This week in streaming, Disney and Fubo merge, ‘The Traitors’ returns, and ‘The Pitt’ premieres
This week in streaming, Disney and Fubo merge, ‘The Traitors’ returns, and ‘The Pitt’ premieres
The pending merger also includes plans for Fubo to create a smaller sports streaming service.
This week in streaming news, 2025 is off to a bang as Disney and Fubo announced a merger that would join their live streaming services into a new venture, shaking up long-term legal action and sports streaming plans.
Plus, a fan-favorite reality competition returns, and a new medical drama premieres— get our weekend watch recommendations below!
This week’s biggest streaming news:
Top news: Fubo and Hulu + Live TV announce shocking merger
The new year starts with a surprising shake-up in the live TV streaming landscape. On Monday, Disney and Fubo confirmed that they will be combining their live TV streaming services, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, into a newly formed joint venture. While Disney will hold approximately 70% of the ownership, Fubo CEO/co-founder David Gandler and Fubo’s current management team will run the new company.
Disney and Fubo said that the merger will result in a combined 6.2 million North American subscribers. Between Hulu’s 4.4 million customers and Fubo’s 1.91 million, the new entity will pull even closer to the top-ranked YouTube TV and its 8 million-plus subscribers.
In addition to the new streaming partnership, the deal also includes a new carriage agreement between Disney and Fubo that allows the latter to offer a new, smaller “Sports & Broadcast service” that will be allowed to feature channels including ABC, ESPN, and SEC Network, as well as programming from ESPN+.
With a lot of unanswered questions around the merger in the wake of the news, the biggest was what would happen to Venu Sports, a live TV streamer planned by Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to deliver sports programming at a lower price by offering 14 sports-related channels and broadcast networks like ABC and FOX. In February 2024, Fubo filed an antitrust lawsuit against the three companies behind the venture to prevent them from creating the streaming service.
As per the new agreement, Fubo dropped its suit and has reached settlements with all three companies while also continuing to block Venu from launching. On Friday, Disney, Fox, and WBD made the end official, announcing they had “collectively agreed to discontinue the Venu Sports joint venture and not launch the streaming service.”
The deal between Fubo and Hulu + Live TV still has to clear the necessary corporate and regulatory hurdles, as well as shareholder approval. Already in the aftermath of the announcement, law firm Halper Sadeh LLC said it was launching an investigation into whether Fubo violated any laws or breached any fiduciary duties is encouraging shareholders to learn more about their rights and options.
Catch up on our articles related to Fubo and Hulu + Live TV merger:
- Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will come together in a new company
- Fubo will create a new streamer as part of Hulu + Live TV merger
- Questions about the proposed merger of Fubo and Hulu + Live TV
- Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery say Venu Sports won’t launch
- Law firm will investigate Hulu + Live TV and Hulu merger
What to catch up on this weekend: ‘The Traitors’ Season 3 has begun
TV’s ultimate murder mystery is back. Peacock’s Emmy-winning competition series “The Traitors” is back for its third season as the devious and delightful Alan Cumming welcomes a coterie of drag performers, Housewives, British Royals, WWE Hall of Famers, and more famous faces from reality TV and beyond to the Scottish Highlands to compete for a cash prize pot.
For the uninitiated, “The Traitors” sees 21 contestants, known as the Faithful, work together on a series of challenges to build a prize pot worth up to $250,000. Hidden amongst the Faithful are the Traitors, who are trying to “murder” the Faithful one by one and claim the prize for themselves. If the Faithful banish all of the Traitors, they’ll share the prize fund, but if at least one Traitor makes it to the end, they’ll steal all the money.
This season, contestants include Bob The Drag Queen (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Carolyn Wiger (“Survivor”), Dorinda Medley (“The Real Housewives of New York City”), Tom Sandoval (“Vanderpump Rules”), WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Garcia, and more.
Watch a trailer for Season 3 of ‘The Traitors’:
The first three episodes of “The Traitors” Season 3 are currently available to stream on Peacock with a new episode released every Thursday. Right now, if you’re a new customer, Peacock is offering three months of ad-supported service completely free (or three months of ad-free service for only $6), meaning you can likely watch the whole season (and catch up on the other two) under the deal!
The Traitors
America’s most cunning contestants, a mix of famous faces and everyday Americans, play the ultimate murder mystery game. Hosted by Alan Cumming at an ancient castle in Scotland, they will work together on exhilarating missions to build a prize fund worth up to $250,000. But hidden amongst the Faithful contestants are the Traitors, whose goal is to eliminate the Faithful and claim the prize for themselves.
What’s new to stream this weekend: ‘The Pitt,’ starring Noah Wyle
Watch a teaser for ‘The Pitt’ below:
Paging Noah Wyle to the ER. The long-time “ER” star is scrubbing back in for a new medical drama, and you’re shadowing the shift.
The highly anticipated series “The Pitt” premiered this past Thursday, Jan. 9 on Max with the first two episodes. In the new series, created by “ER” writer and producer R. Scott Gemmill, Wyle stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Rabinavitch, the ER lead at a Pittsburgh hospital. Uniquely, “The Pitt” unfolds during a grueling 15-hour shift as each episode focuses on a single hour, capturing the pressure, emotional toll, and life-or-death decisions faced by healthcare heroes daily.
Opposite Wyle, the cast also features Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Marron Ball, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, and more to make up the capable, dedicated doctors managing life’s most stressful moments.
The first two episodes of the 15-episode “The Pitt” are available to stream on Max now. A new episode will roll out every Thursday through the season finale on April 10.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.