Mirror Review
June 10, 2025
Summary:
- Disney will now own 100% of Hulu after paying Comcast a final $438.7 million, bringing the total deal to around $9 billion.
- The Disney Hulu deal settles a long valuation dispute, ending with a price closer to Disney’s estimate than Comcast’s.
- Disney plans to fully integrate Hulu into Disney+ and its future ESPN streaming service to compete in the streaming landscape.
After years of negotiation, Disney has officially acquired Comcast’s remaining 33% stake in Hulu.
This final step means Disney now has full ownership of the popular streaming platform with new possibilities for integration across its digital offerings.
But did Comcast get the price it wanted?
How Much Did Disney Pay?
The Walt Disney Company will pay an additional $438.7 million to Comcast to take full ownership of Hulu. But the journey to this final figure was a long one.
Here’s a breakdown of the key financial points:
- Initial Payment:
In 2023, Disney paid Comcast $8.6 billion. This amount was based on a guaranteed minimum value for Hulu of $27.5 billion, which the two companies had agreed upon back in 2019.
- Valuation Disagreement:
Following the initial payment, a disagreement over Hulu’s total worth led to an extended appraisal process.
Comcast argued that the streamer was worth much more and sought an additional $5 billion.
But in contrast, Disney’s appraiser valued the service below the guaranteed floor price.
- The Final Price:
A third-party appraiser was brought in to settle the dispute. This then resulted in the final additional payment of $438.7 million.
This also brought Disney’s total payment for Comcast’s 33% stake to approximately $9 billion. Moreover, this figure is significantly closer to Disney’s valuation than Comcast’s.
Lastly, the final transaction is expected to close on or before July 24, 2025.
How the Disney Hulu Deal Came to Be
The Disney Hulu acquisition has been years in the making.
Disney became the majority owner of Hulu when it bought 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets for $71 billion in 2019.
That deal then gave Disney a two-thirds stake, leaving Comcast with the remaining 33%.
As part of that arrangement, Comcast agreed to sell its share to Disney within five years, kicking off this entire valuation process.
What are the Leaders Saying?
Leaders from both companies have expressed satisfaction with the Disney-Hulu deal.
Disney CEO Bob Iger stated, “We are pleased this is finally resolved.” He emphasized that completing the acquisition “paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu’s general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN’s direct-to-consumer product.”
Comcast also sounded positive about the outcome. A Comcast spokesperson shared a similar sentiment, noting, “Hulu was a great start for us in streaming that generated nearly $10 billion in proceeds for Comcast and created an important audience for NBCUniversal’s world-class content.”
They added, “We wish Disney well with Hulu and appreciate the cooperative way our teams managed the partnership.”
The Future of Streaming: What This Means for You?
Now that Disney is in full control, you can expect to see Hulu and Disney+ become even more connected.
The goal is to offer a single, massive library that combines Disney’s family content with Hulu’s more adult-focused shows and movies, like The Bear and The Handmaid’s Tale.
This will all be bundled with the sports offerings from ESPN+ and the upcoming ESPN streaming app.
While Disney consolidates its streaming power, Comcast is focused on its own service, Peacock, which had 41 million subscribers as of its last report. Hulu, by comparison, had more than 50 million subscribers.
For now, one of the longest and most talked-about deals in the streaming world is officially complete.
The climax? The Disney-Comcast-Hulu Deal firmly puts Disney in a stronger spot in the super competitive streaming world.
But as these huge media companies keep merging and growing, will we, the consumers, actually benefit from all these big changes, or will it just mean fewer choices and higher prices down the road?
