Disney Takes Full Control of Hulu for Billions Less Than Comcast Wanted

The tug of war over Hulu is over. Disney agreed to pay Comcast an additional $439 million for full control of the streaming service, ending a year and a half dispute over the amount. Disney had argued that it owed Comcast nothing beyond the $8.6 billion it already paid for Comcast’s 33 percent stake — and Comcast countered that Disney owed another $5 billion. Eventually, a third-party appraiser was brought in. The deal is expected to close by July 24. Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said that full ownership of Hulu would allow for “a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu’s general entertainment content with Disney+” and for bundled sales with a new ESPN streaming service that is planned for introduction in 2025. Comcast called Hulu “a great start for us in streaming,” adding, “We wish Disney well.” Comcast’s primary streaming service is now Peacock, which it has been loading with sports content as it seeks to expand advertising sales and subscriber counts. Peacock, which has been unprofitable, has about 41 million subscribers.