Hulu Just Added a 2020’s Sci-Fi Masterpiece (And There’s More on the Way)

There’s been no shortage of great sci-fi movies throughout the 2020s. The past few years have been one of the strongest periods for the genre since the 1980s, and the string of visually stunning, thought-provoking films over the past few years has ushered in a new golden era for sci-fi defined by movies like Nope, Dune: Part Two, Tenet, and Avatar: The Way of Water. Genre fans looking for their next watch can now stream a 2020s sci-fi masterpiece after it reappeared on Hulu following its HBO Max departure last month.

After a two-day period of streaming unavailability, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now available to stream on Hulu as of February 2nd, joining both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes on the platform. Wes Ball’s 2024 sci-fi film is the fourth installment in the Planet of the Apes reboot film series and the first installment in an intended new trilogy. The movie picks up 300 years after War for the Planet of the Apes and centers on a young ape named Noa as he journeys through the world alongside a human named Mae to rescue his clan from a tyrannical leader, challenging his understanding of the past along the way.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Successfully Transitioned the Franchise Beyond the Caesar Trilogy

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There’s no doubt that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes successfully justified the continuation of the Planet of the Apes franchise. Set generations after Caesar, the movie explores how his legacy as a legendary, mythic figure and his teachings have been distorted, with his “Apes! Together! Strong!” philosophy being twisted into a warmongering dogma that sets the stage for fresh philosophical and action-oriented conflicts. The movie isn’t just action-packed and thematic, it is a movie that is rich with world-building and storytelling, depicting hauntingly beautiful, post-apocalyptic landscapes reclaimed by nature and character-driven stories as Noa, Mae, and Raka make their way through a world filled with emerging diverse tribes with distinct, intricate, and culturally specific identities.

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With a $397 million worldwide box office haul, a “Certified Fresh” critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 80% matched by a 77% audience score, and several award nominations and wins, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was a massively successful entry into the larger Planet of the Apes franchise that guaranteed its future. The movie successfully initiated a new era, as Ball confirmed that the movie is set to be the first film in a new Planet of the Apes trilogy focusing on the post-Caesar era. That trilogy is set to continue with an untitled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel in 2027, though details about the movie are still pretty scarce.

What’s New on Hulu?

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is one of several new films streaming on Hulu following a rush of arrivals at the beginning of February. As of February 1st, Hulu subscribers can now stream Django Unchained, both Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and When Harry Met Sally, among dozens of others.

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