setting a new standard for how we consume entertainment. Whether you’re a fan of animated classics, superhero sagas, or epic fantasy series, this bundle has something for everyone.