From thought-provoking psychological thrillers to ones with twists and turns, tense crime dramas, and other exciting types, thrillers come in all forms. Among the new movies coming to Hulu, the list often includes an interesting mix of thrillers. Movies come and go all the time, however, so to help you keep track, we have rounded up the best thrillers on Hulu right now. You’ll want to watch them before they’re gone.
If you’re signing up as a new customer for Hulu, be sure to give the Disney Bundle a look — it’ll get you Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for just $14 a month. That way, you’ll get thrillers and more from Hulu plus tons of other great content.
Hulu isn’t the only streaming platform around. We’ve also put together guides to the best thrillers on Netflix, the best thrillers on Amazon Prime Video, and the best horror movies on Netflix if you want to crank up the terror!
Recently added to Hulu
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Fight Club1999 -
The Departed2006
139m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Comedy
Stars
Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter
Directed by
David Fincher
It’s tough to box Fight Club into a single genre. While the movie is technically considered a drama, there are elements of psychological thriller within the plot as well. Fight Club stars Edward Norton as the narrator, a bored, white-collar working man who decides to start a secret fight club in his basement, at the urging of a mysterious soap salesman named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt).
The movie, based on the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, did not do well at the box office, receiving mixed reviews and polarizing critics and audiences, alike. But Fight Club has since become a cult classic and its shocking twist ending a subject of conversation among fans even today, almost 25 years later.
151m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
An epic crime thriller, The Departed has historical significance as the first movie to earn acclaimed director Marin Scorsese a personal Academy Award. The story centers around Irish Mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), who sends a spy named Colin (Matt Damon) to work within the state police. But law enforcement is a step ahead and has hired a state trooper named Billy (Leonardo DiCaprio) to work undercover in Costello’s crew.
Who will figure out who is the mole first, and do something about it, is the subject of the gripping film. The Departed will go down as one of the classics, and it’s worth a watch if you haven’t yet seen it.
93m
Genre
Thriller, Horror, Comedy
Stars
Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata, David Arquette
Directed by
Eugene Kotlyarenko
Stranger Things’ Joe Keery sheds his good-guy image in Spree when he takes on the role of Kurt Kunkle. Kurt is a rideshare driver who desperately wants to be internet famous and a social media superstar. But even the kid he once babysat for, Bobby BaseCamp (Josh Ovalle), has a bigger following than Kurt. So clearly the only solution for Kurt is to begin killing people, including Bobby, and livestream his crime spree as it happens. The one who got away is Jessie Adams (Sasheer Zamata), a comedian who is disgusted by Kurt’s social media ambitions. But with the cops on his trail, Kurt wants to ensure that Jessie will be among his victims.
127m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Stars
Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer
Directed by
Kenneth Branagh
Thanks to a certain cast member facing serious and disturbing accusations, Death on the Nile was severely under-promoted during its brief theatrical run earlier this year. Fortunately, this Agatha Christie adaptation is on Hulu and still well-worth watching even if the origin story of Poirot’s mustache plays a bit funnier than intended. Kenneth Branagh once again reprises his role as Hercule Poirot, a detective on vacation who is unwillingly drawn into the orbit of the heiress Linnet “Linny” Ridgeway-Doyle (Gal Gadot). Weeks ago, Linny was engaged to Linus Windlesham (Russell Brand), but now she’s married to Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Not only are all three on the same awkward journey in Egypt, but they’re also pursued by Simon’s vengeful ex-lover, Jacqueline “Jackie” de Bellefort (Emma Mackey). Despite Poirot’s best efforts, the bodies soon begin to drop.
102m
Genre
Drama, History, Thriller
Stars
Daniel Radcliffe, Daniel Webber, Ian Hart
Directed by
Francis Annan
Escape From Pretoria is based upon the true story of Tim Jenkin (Daniel Radcliffe) and Stephen Lee (Daniel Webber), two anti-apartheid activists who worked to bring down the racist South African regime. In 1979, Jenkin and Lee were captured and sentenced to Pretoria Prison, which made their escape very unlikely. The duo also met another political prisoner, Denis Goldberg (Ian Hart), who had already resigned himself to his fate. Regardless of the consequences, Jenkin and Lee decide to break out, and the film has some extremely gripping sequences as they try to put their plan into action.
98m
Genre
Thriller, Horror
Stars
Jules Willcox, Marc Menchaca, Anthony Heald
Directed by
John Hyams
There aren’t many characters in Alone, as it’s largely a contest of will and wits between Jessica Swanson (Jules Willcox) and The Man (Marc Menchaca), an enigmatic maniac who kidnaps her while she is mourning her husband. Jessica discovers that she has been taken to the wilderness and makes a daring escape. Whoever The Man is, he demands answers from Jessica about her husband’s death, and he relentlessly pursues her. Ultimately, Jessica must determine if she has the fortitude to save herself from his wrath.
82m
Genre
Horror, Science Fiction, Drama
Stars
Natalie Martinez, Matt Lauria, Christina Leone
Directed by
Daniel Stamm
Spending Valentine’s Day stuck on an elevator isn’t anybody’s idea of a good time. However, it seems to work out for Guy (Matt Lauria) and Jennifer (Natalie Martinez) in Down, a Hulu original movie. Both Guy and Jennifer are workers in a high rise who inadvertently become trapped over a long holiday weekend. At first, it seems like love is in the air and they appear to be natural romantic partners for each other. But all is not what it appears to be, and when the truth comes out, Guy and Jennifer will be at each other’s throats.
150m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars
Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Directed by
Guillermo del Toro
Moviegoers weren’t quite ready to return to theaters to see director Guillermo del Toro’s remake of Nightmare Alley. But streaming fans can catch it on Hulu and watch Bradley Cooper’s sublime performance as Stanton “Stan” Carlisle. After joining a carnival, Stan discovers that he is very talented at pretending to be a mind reader. And he’s an excellent con man. However, Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) is a con woman who makes Stan look like an amateur by comparison. She has very dangerous plans for Stan, and the stakes only get higher as they go after a powerful target.
91m
Genre
Drama, Thriller
Stars
Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin
Directed by
Michael Sarnoski
Pig is collecting a ton of attention lately, by way of both bountiful media mentions and general word-of-mouth exchanges — and for plenty of good reasons. The film follows Rob (Nicholas Cage), a reclusive ex-chef living in the woods of Oregon. Now a truffle hunter, Rob scours the wilderness with his prized foraging pig. After a run-in with a gang of assailants, Rob’s pig is stolen. Connecting with a local contact (Alex Wolff), Rob follows the single lead he has to his swine’s whereabouts, plunging the self-proclaimed hermit into the seedy underbelly of Portland. An astonishing feature debut from writer-director Michael Sarnoski, Pig is a poignant film with an equally-poignant lead performance from Nicholas Cage, reminding us that the actor is capable of much more than camp.
Digital Trends streaming roundup
109m
Genre
Thriller, Horror, Drama
Stars
Katherine Heigl, Harry Connick Jr., Madison Iseman
Directed by
Castille Landon
One of the best types of thriller films is one where you can’t even trust the main character. Such is the case with writer-director Castille Landon’s Fear of Rain. Starring Madison Iseman as Rain Burroughs, a teenage girl diagnosed with schizophrenia, Rain begins experiencing a series of disturbing, so-called hallucinations. Fearing something is awry at her neighbor’s house, Rain’s parents don’t believe her. Recruiting the awkward new kid at school (Israel Broussard) to help her investigate, we soon discover that Rain’s horrific visions may be all too real. Fear of Rain is a stone’s throw away from movies like Disturbia and Rear Window, but strong performances and an intriguing narrative keep you invested throughout.
116m
Genre
Crime, Thriller, Drama
Stars
Jason Clarke, Nick Robinson, Daniel David Stewart
Directed by
Tiller Russell
Silk Road is based on all-too-disturbing true-life events. Ross Ulbricht (Nick Robinson) creates Silk Road, a Dark Web site that was the first of its kind. But when the hub becomes an illegal trading space for drug traffickers, DEA agent Rick Bowden (Jason Clarke) enters the fold. Bringing the powers of the DEA and U.S. Secret Service down on the platform, Bowden and his cohorts will do everything in their power to put an end to Ulbricht’s unforeseen empire. A sleek cyber-thriller, Silk Road combines great performances with a true-crime narrative that takes a few of its own liberties (some not so great) — but we still dig the end result.
97m
Genre
Thriller, History
Stars
Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Chris Messina
Directed by
Yuval Adler
In the post-World War II suburbs of America, Romanian immigrant Maja (Noomi Rapace) lives with her husband and young son. Still plagued by visions of horrific war crimes committed against her, Maja’s seemingly tranquil surface level is deeply disturbed when she encounters a man walking her streets, a gentleman she recognizes as an ex-SS officer who attacked her years before. What follows is a spiraling story of despair, regret, and past lives resurfacing. While not reinventing the genre, The Secrets We Keep leans successfully on its central talents, particularly Rapace. A Hitchcock-inspired thriller for modern-day audiences, we found it more than fitting for inclusion.
88m
Genre
Thriller, Horror, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Angela Bettis, David Arquette, Chloe Farnworth
Directed by
Brea Grant
In 12 Hour Shift, Angela Bettis stars as Mandy, a nurse with a drug problem. To fuel her fixes, she and her co-worker, Karen (Nikea Gamby-Turner), have set up an operation to transport patient organs into the hands of black-market men. After bringing her cousin, Regina (Chloe Farnworth), onboard, a mixup with a kidney unfurls a chain of horrific events as Nicholas (Mick Foley), Mandy’s trafficker, demands the organs. Mandy and her team must turn to a deeper kind of diabolical deed to pay up, or risk their very lives if they fail. A powerful siege thriller with an incredible female ensemble, 12 Hour Shift will make you wonder exactly what’s going on behind the scenes at your local hospital or doctor’s office. Hopefully not anything on display in this film.
108m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Brian Landis Folkins, Wil Wheaton, Kathleen Brady
Directed by
Jon Stevenson
Rent-A-Pal stars Brian Landis Folkins as David, an ill-dressed loner looking for a companion of any kind. When the recluse comes into possession of a mysterious VHS tape “Rent-A-Pal,” the man takes to the charismatic host on the TV screen, a man named Andy (Wil Wheaton). As David takes to Andy’s onscreen company, the vicarious friendship quickly devolves into something more sinister. Led by incredible performances and an imaginative and poignant story, Rent-A-Pal shows no mercy, neither to its characters or its audience.
85m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Kate Lyn Sheil, Jane Adams, Kentucker Audley
Directed by
Amy Seimetz
Remember that party you went to where everyone thought they were going to die? Neither do we, but if Amy (Kate Lyn Sheil) from She Dies Tomorrow mentions her own impending death to you, you too will be consumed by her existential doom. Writer/director Amy Seimetz is back with this bizarre and heady feature in which an entire town comes to believe that each denizen will walk the plank to their grave … tomorrow. Funny, moody, and filled with homages to the dark world of David Lynch, She Dies Tomorrow gets a double thumbs-up from us.
107m
Genre
Drama, Thriller
Stars
Elisabeth Moss, Odessa Young, Michael Stuhlbarg
Directed by
Josephine Decker
Free room and board is never a bad deal, that is unless your proprietors are a psychologically disturbed horror novelist and her domineering college professor husband. In Josephine Decker’s Shirley (an adaptation of the Susan Scarf Merrell novel of the same name) Elisabeth Moss plays the title role of Shirley Jackson, delivering a subtle but deeply disturbing portrait of the challenged author. Rose and Fred Nemser, the young couple that takes up residence at the Jackson home, are soon engulfed in a world of nightmarish proportions and strange sexual undertones. A mind-trip for sure, Shirley is all about the slow descent of all characters into Shirley’s personal hell. Misery loves company, they say.
90m
Genre
Thriller, Horror, Drama
Stars
Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen, Pat Healy
Directed by
Aneesh Chaganty
Sarah Paulson is having a moment — well, she’s always having a moment. The star actress is capping off the year with Run, an intense thriller originally set for theatrical release on Mother’s Day 2020, instead now exclusive to Hulu. Paulson stars as a mother who seems to be harboring a deep secret, as her isolated daughter Chloe is slowly discovering. Kiera Allen, who plays Chloe, matches Paulson scene for scene and advances the conversation about representation in film, as Allen is a wheelchair-bound actress. Run is the highlight of original movies that arrived to the streaming service in November.
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