While Disney+ is available in a lot of countries around the world, Hulu isn’t. This is despite the fact that they’re both owned by the same company. However, it’s not hard to see why. Licensing deals can be tricky to navigate from region to region. But the good news is that if you’re living outside of the US and want a legal way to stream Hulu, it looks like the service is going global.
Hulu is going global
Disney is taking Hulu global. Starting October 8, the streaming service will replace Star as the global entertainment brand on Disney+ in international markets, marking Hulu’s first major expansion beyond the United States.
The move follows Disney’s acquisition of full ownership from Comcast earlier this year. According to Disney’s announcement, subscribers outside the US will see the Hulu brand become the home for general entertainment programming. This also means access to shows like The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, and Grey’s Anatomy. All content currently under Star will transition to the Hulu brand, with no changes to what’s available.
This global expansion is part of Disney’s larger strategy to consolidate its streaming services. The company already revealed plans to merge Disney+ and Hulu into a single app. This unified experience is expected to launch in 2026. While the standalone Hulu app will eventually be phased out, Disney confirmed that US subscribers can still purchase Disney+ and Hulu as separate plans if they prefer.
Changes coming to Disney+ app
In addition to announcing that Hulu will be expanding worldwide, Disney also revealed some upcoming changes it will make to the Disney+ app. The company is rolling out a redesigned Disney Plus interface. The updated app features a new navigation bar with tabs for “For You,” Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN. This will depend on your subscription. The “For You” section also uses an improved algorithm that learns your viewing preferences over time, while a dedicated Live hub provides easy access to sports, news, and events.
That being said, we know that Disney recently announced a hike in its streaming prices. This makes the timing of this announcement strategic. Customers who felt that it was getting too expensive to just subscribe to one streaming service now have a reason to stay, especially if they want to access shows from Hulu.