It's sometimes easy to forget that Hulu first started life as a "TV-first" catch-up service, with movies little more than an afterthought when it launched in 2007.
In the intervening years, however, the platform has evolved into something of a prestige movie destination -- and a must-have for film fans. Since Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, Hulu has become the "adult" sibling to Disney Plus, housing R-rated content and acclaimed indies alongside big-name blockbusters and a huge selection of licensed classics.
Now the exclusive streaming home for Searchlight Pictures' output (A Real Pain, A Complete Unknown), Hulu is also typically the first platform for 20th Century Studios content to land on, allowing the service to carve out a niche as a destination for smart horror, sci-fi and thrillers (the Alien, Predator and Omen franchises are all housed on Hulu, as well as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle remake and Smile).
Watch this: Why 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is the Perfect Sequel
Unlike Netflix, none of Hulu's homegrown titles earned an Oscar nomination this year, but the Hulu Originals imprint nevertheless turns out a steady stream of solid feature-length exclusives like the Andy Samberg comedy Palm Springs and Mimi Cave's grisly horror-thriller Fresh. To help you dive into Hulu's movie catalog, we compiled a list that includes a little bit of everything, including originals and licensed flicks.
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice
A gangster movie mashed up with a time travel caper and a road trip doesn't sound like the most compelling combination on paper, but BenDavid Grabinski's subgenre-melding comedy hits the spot.
The noughties-tinged romp follows mobster Nick (Vince Vaughn) and his crime world buddy Mike (James Marsden), who are given the chance to revisit and alter key moments from their past thanks to a mysterious time-bending device.
Throw in the complication of a duplicate version of Mike and a love triangle involving his wife Alice (Eiza González) and Nick and you have a timeline-twisting ride that's as unpredictable as the characters caught up in it.
Predator: Badlands (2025)
While many other classic '80s sci-fi franchises have had their legacies tainted by a succession of subpar spinoffs and sequels, the Predator series appears to be going from strength to strength. Dan Trachtenberg got the ball rolling with 2022's excellent Prey -- also available on Hulu -- pitting the sharp-toothed alien against a tough-as-nails Comanche warrior.
Wisely, the same director is given another shot at expanding the universe of the technologically advanced big-game hunter. A coming-of-age buddy movie might seem an incongruous direction for the franchise, but a strong performance from Elle Fanning and a succession of well-crafted action set pieces make Predator: Badlands an unlikely success.
The Godfather (1972)
More than 50 years after first captivating moviegoers, Francis Ford Coppola's sprawling mafia psychodrama has lost none of its brutal power. The passing of Robert Duvall may have prompted many fans to revisit the veteran actor's masterful turn as aging crime lord Vito Corleone's trusted advisor, Tom Hagen, in recent weeks, but it's the sweeping scale of Coppola's epic retelling of Mario Puzo's novel that ensures this '70s classic remains one of cinema's most beloved films. If you've never seen it and have access to Hulu, there's really no excuse.
Sly Lives! (2025)
While any film charting the extraordinary life of funk and soul pioneer Sly Stone was bound to be absorbing, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's superb, probing documentary nevertheless stands apart from the average hagiographic rock film.
Originally released just months before the singer's death last year, it serves as a vital reminder of Stone's profound influence on modern music, while not shying away from examining the personal troubles that ultimately affected his groundbreaking career.
Small Things Like These (2024)
Adapted from Claire Keegan's brief but powerful novella of the same name, Enda Walsh's big-screen retelling is similarly low-key and equally affecting. Set in 1980s Ireland, Small Things Like These features Oscar winner Cillian Murphy as a hardworking coal merchant who witnesses abusive practices at a local convent workhouse, triggering memories of his own difficult childhood.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Not just a solid sequel, but hands down one of the best Marvel movies in the sprawling MCU canon. Tasked with the seemingly impossible job of following up the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther, director Ryan Coogler somehow delivered another master class in superhero cinema -- all while overcoming the enormous challenge of losing the original film's star.
Far more than an extended tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a triumph of production design, and the storyline charting Shuri's path to vengeance for the fallen King T'Challa is as absorbing as it is poignant.
Quiz Lady (2023)
Serving as a love letter to the late Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, as well as a celebration of the messy bonds of sisterhood, Quiz Lady should hit the spot for anyone scrolling for a low-risk comedy.
Starring Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean's 8) and Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy, Killing Eve) as down-on-their-luck sisters who turn to a TV game show to pay off their mother's gambling debts, the wacky road trip also boasts a scene-stealing performance from Will Ferrell as the show's host.
Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
For those looking for a thriller fix, Justine Triet's gripping French legal drama is arguably the pick of Hulu's plentiful catalog. The Oscar-winning film sees Sandra Hüller play a novelist accused of murdering her husband after his fall from a window in their French Alps home, with her visually impaired young son serving as the pivotal witness.
The Death of Stalin (2017)
While the power struggle that followed the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin might not sound like prime comedy material, a razor-sharp script and a top-drawer cast elevate this far above the average satire.
Directed by The Thick of It and Veep creator Armando Iannucci, The Death of Stalin boasts a superb ensemble that includes The White Lotus' Jason Isaacs, indie icon Steve Buscemi and Monty Python legend Michael Palin.
The Revenant
Now over a decade old, Alejandro González Iñárritu's multi-Oscar winning survival drama still packs a resounding punch.
Leonardo DiCaprio gives arguably his best-ever performance as the frontiersman embroiled in a brutal fight to stay alive in the wilderness after being mauled and left for dead, with Tom Hardy co-starring in a gripping tale of revenge, retribution and primal violence.
