Summary

• Hulu's original movies have proven to be successful and diverse, offering unique and varied options for subscribers.
• Boss Level, Hulu's first action movie, received praise for its new approach to the time-loop genre and its over-the-top action.
• Hulu's original movies include impactful biopics, star-studded comedies, and inventive genre films, showcasing the platform's commitment to high-quality content.

While more successful with its original series, the best Hulu original movies show the streaming platform has developed some excellent cinematic entries. Hulu has emerged as a formidable player in the streaming world with hit shows like The Handmaid's Tale and Only Murders in the Building helping to give it plenty to high-quality original content to offer subscribers. Hulu has also gradually been dedicating more to their original movie projects, resulting in some excellent and varied options available that can't be found anywhere else.

While certain high-profile titles from Hulu, like Adrian Lyne's Deep Water or the remake of White Men Can't Jump failed to find much success, there are great Hulu original movies on the platform too. These titles range from exciting remakes of horror franchises to inventive rom-coms to intense horror movies. While their catalog of existing movies is always enticing, the best Hulu original movies should not be overlooked.

15 Boss Level (2020)

Hulu's First Original Action Movie

Boss Level was Hulu's first full-blown action movie and shows the streamer was well-equipped to tackle the genre. The movie takes a time-loop approach to the genre with Frank Grillo playing a special forces officer stuck in the same day of his death as he fights deadly enemies and brutal demises again and again while looking for the key to his escape. The movie is packed with exciting names like Michelle Yeoh, Mel Gibson, and Naomi Watts. Despite the crowded subgenre of time loop movies, Boss Level was praised for finding new ways to approach the story while also embracing its over-the-top action.

14 Big Time Adolescence (2019)

The Hulu Original Coming-Of-Age Comedy That's Full Of Heart

Big Time Adolescence follows Monroe "Mo" Harris (Griffin Gluck), a 16-year-old boy who remains friends with his big sister's ex, Zeke (Pete Davidson). Mo's parents aren't thrilled with the dynamic, but the young slacker isn't as awful an influence as he initially appears. Critics found the film well-cast and mostly well-acted, with Gluck, in particular, receiving praise. Furthermore, the most positive reviews for this 2019 Hulu original pointed at the movie's fair balance of heart and humor.

13 Little Monsters (2019)

A Post-Apocalyptic Musical Comedy

While Shaun of the Dead is seen by many as the greatest comedic take on a zombie movie, Little Monsters proves there are still laughs and thrills to be had from this particular mashing of genres. Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o portrays a school teacher who must do what she can to protect her young students from flesh-eating ghouls while on a field trip. It's a film that knows it's silly and leans into it, resulting in a movie that's more funny than scary, but it does actually manage to provide legitimate scares. Nyong'o received high praise for a rare comedic turn, while the movie itself earned strong reviews for its fresh take on a heavily explored subgenre.

12 Vacation Friends (2021)

John Cena Proves He's Just As Suited To Comedies As The Wrestling Ring

John Cena has emerged as a surprisingly adept comedic actor, thanks to standout roles in the likes of The Suicide Squad and Blockers. Vacation Friends is another winning comedy that shows his funny side while teaming him with other hilarious people like Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji, and Meredith Hagner. The light comedy follows Orji and Howery's couple as they vacation in Mexico and meet Hagner and Cena's duo only to find their new friends extending the friendship once the vacation is over. The movie has a lot of fun turning relatable social situations into hilarious misadventures. Vacation Friends was a comedy hit and one of the first Hulu original movies to get a sequel.

11 The United States Vs. Billie Holiday (2021)

An Impactful Biopic That Helped Launch Andra Day's Acting Career

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lee Daniels made his first movie with Hulu with the biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday. The title of the film refers to the United States's narcotics charge against artist Billie Holiday, looking at the injustice and betrayal at the center of the drama. Singer Andra Day delivers a career-making performance in the lead role as Holiday, earning herself an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. It is a timely and impactful period drama about celebrity scandal that still packs a powerful punch.

10 No One Will Save You (2023)

The Dialogue-Free Alien Invasion Movie That Gained Viral Fame

While Hulu doesn't have the same funds for its original movies as most Hollywood blockbusters, it has found budget-friendly ways to tackle exciting genres. No One Will Save You pulled off a small-scale alien invasion movie with the thriller starring Kaitlyn Dever as an isolated young woman living on her own who must fight for her survival when an alien finds its way into her home. The home invasion story is an inherently creepy one and this inventive take on it made No One Will Save You something of a viral sensation when it arrived in 2023. The Hulu original movie also received strong critical acclaim for its nearly dialogue-free story that holds tension and excitement throughout.

9 Happiest Season (2020)

A Star-Studded Festive Comedy With An LGBTQ+ Centered Story

Happiest Season is one of Hulu's most star-studded originals to date, with greats like Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Kristen Stewart, Dan Levy, Mackenzie Davis, and Mary Steenburgen lining the cast. Hailed as one of the best LGBTQ+ rom-coms, Happiest Season stars Kristen Stewart as a young woman who is invited to spend the holidays with her girlfriend's family only to learn that her partner is still in the closet to her relatives. The movie is a terrific mix of big laughs as well as some emotionally devastating moments. Happiest Season won the GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding Film - Wide Release" and has already been adopted as a new holiday favorite.

8 Fire Island (2023)

Secrets Threaten To Unravel A Vacation In This LGBTQ+ Hulu Comedy

Another LGBTQ+ movie that is among the best Hulu original movies is Fire Island. The comedy is loosely inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as it follows a group of gay men who head to a vacation getaway only for revelations to threaten their fun times and their overall relationships. The movie takes a funny and clever approach to topics of classism and romance with an ensemble of likable characters. The movie earned a near-perfect 94% on Rotten Tomatoes while also receiving an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie.

7 Plan B (2021)

Hulu's Take On Coming-Of-Age Comedies

The best coming-of-age movies like Plan B tend to go places that ring true for anybody who's gone through their teens. Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation) directed Hulu's 2021 addition to the subgenre, and it received overall positive critical reviews. The movie follows a straight-laced high school student who embarks on a quest with her best friend to find a Plan B pill following her first awkward sexual experience. The movie tackles very timely and important messages in thoughtful and insightful ways while never losing sight of its comedic tone. Morales won the Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards award for new filmmakers while the movie received high praise from critics.

6 Run (2020)

Sarah Paulson Plays One Of Horror's Most Terrifying Mothers

Run is a psychological thriller that ended up setting a viewership record for the streamer. The plot follows Diane Sherman (Sarah Paulson) and her chronically ill daughter, Chloe (Kiera Allen). However, not everything is as it seems, and Diane harbors some dark secrets that run both women's lives. Along with becoming Hulu's most successful movie upon its release, Run scored praise from critics who pointed to the central performances and the movie's ability to avoid the familiar tropes of the genre as aspects that helped it to stand out.

5 Fresh (2022)

An Original Hulu Horror About The Perils Of Dating

Hulu has had a lot of success with horror movies and thrillers among their original content, and Fresh remains one of the standout titles. The movie stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as a young woman who meets a man (Sebastian Stan) and quickly develops a romance with him. However, during their first romantic weekend away with each other, he exposes his disturbing interests and his true intentions. The movie is a gruesome experience while still keeping some humor in the story. The result is an intense and exciting ride that earned five Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards nominations, including for the two leads and the movie itself.

4 Rye Lane (2023)

Two Strangers Bond Over A Spontaneous Shared Day

One of the latest Hulu original movies is already established as one of the best. Taking inspiration from movies like Before Sunrise yet putting its own unique style and voice on it, Rye Lane follows a young man and woman each just out of a painful breakup who meet and form a bond, deciding to spend the day together. The movie is a terrific display of new talent, from the great performances of stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah to the debut of director Raine Allen-Miller. Nominated for an amazing 16 British Independent Film Awards, it is one of the most acclaimed indies of the year.

3 Good Luck To You, Leo Grande (2022)

Emma Thompson Leads An Expectation-Subverting Raunchy Comedy

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is a raunchy comedy that completely subverts expectations of the genre. Acting legend Emma Thompson stars in the movie as a widower who, after living a life of unsatisfying sex, decides to address some of those missed experiences in a series of rendezvous with a younger male sex worker (Daryl McCormack). The movie is a beautiful, funny, and thoughtful two-hander between these actors as their characters share and bond in unexpected ways. Thompson is particularly brilliant in a vulnerable yet endlessly charming role that earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

2 Prey (2022)

The Franchise-Revitalizing Prequel

Though Predator remains a classic of the sci-fi horror genre, the franchise had struggled for decades to replicate the success of the original. That was finally achieved by a brilliant return to basics with Prey. The prequel takes place in the early 1700s and stars Amber Midthunder as a young Comanche warrior who must save herself and her people when a deadly alien being comes to Earth, hunting its deadliest game. Director Dan Trachtenberg stages thrilling and intense action sequences, while Midthunder makes for an excellent action hero. The movie is a brilliant way of revitalizing the Predator franchise while keeping the essence of what audiences love about it.

1 Palm Springs (2020)

The Time Loop Rom-Com Co-Produced By The Lonely Island

Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg led Palm Springs, another time-loop movie that was also praised as one of the best rom-coms of the past decade. Produced in part by The Lonely Island, the film follows Milioti's Sarah Wilder, who is currently at her half-sister's wedding when she meets Samberg's stranger who inadvertently pulls her into his unending time loop of the wedding day. Bringing new rules and fun to the premise, the original Hulu movie Palm Springs is filled with big laughs, surprises, and fun characters that make the genre story more interesting. The movie won Best Comedy at the 26th Critics' Choice Awards and was nominated for two Golden Globes.