During an eye-popping, four-hour investor day Thursday, Disney unleashed its brands in all-out assault on Netflix. But where does Hulu fit in? The 13-year-old streaming service may appear to be the little brother to Disney+ in the Magic Kingdom’s streaming ambitions, but it figures to play a major role as Disney seeks domination over Netflix.
Hulu essentially allows Disney to have its cake and eat it too as it seeks to bring a version of the cable bundle into the streaming world. Disney+ offers a Netflix-level challenger that is draped from head to toe in the family-friendly Disney brand. At the same time, Hulu serves as a place for Disney’s more mature content from its Fox deal (especially FX) and a way to cater to advertisers.