This post is updated regularly to reflect the latest movies to leave and enter Hulu. *New additions are indicated with an asterisk.
The truth is that Hulu doesn’t particularly value the family audience in the same way that companies like Netflix or Disney+ do, perhaps realizing that the latter have a monopoly on that demographic. However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to rally the entire clan around when you’re looking for something to watch on Hulu. Their eclectic mix of family films include recent blockbuster hits, dramas from the ‘00s and ‘10s, and movies you won’t find anywhere else.
The Amazing Maurice
Year: 2023
Runtime: 1h 33m
Director: Toby Genkel
Terry Pratchett wrote a beloved series of books called Discworld, but this is an adaptation of a novel called The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. It’s the animated tale of a cat named Maurice (Hugh Laurie) who gets entangled in a village with a crazy secret. Laurie is joined by Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Gemma Arterton and many more in a film that actually made some decent money worldwide, but barely got a U.S. release. So your kids probably haven’t seen it yet!
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
Year: 2022
Runtime: 1h 42m
Director: Loren Bouchard, Bernard Derriman
Delayed two years because of the pandemic, the big screen version of the FOX hit finally landed in theaters in May 2022, but audiences mostly stayed away, which means they can catch up with it at home! And you really shouldn’t miss this joyous story of a family who always unites to save the day and make the best burger in town.
The Dark Crystal
Year: 1982
Runtime: 1h 33m
Director: Jim Henson, Frank Oz
Look! Muppets! It’s a kid’s movie, right?!?! Sorta. Yes, there are puppets in this fascinating fantasy film, but it’s also a dark, often scary adventure story that doesn’t talk down to children and isn’t cautious about frightening them. It’s hard to express how groundbreaking this movie was for its time in terms of puppetry, special effects, and even the way children’s entertainment was written. It’s wildly influential, and there’s a reason Netflix returned to its world almost four decades later.
*Finding Nemo
Year: 2003
Runtime: 2h 32m
Director: Andrew Stanton
One of the best Pixar movies ever is the tale of this overprotective clownfish (a perfect Albert Brooks) who will do anything to keep his son Nemo safe, while learning, of course, that sometimes you have to trust that your kid will find his own way home. The Disney+/Hulu relationship led to the drop of several prime era Pixar flicks in March 2025. This might be the best.
*Inside Out
Year: 2015
Runtime: 1h 59m
Director: Pete Docter
The Disney+/Hulu pipeline also brought through this Oscar winner that perfectly captures the inner turmoil of an average child. A wonderfully designed and voiced piece of animated filmmaking, it also has an important message for all ages: Joy can’t exist without Sadness.
Labyrinth
Year: 1986
Runtime: 1h 41m
Director: Jim Henson
The legendary creator of The Muppets used his puppet prowess to direct this fantasy flick that enraptured a generation. The one and only David Bowie stars as Jareth, The Goblin King, who kidnaps the half-brother of a girl named Sarah, played by Jennifer Connelly. Some of it is surely a bit dated, but in that good way that reminds people when family films were allowed to be a little weird too.
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Year: 2022
Runtime: 1h 46m
Directors: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
The crocodile CGI may be a bit dodgy, but this family film is cute enough to get the job done, and Javier Bardem is having a hell of a good time. He co-stars in this musical comedy adaptation of the book of the same name about a crocodile who can only sing to communicate, and the boy whose life he changes. It’s sweet and big-hearted in just the ways you want it to be.
*The Princess Bride
Year: 1987
Runtime: 1h 38m
Director: Rob Reiner
One of the most beloved fantasy films of all time, this adaptation of the book of the same name by William Goldman was an instant hit. Regularly appearing on lists of the funniest and most romantic films ever made, the tale of Westley and the Princess Buttercup was even inducted into the National Film Registry in 2016. It’s a classic, a movie that works well for all ages because of its big heart, sharp wit, and creative soul.
Rio 2
Year: 2014
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Remember Blue Sky? The company behind Ice Age tried for another hit franchise with a bunch of colorful Brazilian birds, and the first movie was successful enough to produce a reasonably entertaining sequel. This one is all about bright colors, catchy music, and fun voice work from people like Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Tracy Morgan, and many more.
Robot Dreams
Year: 2023
Runtime: 1h 42m
Director: Pablo Berger
Based on the 2007 comic by Sara Varon, this animated comedy is a memorable film with no dialogue but a big heart. It’s the tale of a friendship between a dog and a robot in the ‘80s, and more about how that relationship shapes and defines them, even after they’re split forever. Challenge the little ones in your family with something unlike anything else on Hulu.
The Secret Life of Bees
Year: 2008
Runtime: 1h 50m
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Queen Latifah gives a nuanced, moving performance in this adaptation of the hit 2001 novel of the same name, and she’s accompanied by a killer supporting cast that includes Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Paul Bettany, and Sophie Okonedo.
The Sound of Music
Year: 1965
Runtime: 2h 54m
Director: Robert Wise
The hills are alive in this beloved musical drama adapted from the play of the same name. Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer star in the story of the Von Trapps, a family who use music to push away the horrors of the world around them. Even with its three-hour running time, this is a film that generation after generation embraces for a reason.
Steven Universe: The Movie
Year: 2019
Runtime: 1h 23m
Director: Rebecca Sugar
After Steven Universe ended its run on Cartoon Network, they produced a film in 2019 that maintains the hit show’s brilliant blend of fantasy and humor. Most of the ensemble cast returns for another story of the Crystal Gems trying to save all organic life on Earth. Steven Universe is a wonderful show, and this movie is a nice epilogue to its legacy. Note: the series is also on Hulu.
*WALL-E
Year: 2008
Runtime: 2h 11m
Director: Andrew Stanton
As creatively original as any mainstream animated film ever made, WALL-E is the tale of a lonely robot, one of the few remaining on an Earth that has become a massive garbage dump. When he falls in love with a probe robot named EVE, he ends up aboard a spaceship speeding across the galaxy. Visually inventive and brilliantly written, this is easily one of Pixar’s best.
*Up
Year: 2009
Runtime: 2h 11m
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Ed Asner is glorious as the crotchety old man who goes on a journey in his flying house. Remember when Pixar used to release films this moving and original? Revisit those days with one of their best, a definite highlight in the thin Hulu family catalog.