20th Century Studios President Confirms Hulu Will Become A Hub For All Its Franchises And Films

With all the buzz surrounding more adult content and parental controls coming to Disney+ this month, many are wondering what will become of Hulu. After all, Disney had made it very clear prior to the launch of Disney+ that there would be a divide between its family-friendly content and everything else. In a recent with interview with The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Studios President Steve Asbell seemed to indicate that Hulu isn’t going anywhere – at least, not anytime soon.

When asked how 20th Century would differentiate itself and its content from the major tentpoles under Disney’s banner, Asbell told THR that the companyt had stake in what he referred to as more “general entertainment.” Using newer franchises such as Avatar and Free Guy as as examples, he explained “Some [upcoming] films will be more Disney-adjacent…[but] some films will be edgier.”

What he said next arguably seemed to be biggest takeaway from the interview though.

“We remain making commercial films for a global audience; we remain what we’ve always tried to be, which is a supportive working environment for talent; but thanks to this increase in streaming output, with the exception of a few titles, all of our movies will launch on Hulu domestically, Star+ internationally, which allows us to make the genres that we love, genres that Disney doesn’t make in the other divisions, and that we haven’t been able to play with as much in recent years. Comedy, thriller, young adult, horror. We get more of these at-bats, and we can make more bets on new talent.”

Hulu will continue to be integral to Disney’s growth in the streaming space because it’s going to be a hub for all of 20th Century’s new releases! While this year’s release schedule is already set in stone, Asbell said that this new model would begin next year. So going forward into 2023 and 2024 the studio will only aim to have 3-4 major theatrical releases.

For anyone worried about a decline in quality of content, Asbell also assured the public that the kinds of films that would release on Hulu would be a mix of originals, remakes, and everything in between. He also pointed to the upcoming Predator prequel titled Prey as an example, before coming that the film would arrive this Summer.

On the theatrical side, Asbell also confirmed that the highly anticipated Avatar sequel would stick to its 2022 release date. “It’s going to blow people away. You’re not ready for what Jim is doing,” he teased.

What do you think about this plan for Hulu? Do you think it’ll cement the streaming platform’s importance to Disney, or do you think this is a temporary solution until Disney ultimately absorbs all the content like it’s doing overseas? Sound off below!

SOURCE: THR