The Walt Disney Company has officially announced a significant strategic shift in its streaming services: Hulu will become the global General Entertainment brand on Disney+, effective October 8, 2025, replacing the existing ‘Star’ brand in international markets. This rebranding is a foundational step in the company’s push toward launching a fully integrated, unified Disney+ and Hulu app experience next year.
The media statement, dated October 2, outlines a series of major product updates rolling out to Disney+ subscribers worldwide, all designed to enhance the overall user experience and prepare for the 2026 unified app launch. This move strategically positions the Hulu brand, long a powerhouse in the U.S. for adult and general entertainment content, to capitalize on its high recognition globally.
Subscribers will soon see substantial changes across the Disney+ platform, focusing on modernized design and intuitive navigation:
- New Navigation Bar and Default Viewing: A new navigation bar will be introduced on the homepage. The “For You” tab will be designated as the default viewing space, driven by an upgraded, personalized video recommendation engine that learns and improves based on user preferences.
- Dedicated Brand Hubs: Dedicated, easily accessible sections for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN will allow viewers to explore each content catalog individually, depending on their subscription tier.
- Live Hub Integration: A new Live hub will be added to streamline access to 24/7 streams, live sports, and news content.
- Content Badges: To improve discoverability and spotlight timely content, fresh labels such as “New Movie,” “New Series,” and “Season Finale” will be implemented across the platform.
- Cinematic Look and Personalization: The homepage will adopt a more cinematic aesthetic, featuring poster-style artwork, a video-led hero carousel, and dynamic brand showcases. Furthermore, Disney emphasized that user profiles will take a larger, more prominent role in tailoring recommendations, ensuring a highly personalized experience for every viewer.
While the majority of these design enhancements are targeted at living room screens, Disney confirmed that iOS users are set to receive new widgets for one-click entry into programming. The company also confirmed that additional mobile-first and mobile-exclusive features are actively in development, underscoring a commitment to optimizing the streaming experience for wider mobile audiences.
“These enhancements are just the beginning,” Disney stated, confirming that numerous additional updates are scheduled in the lead-up to the highly anticipated launch of the single, unified app next year that will fully combine Hulu and Disney+ into one seamless streaming platform.
Key Highlights:
- Global Rebranding: Beginning October 8, 2025, Hulu will officially replace the ‘Star’ brand as the global General Entertainment content hub within Disney+ across international markets.
- Unified App Preparation: This rebrand is part of Disney’s major strategic overhaul, preparing for the launch of a fully integrated, unified Disney+ and Hulu app experience by next year (2026).
- Enhanced Navigation: Disney+ is introducing a new navigation bar with a personalized default “For You” tab, separate tabs for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, and a dedicated Live hub for 24/7 streams and events.
- Improved Personalization: Updates include a modernized, cinematic homepage design, better poster-style artwork, and an upgraded recommendation engine that leverages user profiles for more accurate content suggestions.