Remember the saying, “Drop it like it’s hot”? Well, Disney is taking it to heart in a massive rebranding of its streaming platform. Disney+ Hotstar is officially dropping the “Hotstar” branding to become simply Disney+. This name change takes effect on October 9, 2025.
The rebranding is part of The Walt Disney Company’s broader global strategy to streamline its streaming services and unify its consumer-facing brand under a single, globally recognisable banner. This rebrand is being implemented across several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, following the earlier merger of Disney+ Hotstar in India with JioCinema to form JioHotstar.
Hulu Replaces Star for General Entertainment
While the name is shrinking, the content is expanding and reorganising. The key change for Malaysian subscribers lies in the rebranding of the Star content hub. Beginning October 9, the general entertainment content will be found under the banner of Hulu—Disney’s widely recognised U.S. streaming brand. This move comes after a similar move in the US to unite Disney+ and Hulu.
Subscribers can expect an immediate and continued flow of international content under the new Hulu tile, including critically acclaimed global hits such as Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family, and Shōgun, alongside a continued strong investment in popular Korean and Japanese content like Tempest, Nine Puzzles, and Gannibal. The shift is designed to allow subscribers to better enjoy and explore Disney+’s bigger content library, with the Hulu tile adopting the recognisable green colour.
Vineet Puri, Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, affirmed that with Hulu as the new general entertainment brand, Disney+ will continue to deliver unparalleled storytelling to fans in Malaysia.
Pricing Remain Consistent (…for now)
For existing subscribers, the transition is expected to be seamless and purely cosmetic, focusing primarily on the name and the content tiles. Aside from the branding shift and expanded catalog, nothing else changes for subscribers. The infrastructure behind the service will remain the same for the time being, meaning the back-end platform structure stays consistent.
The subscription pricing will also remain unchanged following the October 9 rebrand. The streaming service will still be available at the existing tiers: RM24.90 per month for the Basic plan and RM39.90 per month for Premium, with quarterly and annual payment options also available. This aligns with Disney’s global strategy of unifying its platforms under more recognizable banners while enhancing regional offerings and ensuring a consistent viewer experience.
