While Disney is already in the midst of ‘one-app’ unification of Hulu and Disney+ in the US, the company is also taking a similar step in Latin America with Star+.
The company will move Star+ programming to Disney+ in the second quarter of 2024, and Star+ will be phased out as a standalone service in the region.
The move was announced by the media company’s Latin America division last week, but the news received little attention in the US media. The unified Disney-Hulu experience entered beta earlier this month and is expected to fully launch in March. Disney recently bought Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu.
A source told Deadline that the Latin America move is in line with the expected rollout of the ad-supported Disney+ tier in the region next year. The new promotion, which was launched in the US about a year ago, did not reach European territories and Canada until November 1st. When asked about a connection between the Star+ redesign and the upcoming launch of the Disney+ ad tier, a company representative told Deadline that plans to launch in other territories have not yet been finalized.
“Thanks to this integration, the unparalleled power of our content will be available in a single application, providing an enhanced and premium experience and simplified access for the subscribers who are always our focus,” said Diego Lerner, President of The Walt Disney Company Latin America.
CEO Bob Iger has often emphasized the importance of providing viewers with a more “unified” experience, which the company believes will increase engagement.
Star networks and streaming service Hotstar went to Disney as part of its $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox, which closed in 2019. As Disney expanded into streaming, the company retained the Star brand across much of the world, made Disney+ a cost-effective complement to Hotstar, and launched Star+ in Latin America in 2021. In addition to the general entertainment offerings available everywhere, the store features originals made entirely in Latin America. When it comes to streaming, Star has been an integral part of Disney+ in many territories outside the US, while Hulu is currently in a single app beta launch in the US
Further details, including pricing for the newly integrated offering in Latin America, will be announced at a later date, Disney said.
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
