Tensions run high and stories move fast in some of our favorite thriller films of all time.

Plot twist! The 11 best thriller movies on Hulu

Tensions run high and stories move fast in some of our favorite thriller films of all time.

By Kevin Jacobsen,

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

on July 21, 2025 06:59AM EDT

Sebastian Stan as Steve in 'Fresh'; Amber Midthunder as Naru in 'Prey'; Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers in 'Black Swan'. Credit:

Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures; David Bukach; Niko Tavernise/Fox Searchlight

Get out of your head and into the exploits of some of Hulu's best thriller movies. Those in search of stunning reveals, relationship mind games, and films chronicling true stories of valor in the face of desperation will find them on this list. Among charming cannibals, reckless robberies, and exciting whodunnits, these movies may require a stretch session after the credits roll to release all the tension incurred while watching.

That health warning aside, here are the 11 best thriller movies streaming on Hulu.

Black Swan (2010)

Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers in 'Black Swan'. Niko Tavernise/Fox Searchlight

A psychological thriller like no other, *Black Swan* is so twisted that the viewer becomes almost as mentally confused as Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina at war with the dark and light sides of herself. Since it's a Darren Aronofsky film, we know it's not destined to be feel-good; instead, *Black Swan* is a fascinating exploration of personality under pressure. Portman gives an Oscar-winning performance, juxtaposing Nina's innocent exterior with her ambitious attempts to channel her internal darkness to play the Black Swan in *Swan Lake*. These efforts put Nina's mental state in great peril, and Aronofsky manages to craft a gorgeous, horrific, psychological descent against the regimented, sublime backdrop of ballet. —*Gwen Ihnat*

Where to watch *Black Swan*: Hulu

**EW grade:** B+ (read the review)

**Director:** Darren Aronofsky

**Cast:** Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey**

Eileen (2023)

Thomasin McKenzie as Eileen Dunlop and Anne Hathaway as Rebecca Saint John in 'Eileen'.

This spellbinding psychological thriller unfolds like a pulpy mystery novel, where the dynamic between the characters is even more intriguing than the mystery. Thomasin McKenzie plays the title character, a meek secretary at a prison who finds herself bewitched by the arrival of Rebecca (Anne Hathaway) a glamorous psychologist (think Cate Blanchett in *Carol*) who interviews a troubled inmate. The two women develop a connection, and, after Rebecca gets Eileen involved in the case she's working on, we see just how far the latter is willing to go to help the former. EW's critic calls *Eileen* "a marvelously uneasy thriller soaked in simmering eroticism, Hitchcockian swivels, and wintry." —*Kevin Jacobsen***

Where to watch *Eileen*: Hulu

**EW grade:** A– (read the review)

**Director:** William Oldroyd

**Cast:** Thomasin McKenzie, Anne Hathaway, Shea Whigham, Marin Ireland, Owen Teague**

Femme (2024)

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Jules in 'Femme'.

This underseen British thriller explores heavy topics like homophobia, the cost of revenge, and the complex relationship between attacker and victim. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett plays Jules, a drag performer who endures a violent assault by a stranger named Preston (George MacKay). Three months later, he encounters Preston again at a gay bathhouse — though Preston doesn't recognize Jules out of his drag makeup and invites him back to his apartment. Thus begins a thorny relationship in which Jules plots vengeance, though their dynamic soon takes a fascinating turn. With two superbly committed performances from Stewart-Jarrett and MacKay, *Femme* tells a fascinatingly complicated story with surprising nuance. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Femme*: Hulu

**Directors:** Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping

**Cast:** Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, George MacKay, Aaron Heffernan, John McCrea, Asha Reid

Fresh (2022)

Sebastian Stan as Steve in 'Fresh'. Searchlight Pictures

Given that the title sequence doesn't begin until 30 minutes into the film, *Fresh* may start out like a rom-com, right down to the meet-cute in a grocery store. But by the time you're actually invested in the apparently burgeoning romance between the equally excellent Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan as Noa and Steve, things take a turn for the markedly sinister as Noa's dream guy transforms into something quite different. Hot off the press at Sundance, EW's critic deems *Fresh *"a clever, gory metaphor for the seemingly endless horrors of modern romance rooted in a plot twist just outrageous enough to plausibly be true." To say anything else would spoil the fun, so we'll just say that the film's title is more than apt. *—G.I.*

Where to watch *Fresh*: Hulu

**EW grade:** B (read the review)

**Director: **Mimi Cave

**Cast: **Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Jonica T. Gibbs, Charlotte Le Bon, Andrea Bang

How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022)

Marcus Scribner as Shawn, Jake Weary as Dwayne, and Ariela Barer as Xochitl in 'How to Blow Up a Pipeline'.

Neon/Courtesy Everett Collection

Based on Andreas Malm's controversial book of the same name, *How to Blow Up a Pipeline* follows a group of young climate activists who plan to destroy an oil pipeline in West Texas to prompt more immediate action in addressing the climate crisis. One wrong step could risk being caught by authorities, or even putting themselves in harm's way. Unfolding with the tension of a heist movie, the film doesn't just entertain as an action thriller but also gives valid reasons as to what led each activist to take such drastic measures in the hope of saving the planet. The film also raises questions about whether such actions are effective in prompting change, while presenting its characters as complex humans. *—K.J.*

Where to watch *How to Blow Up a Pipeline*: Hulu

**Director:** Daniel Goldhaber

**Cast: **Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner, Jake Weary

The 29 best movies on Hulu

The 15 scariest horror movies on Hulu

Longlegs (2024)

Nicolas Cage as Longlegs in 'Longlegs'.

Nicolas Cage takes a big swing (arguably bigger than usual) in this quietly haunting horror-thriller from Osgood Perkins (son of *Psycho* star Anthony Perkins). The go-for-broke actor plays a mysterious serial killer known only as "Longlegs," who is involved in a string of murder-suicides dating back decades. FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) investigates and eventually discovers a disturbing secret about her own connection to the case. "Perkins collects his simple component parts and somehow transforms this into such an unnerving film," writes EW's critic. "*Longlegs *is definitely a step above the others." —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Longlegs*: Hulu

**EW grade:** B (read the review)

**Director:** Osgood Perkins

**Cast:** Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt

The Prestige (2006)

Christian Bale as Alfred Borden in 'The Prestige'. Francois Duhamel

"Now you're looking for the secret," says Michael Caine's character in this twisty thriller, "but you won't find it, because, of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled." This proves to be the thesis for director/co-writer Christopher Nolan as he explores the art of deception, illusion, and obsession. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale star as partners–turned–rival magicians in 1890s London who become consumed with pulling off the ultimate disappearing act. EW's critic calls *The Prestige* an "aggressively devious sleight-of-hand thriller," one that will surely have you puzzling it out like only the best Nolan films can inspire. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Prestige*: Hulu

**Director:** Christopher Nolan

**Cast:** Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Andy Serkis, David Bowie

Prey (2022)

Amber Midthunder as Naru in 'Prey'. David Bukach/Hulu

The *Predator* monster has terrified audiences for more than 35 years, but in the story's prequel and fifth installment, the tables turn and the monster becomes the prey. The film follows Naru (Amber Midthunder), a Comanche warrior with the heart of a hunter, who seeks to prove her skills and protect her tribe by catching a predator. Professional basketball player-turned-horror star Dane DiLiegro plays the film's eponymous villain and says the story is strong enough to win viewers over, even without its affiliation to the beloved horror franchise.

In an interview, he tells EW, "There just happens to be a Predator involved. Honestly, you could have shot this movie with a different monster and it still probably would have worked." If you're in the market for a solid thriller that still makes time to flesh out its main characters, sink your teeth into *Prey*. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Prey*: Hulu

**Director: **Dan Trachtenberg** **

**Cast: **Amber Midthunder, Dane DiLiegro, Dakota Beavers, Michelle Thrush, Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat

Run (2020)

Kiera Allen and Sarah Paulson as Chloe and Diane Sherman in 'Run'. Everett Collection

One of the more recent psychological horror thriller films on this list, *Run *follows the relationship between a parent and her 17-year-old daughter. On the surface, Diane (Sarah Paulson) seems like the perfect mother: Her daughter Chloe (Kiera Allen) was born with health issues, and Diane has devoted her life to homeschooling and taking care of her. But now that Chloe is applying to colleges and on the brink of setting off into the real world, she begins to notice that Diane's love may be masking secrets that Chloe could never dream of. And the more Chloe learns about herself and her mother, the more danger she finds herself in.

A suspenseful thriller that deals in themes of parental love, control, and what happens when the umbilical cord is cut too late, *Run *owes its success to the commitment of its stars. Newcomer Allen is a joy to watch, but it's Paulson who, as EW's critic writes, puts a "sweeter face" on depravity. *—I.G. *

Where to watch *Run*: Hulu

**Director:** Aneesh Chaganty

**Cast: **Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen

Sanctuary (2023)

Margaret Qualley as Rebecca Marin and Christopher Abbott as Hal Porterfield in 'Sanctuary'.

Neon/Courtesy Everett Collection

Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott are the only stars of this taut psychological thriller. Qualley plays Rebecca, a woman interviewing Abbott's Hal at a hotel for a CEO position; as the film soon reveals, however, Rebecca is actually Hal's dominatrix, and this was all part of a carefully planned script. Hal breaks the news to Rebecca that because he's about to inherit his father's company, they have to end their arrangement. This enrages Rebecca, who demands half his new salary and the pair engage in a battle for control. Unfolding with simmering suspense, *Sanctuary* is a scintillating thriller about sex and power, evoking Steven Soderbergh's *Sex, Lies, and Videotape* (1989), ironically starring Qualley's mother, Andie MacDowell. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Sanctuary*: Hulu

**Director:** Zachary Wigon

**Cast:** Margaret Qualley, Christopher Abbott

Strange Days (1995)

Ralph Fiennes as Lenny Nero and Angela Bassett as Lornette "Mace" Mason in 'Strange Days'.

Merie W. Wallace/MGM

As our world becomes consumed by virtual reality, a sci-fi thriller like *Strange Days* feels just as potent as ever. Set on the brink of the new millennium, the film follows Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes), a former cop–turned–underground market dealer of SQUID recordings, which allow users to experience the memories of other people in specific scenarios as their own — some of which are of a sexual or violent nature. Lenny discovers a vicious murder on one recording, which is only the tip of the iceberg for what he further uncovers from there. EW's critic praises *Strange Days* for its "dazzling atmosphere of grunge futurism," writing, "It's as if Philip K. Dick had recircuited Brian De Palma's brain." —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Strange Days*: Hulu

**EW grade:** B– (read the review)

**Director:** Kathryn Bigelow

**Cast:** Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Vincent D'Onofrio, Michael Wincott

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Movies”