Hulu’s standalone app is destined to disappearand although Disney has acknowledged it with a dropper, a leaked internal document reveals that the decision has already been made. The entertainment giant has been quietly moving for months toward a world in which Hulu, as we know it, will cease to exist as a separate platform. The question is no longer if it will happen, but when.
The “Gemini Project” that changes everything
An internal Disney document obtained by Commercial Insider reveals that the company’s streaming technology teams are actively working on a design called “Mission Gemini”designed to move all Hulu content and features directly to Disney+. And the most revealing thing about the document is this literal phrase about the Hulu app: “will be deactivated once all users have completed the transition” towards Disney+.
The design contemplates that the unified experience is complete before the end of 2026according to two Disney streaming employees who confirmed the details to the media. And although Disney has come out to say publicly that “there are no current plans to remove the Hulu app,” the leak tells a very different story.
How it all started: from announcement to reality
The road to this moment began to accelerate in August 2025, when Disney CEO, Bob Igerannounced during a financial results call that the company was “fully integrating” Hulu within Disney+. Iger spoke of creating “a unified experience” that would combine general entertainment, news, sports and family content on a single platform.
By then, Disney already owned 100% of Hulu after completing the acquisition of Comcast’s share. With that complete alter in hand, I had no incentive to keep two separate apps competing against each other.
The process began to become a reality February 5, 2026when Disney officially began the progressive closure of the Hulu standalone app. The first device affected was the Nintendo Switch, where access to Hulu ended that same day. Disney’s message to subscribers was clear: If they want to continue watching Hulu content, they have to move to Disney+.
What does this mean for the more than 50 million subscribers?
More than fifty three million subscribers of Hulu in the United States are directly affected by this change. And while Disney insists the content isn’t going away, the transition isn’t as simple as pressing a button.
By migrating to Disney+, users will be able to keep their profiles, viewing history, and preferences. Besides, individual subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu will continue to be possibleat least in theory, even after the complete merger. But the Hulu app as an independent destination, with its own interface and brand identity, will cease to exist.
This also has global implications. In Latin America, where Celebrity+ technology the recognizable face of adult content within Disney+, Hulu has already replaced Celebrity starting October 8, 2025consolidating the company’s global strategy under a single brand.
Disney’s move is clear and calculated. With 127.8 million subscribers on Disney+ and 55.5 million on Hulu, the company wants to unite those forces under one roof to compete head-on with Netflix and Top Video. Having two separate apps in 2026 not only complicates the user experience; It also divides resources, increases costs and makes it difficult to retain subscribers.
The “Gemini Project” is, at its core, Disney’s commitment to simplifying its streaming universe and presenting itself as the all-in-one platform that the industry has been trying to build for years. The end of the Hulu app is not a defeat, it is the last piece of a design that has been underway for years. And according to what was leaked, the outcome is closer than Disney is willing to admit in public.
Keep reading:
• Disneyplus and Hulu will no longer allow you to pay for your subscription from the App Retailer
• Disney+, Hulu and ESPN raise their prices: what you should know
• Hulu offers new packages that include Disney+, starting at $12.99 a month
