On May 8, The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced they had reached an innovative agreement, by virtue of which both companies were to launch a bundle offering memberships of three streaming services: Disney+ and Hulu, owned by Disney, and Max, owned by WBD. For the time being, the new bundle will be available only in the United States.
This is the first time two of the world’s Top 5 streaming platforms have agreed to launch a joint package. Although the nature of the agreements is different, Amazon Prime Video has set a precedent regarding commercialization agreements with important OTTs, since it offers add-on memberships of Max, Paramount+ and Vix, among others, through its section Channels.
“The offering presents a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry,” said J.B. Perette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, at Warner Bros. Discovery. It is still unknown whether the initiative is intended to reach other countries or regions as well.
According to a communication issued by both companies, the new bundle will “provide subscribers with the best value in entertainment and an unprecedented selection of content.” The offering will include the biggest brands in entertainment, such as Disney, Warner Bros., ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar and Searchlight.
The new bundle will be available for purchase on any of the three streaming platforms’ websites and offered as both an ad-supported and ad-free plan. The launch date has not been disclosed yet. All the company has said is that the package will begin to be offered for sale during the upcoming northern hemisphere’s summer.