Hulu's Diverse Movie Selection: A Cinematic Compendium
In 2017, Hulu etched its name in television history by becoming the first streaming network to claim the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, a feat attributed to the cultural phenomenon, The Handmaid’s Tale. While Netflix has dominated the streaming original movie market, luring A - list directors like Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, and Martin Scorsese, Hulu is steadily making its mark in feature films. It has secured exclusive rights to numerous Oscar - nominated movies such as A Real Pain and Anora. Here are some top movie picks available for streaming on Hulu.
If you're seeking more great titles, explore WIRED’s guides to the best TV shows on Hulu, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Disney+, and the best movies on Amazon Prime. Have different opinions or suggestions? Share them in the comments below.
1. Sister Midnight
Uma (Radhika Apte) and Gopal (Ashok Pathak), social misfits, find themselves in an arranged marriage, living as husband and wife in a tiny Mumbai shack. In a new city, surrounded by strangers (including her new husband), Uma yearns to resist the societal path laid out for her. She begins to rebel, eventually transforming into a self - made semi - monster. Director Karan Kandhari, in his directorial debut which premiered at Cannes, deploys all cinematic tools to craft an unforgettably funny dark comedy. This film uses movie magic to offer a social critique on the archaic treatment of women, advocating for its consignment to history.
2. Jennifer's Body
After winning the 2008 Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Jason Reitman’s Juno (now streaming on Hulu), Diablo Cody was given creative freedom to write any movie. She chose to pen this female - centric horror film. Megan Fox stars as the eponymous teenage cheerleader, every guy’s (and girl’s) dream. Unfortunately, she's possessed by a demonic succubus, requiring her to feast on the flesh of unsuspecting guys to survive. Her geeky best friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), is determined to exorcise the demon. Initially a box - office flop and derided by critics, by 2025, it was recognized as ahead of its time. Critical reassessments have elevated its status, hailing it as a feminist masterpiece.
3. John Wick
Over a decade ago, Keanu Reeves introduced audiences to John Wick, one of cinema's most enigmatic vigilantes. A talented hit - man, John is forced out of retirement when low - level Russian gangsters steal his 1969 Mustang and kill his puppy, Daisy. Unaware, the gangsters target a man far from average. The film has since spawned three sequels, a prequel TV series (The Continental), and a recent spinoff film, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas. A fifth film is in the pipeline.
4. The Monkey
Adapting an old Stephen King short story, Osgood Perkins helms this film about a homicidal wind - up toy monkey. Theo James stars in dual roles as twin brothers haunted by the toy in childhood. As adults, they must stop its murder spree. Perkins creates memorable and gory set - pieces while maintaining a sense of humor.
5. Raising Arizona
H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage), a petty criminal, falls in love at first sight with Edwina (Holly Hunter), the police officer photographing him. After H.I.'s prison stint, he swears off crime, and Ed leaves the force. When Ed is found infertile, H.I. hatches a kidnapping plan to fulfill her dream of motherhood. The Coen Brothers' sophomore effort, Raising Arizona, remains hilarious and quotable to this day.
6. One Hour Photo
Despite its title potentially being lost on those unfamiliar with non - phone cameras, this taut psychological thriller packs a punch. Robin Williams is haunting as Sy Parrish, a lonely photo technician obsessed with a regular customer's seemingly ideal family. When cracks appear in their family life, Sy's unhinged side emerges. Williams' omission from Oscar nominations for this performance is a notable Academy Awards snub.
7. Take Shelter
Two - time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon showcases his talent in this engrossing psychological thriller by Jeff Nichols. Shannon plays Curtis LaForche, a loving husband and father haunted by apocalyptic storm visions. To protect his family, Curtis becomes obsessed with building an underground shelter, alienating loved ones and losing his job. His wife, Sam (Jessica Chastain), believes he has the same paranoid schizophrenia as his mother. But what if his visions are real?
8. Presence
Steven Soderbergh, Hollywood's premier experimental filmmaker, offers a unique take on the haunted - house genre in Presence. After a tragedy, a family (Rebekah (Lucy Liu), Chris (Chris Sullivan), and their teenage kids Tyler (Eddy Maday) and Chloe (Callina Liang)) moves into a new house, only to discover an unseen presence. It's a slow - burn film that keeps viewers guessing.
9. 28 Weeks Later
Five years after Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's post - apocalyptic 28 Days Later, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo continues the Rage Virus saga. The US military controls Great Britain, and the story focuses on a family (Don (Robert Carlyle), Alice (Catherine McCormack), Tammy (Imogen Poots), and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton)) who may hold the key to a cure. It serves as a perfect lead - in to 28 Years Later, the series' new entry, which reunited Boyle and Garland.
10. Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything
Just over two years after Barbara Walters' death, documentarian Jackie Jesko explores the life of the trailblazing journalist. Many of the people she inspired or annoyed (like Katie Couric and Oprah Winfrey) share insights into Walters and her role in breaking barriers for female journalists.
11. Idiocracy
Like Office Space before it, Mike Judge's Idiocracy wasn't an immediate success in 2006. However, it has since gained a wider and more dedicated following. An average man (Luke Wilson) and woman (Maya Rudolph) participate in a top - secret experiment, hibernating for a year. Forgotten when the military base closes, they're rediscovered in 2505, finding the world so degraded that Wilson's Joe is now the smartest man, presenting problems for both Joe and the world.
12. Mission: Impossible—Fallout
Tom Cruise returned as Ethan Hunt in what may be his last mission. While Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning broke box - office records, Hulu added the first six (out of eight) M:I movies to its library. You can start with Brian De Palma's 1996 original or jump to 2018's Fallout, Christopher McQuarrie's sophomore outing as director. The sixth film features more emotion and an extended cast, marking a new direction for Hunt.
13. The Order
Previously included in “The 10 Best Movies You Missed in 2024,” The Order is now available to Hulu subscribers. Justin Kurzel directs this gritty tale of corruption and extremism. FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) links daylight robberies to a white supremacist group, leading him to Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult), leader of the neo - Nazi group The Order. Based on a true story, it's a heartbreaking film.
14. Small Things Like These
Eight months after winning the Best Actor Oscar for Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy delivers a powerful performance in this adaptation of Claire Keegan's 2021 novella. He plays Bill Furlong, a coal merchant, husband, and father. When Bill witnesses a disturbing scene at a local convent and questions the treatment of a young girl, he incurs the wrath of the Mother Superior (Emily Watson). Despite threats, his compassion prevails.
15. Longlegs
Maika Monroe, known as this generation's scream queen, adds to her genre resume in this offbeat thriller by Osgood Perkins. She plays Lee Harker, an FBI agent with a sixth sense for murder investigations. Investigating a string of murder - suicides, she senses a familiarity. Monroe delivers a great performance, while Nicolas Cage provides an unhinged, almost comical, turn.
16. Alien: Romulus
Set between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), Alien: Romulus follows a group exploring an abandoned space station, leading them to face the Alien franchise's extraterrestrial villains. Writer - director Fede Álvarez, known for the 2013 Evil Dead reimagining, breathes new life into the decades - old franchise.
17. A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet shines in James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic, which earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Chalamet. The film chronicles Dylan's early career, from his 1961 journey from Minnesota to New York to meet Woody Guthrie to his game - changing 1965 Newport Folk Festival performance. It's a fascinating story, whether you're a Dylan expert or novice.
18. Anora
Anora, who prefers Ani (Best Actress winner Mikey Madison), is an exotic dancer. When Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), a Russian oligarch's son, visits the club, their encounter turns into a series of (paid) sexual encounters and eventually marriage. Vanya's parents present him with an ultimatum: his marriage or their money. Director Sean Baker, known for The Florida Project (2017) and Red Rocket (2021), creates a powerful dramedy highlighting marginalized characters.
19. Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
“If you’re Sly Stone, there’s no blueprint for what comes next.” This is the premise of Sly Lives!, Questlove's follow - up to Summer of Soul. The film delves into the rise and fall of Sly & The Family Stone and the higher standards for Black artists. Questlove's expertise makes him an ideal guide. The film was timely, as Stone passed away on June 9.
20. Alien
Since its 1979 theatrical release, Alien has retained its potency. The crew of the Nostromo, including Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), pauses their journey to Earth to respond to a distress call. They discover a terrifying alien life - form. The film launched a legendary sci - fi/horror franchise and introduced Ridley Scott. For more Alien content, Noah Hawley’s prequel series, Alien: Earth, is also streaming on Hulu.
21. A Real Pain
Kieran Culkin continues to shine in this buddy - road - trip comedy written, directed, produced by, and co - starring Jesse Eisenberg (nominated for the screenplay). David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) travel to Poland for their late grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. Despite their differences, they reconnect, proving blood is thicker than water. Culkin won his first Oscar for the role, and Eisenberg was granted Polish citizenship.
22. Arcadian
Nicolas Cage does what he does best in this post - apocalyptic thriller. Paul (Cage) and his twin sons, Thomas (Jaeden Martell) and Joseph (Maxwell Jenkins), are among the few remaining on Earth. Terrorized at night by homicidal creatures, the situation worsens when Thomas goes missing. Paul's ill - advised rescue attempt leaves him wounded, relying on his sons for survival.
23. Thelma
June Squibb is the unexpected action hero. In the decade since her Oscar - nominated role in Nebraska, the 95 - year - old actress has become sought - after. She plays Thelma, a grandma swindled out of $10,000. When authorities are unhelpful, Thelma takes matters into her own hands with a gun and motorized scooter. This vigilante comedy is based on writer - director Josh Margolin’s own grandmother.
24. Ad Astra
In the near future, US Space Command Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) learns that mysterious power surges from an old space station threaten Earth. Tracing the activity to the Lima Project led by his father, H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), missing for 30 years, Roy embarks on a journey. Cowriter/director James Gray aimed to create “the most realistic depiction of space travel in a movie.” Watch and decide if he succeeded.
25. Late Night With the Devil
In the 1970s, Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), a late - night talk - show host, struggles to compete with Johnny Carson. He scores high ratings with an interview of his dying wife, Madeleine (Georgina Haig). After her death, he halts production. Returning, he throws an occult - themed Halloween show with a psychic, parapsychologist, and a possessed teen who knows too much. Many critics deem it the best horror movie of 2024.
26. Babes
Pamela Adlon's directorial debut explores motherhood like Bridesmaids did marriage. New Yorkers Eden (Ilana Glazer) and Dawn (Michelle Buteau), lifelong friends, face different life chapters. Dawn, struggling with postpartum depression, balances work and family, while Eden, pregnant after a one - night stand, decides to be a single mom. Their friendship fractures in this brash, honest comedy.
27. Kinds of Kindness
Three months after Poor Things' four Oscar wins in 2024, Yorgos Lanthimos reunites much of the cast for Kinds of Kindness, which debuted at Cannes. An anthology film or “triptych fable,” it features absurdist comedy and over - the - top performances. Sex cults, reanimation, sandwiches, murder - happy bosses, and John McEnroe's smashed tennis racket add to the wild fun.
28. Immaculate
Sydney Sweeney produces and stars in this religious horror film as Cecilia, a young nun. A traumatic near - death experience convinces her God has a higher purpose for her. Joining a convent in the Italian countryside, she realizes all may not be as it seems.
29. Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) seems to have it all, but behind the scenes, he's on the verge of bankruptcy, mourning his son's death, and hiding his past from his estranged wife (Penélope Cruz), who holds the key to his financial future. Set in 1957, Michael Mann's biopic, despite mixed reviews, tells the complex story of a complex man, with Cruz's performance as a major selling point.
30. Perfect Days
Nearly 60 years into his career, Wim Wenders creates one of his best films. Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), a Tokyo toilet cleaner, is content with his simple life, indulging in music, books, and nature. The film lacks overly dramatic storylines, focusing on Hirayama's quiet interactions, which, along with Yakusho's performance, give the film its heart.
31. Origin
Writer - director Ava DuVernay creates a biopic and historical document. Based on Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis - Taylor), the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in journalism, the film follows Wilkerson's journey to write her 2020 book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, researching caste systems in the US, Germany, and India.
32. The Contestant
On January 11, 1998, 22 - year - old comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu entered an apartment in Japan, living nude and isolated for 15 months as part of a controversial game show. He was unaware his life was being broadcast. This documentary delves into how this experiment happened and its real - world effects on Hamatsu and viewers.
33. Anatomy of a Fall
German actress Sandra Hüller, known for her role choices, stars in this courtroom drama. She plays a writer turned murder suspect when her husband is found dead. Her son (Milo Machado - Graner) and his guide dog (Messi) may seal her fate in this smart, twisty mystery.
34. BlackBerry
Glenn Howerton of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is unrecognizable in this recounting of BlackBerry's rise and fall. Howerton co - stars as Jim Balsillie, who, with Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel), gave the world its first smartphone. The story is more dramatic and darkly humorous than it sounds.
35. The Royal Hotel
Julia Garner of Ozark reunites with director Kitty Green in this psychological thriller. Hanna (Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick), best friends, backpack through the Australian outback. Offered a job at a remote hotel, Hanna senses something's wrong. Garner continues to play badass characters in this film.
36. Self Reliance
Jake Johnson of New Girl makes his feature directorial debut with this weird and dark meta - comedy, which he also wrote and stars in. Tommy Walcott (Johnson) is offered a chance to win $1 million in a reality competition, but he must avoid being murdered for 30 days. Teaming up with Maddy (Anna Kendrick), they navigate the challenges, with the film constantly surprising viewers.
37. No One Will Save You
Kaitlyn Dever shines in this home - invasion thriller with an extraterrestrial twist. Brynn Adams, a mourning seamstress, faces an otherworldly intruder in her home. Despite the common home - invasion premise, this film offers a fresh take and is 93 minutes well - spent.
38. Miguel Wants to Fight
Seventeen - year
