Disney+ and Netflix Merging for Super Streaming Offering Coming in 2026
Since launching in 2019, Disney+ has been under constant scrutiny from Wall Street and media analysts eager to measure its staying power. Almost seven years later, The Walt Disney Company is making a strong case that its streaming ambitions are paying off, and not just in subscriber counts, but in cultural footprint.
New data from Nielsen shows that seven of the ten most-watched shows of 2025 streamed on Disney+ or Hulu. Meanwhile, Bluey once again claimed the title of most-streamed show in the United States, pulling in a staggering 45 billion minutes viewed for the second year in a row. On the traditional television side, ABC secured the top six spots among Adults 18–49, powered by High Potential, Abbott Elementary, and Dancing with the Stars.
In a recent Q1 executive summary, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman underscored the scope of the company’s entertainment empire, from blockbuster films and hit television series to sports programming and award-winning news. “With audience and critical favorites across film and television, combined with our leading portfolio of sports offerings and award-winning news programming, we offer consumers a powerful streaming proposition,” they said in the recent Q1 executive summary.
The executives also highlighted international expansion as a central pillar of Disney’s strategy, citing gains tied to locally produced content. They confirmed that Disney+ will soon roll out a series of product upgrades designed to enhance usability and engagement.
Innovation, Iger and Hugh Johnston explained, remains a key part of the roadmap. The company is testing AI-driven planning tools and video generators to better connect advertisers with audiences. Short-form and vertical video experiences are also in development. In addition, Disney+ will introduce a curated slate of programming developed with Sora AI following a new licensing agreement with OpenAI.
“These efforts are shaping a more personalized streaming experience and positioning us to deliver greater value to consumers,” the executives said, framing the updates as the next step in Disney’s evolving digital strategy.
While Disney refines its U.S. streaming playbook, a major development overseas could dramatically reshape how audiences access its content.
In the UK and Ireland, Sky has announced a sweeping streaming bundle that unites Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Hayu under a single Sky TV subscription. The new package, starting at around £24 per month for new customers, folds multiple major platforms into Sky’s Ultimate TV tier and integrates them into the Sky OS interface.
“This marks a new era for Sky and NOW. In a world-first, we’re bringing together Sky, Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Hayu into a single Sky TV subscription,” said Sophia Ahmad, Chief Consumer Officer at Sky. “Nowhere else offers this breadth of incredible entertainment in a fully integrated experience, with everything customers love watching side by side so viewers can jump from show to show with ease.”
The inclusion of Netflix–the service that helped redefine binge-viewing culture with hits like Stranger Things–is particularly noteworthy. Rather than remaining entirely separate, Netflix will now sit alongside linear channels and on-demand titles within a shared search and recommendation system.
Disney+ plays a central role in the appeal of the bundle. Beginning in March 2026, its ad-supported tier will be included in Sky’s offering under a new multi-year agreement. The partnership also revives a Disney-branded linear presence in UK homes via a dedicated Disney+ Cinema channel for Sky Cinema subscribers–the first such return to a traditional channel format in several years.
“We’ve grown Disney+ in the UK into our largest market across Europe over the past six years, and Sky is the perfect partner for our next wave of growth in the UK and Ireland,” explained Karl Holmes (General Manager, Disney+, The Walt Disney Company EMEA). “This agreement gives millions of Sky customers a simple, seamless way to enjoy all the great stories that Disney+ offers, and opens up a substantial new audience for content creators and advertisers.”
The timing aligns with a packed 2026 slate for Disney+, including new originals and franchise continuations spanning Marvel and Star Wars. Being embedded within Sky’s ecosystem could extend the platform’s reach to more traditional pay-TV viewers who may not have subscribed independently.
HBO Max is set to join the bundle at its UK and Ireland debut on March 26, 2026, with its ad-supported tier included, while Hayu will roll out later in the year. For users on Sky Stream, Sky Glass, or Sky Q, the system will offer unified search, aggregated recommendations, and shared “continue watching” features. Existing Disney+ and HBO Max subscribers can migrate their accounts to Sky and retain their profiles.
The move positions Sky as a potential antidote to subscription overload, consolidating some of the industry’s most prominent streaming brands into one interface. Whether this signals a broader return to bundled entertainment remains unclear, but the partnership marks a significant step toward integration in an increasingly fragmented marketplace.
Stateside, Disney is also simplifying access by folding Hulu into Disney+ later this year, creating a more streamlined domestic experience.
How do you feel about this world-first streaming offering? Let us know in the comments down below!
