This Month Is Officially the End of an Era for Hulu

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Hulu has always been one of the biggest names in streaming, with it acting as one of the true first competitors to Netflix. Before big-name studios launched their own streaming services with Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max, and the like, Hulu was there. By teaming up with networks like FX and offering a variety of massive shows supplemented with some great films, Hulu found a place in the streaming market. Eventually, Hulu Originals like The Handmaid’s Tale helped increase the notability of the platform, allowing it to stick around for years while many other services have failed.

Hulu started as a standalone website in 2007, partnering with companies like NBC Universal and Yahoo!. Later, Fox invested heavily, and when Disney bought 20th Century Fox in 2019, it acquired a 60% ownership stake in Hulu. Disney eventually bought out Comcast’s share, giving it full control. Disney has kept Hulu separate from Disney+ and ESPN+, positioning it as the place for more adult-oriented TV shows and movies. However, some Hulu viewers are concerned about what the future holds now that Disney+ is also available.

The Bear Is Finally Ending In 2026

Tons of Hulu Original shows have come and gone, but if there is one original that has defined the platform in the 2020s, it’s The Bear. With the release of season 1 in 2022, The Bear was an immediate hit. The FX on Hulu release was a critical darling, with the show becoming known for its overperformance at the Emmys, having won 21 as of the writing of this article. The series follows a chef named Carmy who, along with a band of other Chicago-based chefs and restaurateurs, takes over the sandwich shop of Carmy’s recently deceased brother and attempts to turn it into a Michelin Star restaurant.

Though seasons 3 and 4 didn’t receive quite the same praise as the first two, The Bear has continued to be a popular and critically acclaimed show for Hulu. The series has also launched its stars – including Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Ayo Edebiri – into major Hollywood roles in franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Inside Out. Given the show’s huge success and impact on Hulu, its planned conclusion in 2026 will mark the end of a significant chapter.

As a huge fan, I’m both excited and heartbroken to share that the final season of The Bear is coming to Hulu on June 25th. Sadly, this eighth-season batch will be the last – the show is ending after this! I know a lot of the cast and creators are incredibly in-demand now, which probably made it tough to get everyone together again. Plus, while I still love the show, I’ve noticed some criticism lately, and I can see how FX and Hulu might want to end things on a high note before it loses its magic.

Despite this, it is still tragic to see that The Bear is ending. It is one of the best original shows of the 2020s, and with fantastic performances, incredible cinematography, and tons of emotion, it’s hard to find another show that offers as much as The Bear. A five-season show that has had yearly releases since 2022 means that fans got to see a lot of the series, so its ending isn’t untimely. However, The Bear will be missed.

The Bear’s Conclusion Is Another Nail In The Hulu Coffin

With the conclusion of Hulu’s hit show, The Bear, many are wondering what the future holds for the streaming service. Hulu has recently ended other popular series like The Handmaid’s Tale and The Great, while Disney+ continues to offer ongoing Star Wars and Marvel content. Additionally, Hulu has stopped developing sequels to successful films like Prey and Hellraiser, and new movies from 20th Century Studios, such as Alien: Romulus and Predator: Badlands, are now being released in theaters instead.

Disney+ and Hulu have already been merged into one app, and with rumors that Disney is interested in further consolidating their streaming service, fans of Hulu are scared that the streaming service will be phased out in the coming years. The release of TV-MA shows like Daredevil on Disney+ made Hulu’s status as Disney’s mature platform obsolete. Now, TV-MA and R-rated shows and movies can be found on Disney+, meaning that there is now no clear difference between Disney+ and Hulu.

It seems like merging Disney+ and Hulu makes sense for Disney. It combines two customer bases into one, and allows Disney to only have to manage one streaming service for its movies and TV shows. However, there are definitely concerns that, if this happens, Disney will focus less on the types of shows that used to be Hulu Originals in favor of the franchise projects that have defined Disney+. It’s hard to say for sure, but the ending of The Bear is definitely another step in this direction.

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2026-06-11 20:27