Disney has revealed in a securities filings that it will pay Comcast an additional $439 million (€384.3m) for full control of the streaming service, ending 18 months of conflict over the amount. Disney argued that it owed Comcast nothing beyond the $8.6 billion it already paid for Comcast’s 33 per cent stake — and Comcast countered that Disney owed another $5 billion.

The deal is expected to close by end July.

“We are pleased this is finally resolved. We have had a productive partnership with NBCUniversal, and we wish them the best of luck,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. “Completing the Hulu acquisition paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu’s general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN’s direct-to-consumer product, providing an unrivalled value proposition for consumers.”

Comcast called Hulu “a great start for us in streaming,” adding “we wish Disney well”.

Comcast’s primary streaming service is now Peacock, which it has been loading with sports content as it seeks to expand advertising sales and subscriber counts. Peacock, which has thus far been unprofitable, has about 41 million subscribers.

Hulu, one of the first major streaming services, started as a joint venture between Disney, Comcast and Time Warner. It now offers programming from Disney’s traditional television networks, including ABC and FX, in addition to original series such as The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building.

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Tags: Disney, Hulu