Hulu is set to lose 300 titles in the wake of Disney buying out Comcast’s share of the streaming service, according to Deadline. Because the official Hulu Disney+ app won’t launch until next March, these number could change.
It’s not clear at this time which movies and shows could be removed or if those titles will be available later on the merged app.
Despite the chopped catalog, Hulu still houses over 7,000 titles, giving it one of the largest libraries available. Despite the merging of content, Hulu and Disney+ will still remain available as standalone apps.
The combined services, however, will include one third of the 100 most popular titles in the U.S., according to Ampere Analysis, and once the merged app fully launches, it will offer 9,578 titles. The projected data bodes well for Disney, which continues to see massive losses from its streaming business and expects to get to profitability by the fall of next year.
Streaming services have begun to shuffle around content following the beta launch of the Hulu Disney+ app in the U.S. This week, for example, news broke that 14 Disney-owned titles will be headed to Netflix in 2024. You’re increasingly seeing deals where content from one service heads to another, like Paramount’s Halo streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Disney hopes the consolidated streaming experience combined with a massive library could entice thousands new subscribers.
“The combined Disney+ and Hulu catalogue will provide one of the most well rounded and popular offerings in a single platform, upping the content stakes at a time when many are pulling back on content investment,” Joshua Rustage, an analyst for the research firm said.
Hulu wasn’t immediately available for comment.