Disney+, Hulu, and Max Bundle Will Launch This Summer

A streaming service bundle with Disney+, Hulu, and Max will be available in the U.S. this summer, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery said.

Customers will have the choice of subscribing from any of the services’ websites, and will have both ad-backed and ad-free tiers.

The companies didn’t detail pricing. More information is due in the “coming months,” the companies said.

The recently launched Disney+ and Hulu bundle is priced at $20 without ads, while Max costs $16. It’s not clear if the three-service offering will cost less.

The appeal is straightforward. The bundle will provide access to a wide array of content that would normally never sit side-by-side, such as DC and Marvel movies. They also cover different segments. Hulu has shows from all the major U.S. broadcast TV networks, while Max has CNN and HBO material.

This isn’t Disney’s first collaboration. It’s planning to launch a sports service that includes ESPN, Fox Sports, and Warner Bros. Discovery content that covers all the big U.S. leagues. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN bundle has already proven successful, so a Max tie-in may be a logical extension.

The union might give both Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery a better chance at competing with streaming heavyweights like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.? They might also claim an edge over other network-specific providers like Paramount+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock.

Whether or not a bundle is good for viewers isn’t yet clear. While the pricing may be more affordable than getting all three services separately, it also makes leaving harder. To quit one service in the bundle means quitting them all and then resubscribing. Critics have also noted that many people dropped conventional TV to get away from bundles, and they’re starting to return.