The Walt Disney Co. is boosting its content budget by $1 billion to a massive $24 billion for fiscal year 2026, a move designed to fuel its streaming ambitions. The investment comes as the company continues to push its direct-to-consumer division toward sustained profitability.
Splitting the difference: The budget is split roughly 50-50 between entertainment and live sports, a strategy meant to keep subscribers locked into the Disney ecosystem. The investment follows a strong quarter for the company’s streaming division, which saw its subscriber base approach 200 million across Disney+ and Hulu.
Ideas over volume: Speaking at a recent investor conference, CFO Hugh Johnston explained the company is shifting away from the "over-producing" era that he admitted led to a dip in quality. "Money does not attract ideas, ideas attract money," Johnston said, noting the new focus is on backing the "best ideas" from its powerhouse studios.
The ESPN playbook: Half the war chest is dedicated to ESPN's streaming future, with a large portion going toward high-stakes rights deals. The sports push also means ESPN will soon absorb the NFL Network and its popular 'RedZone' channel, arming itself with more live programming than ever before.
While a billion-dollar boost makes headlines, the $24 billion total is a notable pullback from the nearly $33 billion spent at the height of the streaming wars. The move suggests a more calculated approach to growth, with Johnston confirming the content budget will grow, but at a "substantially slower" rate than streaming revenue. But as Disney invests in content, the company says it has no need for "major M&A" as competitors circle Warner Bros. Discovery. The content spending arms race is heating up elsewhere, too, with Paramount also planning to increase its budget. And as Disney integrates its platforms, the company plans to phase out the standalone Hulu app in 2026.
