Disney Buys Out Comcast's Hulu Stake: Is This the End of the 'Just Chatting' Era for Streaming?

Oh Honey Disney Said 'Gotta Catch 'Em All' Even Streaming Services

Okay so Disney just dropped some serious cash – like 'buying a lifetime supply of avocado toast' kind of cash – to fully own Hulu. Can you believe it? They forked over $438.7 million to Comcast for their share. I guess Mickey Mouse really wanted to be the king of streaming huh? As someone who spends like 90% of her life online (don't judge gotta pay the bills!) I'm kinda watching this with a raised eyebrow. What's gonna happen next? Will they start charging us extra for ad free viewing? Don't even get me started. Just imagine... 'Hey guys welcome to my stream! Today we are sponsored by...' I can already see it.

From Fox to Fully Owned: Disney's Hulu Journey is Giving 'Main Character' Vibes

Remember when Disney snatched up Fox's entertainment assets? Well that was just the beginning apparently. They already owned two thirds of Hulu back then but clearly they weren't satisfied. Now they're like 'MINE! ALL MINE!' It's giving Gollum from Lord of the Rings but with a slightly less creepy animation style. Anyway Bob Iger (aka Papa Disney) is super stoked about it. He says it'll lead to a 'deeper and more seamless integration' of Hulu and Disney+. Seamless huh? I hope that doesn't mean I have to download like 5 different apps to watch one show. Please Disney I beg you.

Appraisal Drama: More Complicated Than My Last Relationship

So get this: Disney and Comcast had appraisers trying to figure out how much Hulu was actually worth. Disney's appraiser was all like 'Nah it's worth less than we thought!' while Comcast's appraiser was like 'No way it's worth WAY more!' Talk about drama! Eventually they had to call in a third appraiser to break up the fight. It was like watching a reality TV show but with like way more money involved. In the end they settled on the $438.7 million but honestly the whole thing sounds exhausting. Why can't everyone just agree on things? *Sighs dramatically*.

Peacock Flexes Its Feathers: Comcast Moves On

While Disney's busy building its streaming empire Comcast is focusing on Peacock their own streaming service. They're all like 'Hulu was cool but we're over it.' Apparently Hulu made them almost $10 billion so I guess they're not exactly crying into their cereal. Plus Peacock has 41 million subscribers! Not bad Comcast not bad. It's like when you break up with someone and then show up to the party looking hotter than ever. You go Glen Coco!

Hulu + Disney+ + ESPN: A Bundle to Rule Them All?

So what does this mean for us the viewers? Well Disney's planning to merge Hulu and Disney+ even further. They already have that bundle with ESPN+ and now they're cooking up an ESPN direct to consumer streaming app. Will it be the ultimate streaming package? Maybe. Or will it just be another way for them to take our money? Only time will tell. But hey at least we'll have plenty to watch while we're stuck inside avoiding the sun right? Remember kids hydrate and wear sunscreen even indoors from the bright monitors.

The Future of Streaming: Will We Survive?

With all these streaming services battling for our attention (and our wallets) it's hard to keep up. Netflix Hulu Disney+ Peacock Amazon Prime Video...it's a never ending stream (pun intended!) of content. But hey at least we have options right? And who knows maybe one day we'll all just go back to watching reruns of 'The Office' on cable. Probably not though. As I always say on stream 'Life is what you make it!' So grab your popcorn settle in and get ready for the next chapter in the streaming wars. May the best service win!