Disney to Pay Comcast $438.7 Billion for Hulu Acquisition

Disney has agreed to pay Comcast an additional $437.8 billion to buy out their 33% stake in Hulu, settling a long-standing dispute over who would have control over the streaming service. This deal comes after Disney initially paid $8.6 billion in 2023 for the minority stake, with Comcast asking for an additional $5 billion, leading to arbitration. Since acquiring 21st Century Fox, Disney has had operational control of Hulu.

The completion of this agreement, expected to be finalized in July, will grant Disney more flexibility in how it bundles its streaming services, including Hulu, Disney+, and the upcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer platform. Disney CEO Bob Iger expressed relief over the resolution, stating, “We are pleased this is finally resolved. We have had a productive partnership with NBCUniversal, and we wish them the best of luck.”

Once the acquisition of Comcast’s stake is complete, Disney plans to integrate Hulu’s content more seamlessly with Disney+ and ESPN’s streaming service, providing consumers with a comprehensive entertainment package.