Disneyhas just made another major streaming play. As was recently announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger during a quarterly earnings report, all FX content will be streaming on Hulu in the near future. This will consolidate a ton of attractive content under one roof and help make Hulu more appealing, with the launch of Disney+ just around the corner. Iger had this to say.
“Beginning in March,Huluwill become the official streaming home for FX Networks.”
The newly announcedstreaming dealis being called FX on Hulu. Beyond the network’s attractive library of shows, which includesAmerican Horror Story,It’s Always Sunny in PhilidelphiaandSons of Anarchy, original shows will be produced by FX specifically for Hulu. Four shows are already set, including Cate Blanchett’s miniseriesMrs. America, Alex Garland’sDevs, Kate Mara’sA Teacherand Jeff Bridges’The Old Man. Hulu CEO Randy Freer had this to say in a statement.
The FX Plus streaming service was shut down in August, but the fate of FXNow remains uncertain. Though, with Disney looking to consolidate, it seems highly unlikely it will be around for much longer following this announcement.FX Chairman John Landgrafhad this to say in a statement.
We are more committed than ever to quality over quantity, with our primary focus on excellence that can cut through the clutter at a time of unprecedented consumer choice. This is a game-changing opportunity for FX, and we can’t wait to embark on this journey with Randy and his great Hulu team."
This announcement comes asDisney+ launches next week. That is Disney’s major streaming play, but it will also be very on-brand for them, meaning that adult-skewing content will need another home. That’s where Hulu comes into play. Disney gained a majority stake in the service in the Fox merger earlier this year, then made a deal with Comcast to fully take over the service. That will give them a logical home for adult content, allowing them to dominate the streaming game from multiple sides.
As the streaming wars heat up, and everyone else tries to catch up with Netflix, this is a logical move for Disney. The Fox merger was all about the future, and that future will be dominated by streaming. FX on Hulu looks to provide a lot of extra value to the streaming service and help give Disney a leg-up on the competition. This news was previously reported byDeadline.
