The rivalry between Disney and Universal usually plays out at the box office and inside their theme parks. This August, however, several familiar franchises are crossing that divide in an unexpected place.
A new group of blockbuster movies with major Universal connections is headed to Hulu in August 2026, placing them inside Disney+ for eligible subscribers. The additions include franchises represented throughout Universal Orlando Resort, including one with a longtime attraction at Universal Studios Florida.
It's also becoming a familiar pattern.
Earlier this year, the Shrek collection made a similar jump into Disney's streaming ecosystem. Now, an even broader selection of recognizable movies is available.
And for theme park fans in particular, the latest additions create some unusual Disney-Universal crossover.
Disney+ Is No Longer Just Disney
When Disney+ launched in 2019, the service leaned heavily on Disney's own brands.
Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic gave subscribers a library built almost entirely around familiar company-owned properties.
Hulu changed that.
As Disney continued integrating Hulu into Disney+, eligible subscribers gained access to a much wider collection of movies and television shows directly through the Disney+ app.
That expansion means the platform can now feature titles that Disney doesn't own at all.
For viewers, that creates a more convenient experience. For theme park fans, though, it can also create some strange combinations.
A movie connected to a franchise seen throughout Universal Orlando Resort can now sit only a few clicks away from Marvel, Pixar, and Disney classics.
Shrek Was an Early Example
The Shrek franchise already gave fans a preview of how unusual this new setup could become.
Earlier in 2026, Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010) became available through Hulu on Disney+ for eligible U.S. subscribers.
That stood out because DreamWorks Animation is part of NBCUniversal.
Shrek also has a long connection to Universal's theme parks, including appearances and attractions built around the characters over the years.
Of course, Disney didn't buy the franchise.
The movies simply became available because of streaming licensing agreements. Those deals can move individual titles between services without changing who owns the property.
Now, August is bringing even more recognizable franchises into the same situation.
August Brings Jurassic Park, Minions, and Men in Black
Several notable titles are joining Hulu in August 2026, which also places them inside Disney+ for eligible subscribers.
One of the biggest is Jurassic Park (1993).
The Steven Spielberg blockbuster helped launch one of Universal's most recognizable film franchises, and Jurassic Park continues to have a major presence at Universal Orlando Resort through Islands of Adventure.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) is also joining the lineup.
That brings Gru and the Minions into Disney's streaming environment, even though the characters remain a major part of Universal's theme park business.
Then there are Men in Black (1997) and Men in Black II (2002).
The movies come from Sony and Columbia Pictures, but the franchise has a strong Universal Orlando connection thanks to MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack. The attraction has operated at Universal Studios Florida since 2000.
For theme park fans, that creates a particularly odd crossover.
Guests can experience these franchises at Universal Orlando Resort, and later find several of the movies on Hulu via Disney+.
This Is About Licensing, Not Ownership
Despite the appearance of Universal-associated franchises moving into Disney's streaming world, Disney isn't taking ownership of them.
Streaming libraries constantly change as licensing deals begin and expire.
A movie appearing through Hulu on Disney+ doesn't mean Disney suddenly owns the film, the characters, or the franchise behind it.
Instead, Disney's continued integration with Hulu simply makes these licensing arrangements more visible than they once were.
That is why a Universal-connected movie can now appear inside an app most people still strongly associate with Disney.
Disney+ Keeps Becoming a Broader Streaming Platform
The bigger story is how different Disney+ looks compared with its early years.
The service still revolves around Disney's major brands, but Hulu has widened the range of content available inside the app.
Now, Jurassic Park (1993), Despicable Me 2 (2013), Men in Black (1997), and Men in Black II (2002) are becoming part of that mix.
For viewers, it means more recognizable movies in one place.
For theme park fans, it also means some very familiar Universal-connected franchises are finding an unexpected temporary home inside Disney's streaming platform.
