In 2017, Hulu made a notable mark in television history by becoming the first streaming service to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, largely due to the success of The Handmaid’s Tale.
While Netflix has dominated the streaming landscape with its extensive library of original films,attracting renowned filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón,and Martin Scorsese, Hulu is steadily carving out its niche. The platform has secured exclusive rights to numerous Oscar-nominated films such as A Genuine Distress and Anora. Below are some of our top recommendations for must-watch movies (both original and or else) currently available on Hulu.
Still searching for more great titles to add to your watchlist? Check out WIRED’s guides on the best TV shows on Hulu, the most exciting movies on Netflix, the top films on Disney+, and the best offerings from Amazon Prime Video. If you disagree with our selections or have suggestions of your own, feel free to share in the comments below.
If you make a purchase through links in our reviews, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more here.
John Wick: A New Chapter Begins
The saga began over ten years ago when Keanu Reeves introduced audiences to John Wick, an enigmatic assassin drawn back into his violent past after low-level Russian thugs steal his cherished 1969 Mustang and kill his puppy Daisy. Unbeknownst to them, John is far from ordinary. The film’s success led to three sequels, a prequel series titled (The Continental), and an upcoming spinoff film featuring Ana de Armas called (Ballerina). A fifth installment is also in growth.
The Toy That Kills
This horror-comedy about a murderous toy monkey doesn’t take itself too seriously—thankfully! Osgood Perkins’ follow-up film (Longlegs)(see below) adapts Stephen King’s short story about a wind-up toy that unleashes chaos wherever it goes. Theo James plays twin brothers haunted by their childhood experiences with this sinister toy as they attempt to stop its killing spree as adults while maintaining Perkins’ signature blend of humor amidst gore.
p > H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage), a small-time criminal who falls head over heels for Edwina (Holly Hunter), finds himself swearing off crime after serving time behind bars.However, when they discover Ed cannot conceive children, H.I devises an outrageous plan involving kidnapping one of Arizona’s quintuplets so they can fulfill their dream of parenthood together. This second feature from Joel and Ethan Coen remains both hilarious and endlessly quotable even today.
< Em One Hour Photo: An Unsettling Thriller
< figure >
p >< iframe height = "113" width = "200" sandbox = "" title = "" src = "//www.youtube-nocookie .com/embed/eWzILZ6wE9Y">
/ iframe >
/ p >
/ div >
/ figure >
p > Robin Williams delivers an unforgettable performance as Sy Parrish—a lonely photo technician at Walmart who becomes dangerously obsessed with one family he believes embodies perfection until cracks begin appearing in their facade leading him down dark paths filled with unsettling consequences; it remains shocking that he didn’t receive any Academy Award nominations despite this haunting portrayal.
< Em Take Shelter: Psychological Tension Unleashed
< figure >div >
p >< iframe height ="113" width ="200"sandbox ="allow-scripts allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox"title ="Embedded Frame "data-src ="//www.youtube -nocookie .com/embed/hUraDx3oFVg "allow ="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; clipboard-write; autoplay ; fullscreen ; picture-in-picture">
/ iframe >
/ p >
/ div >
/ figure >
p > Michael Shannon shines once again playing Curtis laforche—a devoted husband plagued by apocalyptic visions that lead him down obsessive paths where he isolates himself from friends & family while trying desperately protect them against impending doom only he seems aware exists! His wife sam (Jessica Chastain) fears he’s inherited paranoid schizophrenia just like her mother did at around same age but what if there really was something lurking beneath surface?
…