While it may not often be said in the same breath as streaming services like Netflix or Disney+, Hulu has a lot to offer. Along with their deep catalog of currently airing television shows and some from the past, they have been releasing their own original projects.
2021 is set to feature some of their most interesting original films and series so far. Some of the announcements made during Disney’s Investor Day showcased just how much is coming up for the streaming service. While most of these entries are going to be TV shows, fans are excited for almost everything coming up from Hulu next year.
Love, Beth
Not a lot is currently known about things like character names or plot details when it comes to this series. One major aspect known is that the show comes from the mind of comedian Amy Schumer. At her best, Schumer had a well-received TV series and wrote and starred in Trainwreck.
Schumer will also be a huge part of Love, Beth as she will star, write, produce, and direct. She recently inked a deal with Hulu and this is the first project coming from it. The comedy series is set to feature ten episodes in the anticipated debut season.
The Dropout
There have certainly been plenty of discussions and projects revolving around the life of Elizabeth Holmes. She was famously named the youngest and wealthiest female self-made billionaire only for fraud claims to come out and reveal her lies. For her crimes, Holmes is actually set to go on trial in March of 2021.
Although she has been the subject of a documentary and book, Hulu is taking a stab at a scripted series about the collapse. The most interesting bit about The Dropout that takes things to the next level is that Holmes will be played by the awesome Kate McKinnon.
Y: The Last Man
One of the best things that Hulu did in the past few years was partner up with the FX Network. For a while, FX has produced some of the best shows on television. From Atlanta to What We Do in the Shadows to Dave, they hit on almost everything. This could be another success for them.
Y: The Last Man is based on a comic book series of the same, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world. In it, Yorick Brown and his pet monkey are the only male mammals to survive a cataclysmic event. Ben Schnetzer will star as Brown, joined by the likes of Olivia Thirlby and Diane Lane.
The Ultimate Playlist Of Noise
As noted, most of Hulu’s lineup of new original content for 2021 so far surrounds TV shows. However, this is the lone film included on the list. The Ultimate Playlist of Noise is set to release on January 15 and features a slew of up and coming acting talent.
Madeline Brewer (Cam, Orange is the New Black) and Keean Johnson (Alita: Battle Angel, Euphoria) are just two of those performers set to appear. The film follows a teen who needs surgery that will leave him deaf, causing him to create a playlist to help control his fate.
The Old Man
There aren’t many actors out there who are more respected than Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow. Both men are legends in the industry and have been phenomenal in almost everything they’ve worked in. Add in a talented lady like Alia Shawkat and this is a cast to watch out for.
The Old Man is based on a novel of the same name from 2017 and is another series from FX. It focuses on a former intelligence officer who becomes the target of an assassination. That forces him out of his life of recluse and back into the world he left behind.
Only Murders In The Building
Every once in a while, a cast listing gets announced and it just seems a bit off the wall in the best possible way. That seems to be the case with Only Murders in the Building. The show stars comedy icons Steve Martin and Martin Short, as well as singing sensation Selena Gomez.
It’s the kind of unexpected mix that feels like it will work wonders. The idea for the series came from Martin. The three lead characters are strangers who are all obsessed with true crime and find themselves unexpectedly embedded in one. Not much else is known about this.
American Horror Stories
There is already a loyal following of the FX anthology series American Horror Story. So, it’s fitting that they’re excited about this upcoming spinoff. American Horror Stories will remain true to the popular series but mark a change in format.
This iteration will keep the anthology concept but each episode will be its own self-contained story, rather than focus on a season-long arc. It is set to feature 16 episodes and some of the stars from the original show. Franchise icon Sarah Paulson will be a director.
Dopesick
2018’s Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America is a positively-received novel penned by journalist Beth Macy. It details the way that a powerful painkiller helped make pharmaceutical companies billions of dollars and how it impacted the opioid epidemic of the country.
Hulu is bringing a miniseries based on the book in 2021. It will be helmed by Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson. The cast is also tremendous, featuring Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, Rosario Dawson, and Phillipa Soo.
Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.
For the most part, Marvel series and films are currently all set within the MCU and featured on Disney+. There are some exceptions and the upcoming M.O.D.O.K series is one of them. Set to premiere in early 2021, this will be a rare stop-motion animated Marvel series.
Based on the villain of the same name, the animation style looks cool and the comedy in the trailer seems quite funny. The real treat is the voice cast, which boasts Patton Oswalt, Ben Schwartz, Aimee Garcia, Melissa Fumero, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Beck Bennett, and more.
Nine Perfect Strangers
One of the biggest hits in recent memory was Big Little Lies. The massive HBO series was based on a book by Liane Moriarty. In 2021, another of her novels is set to be adapted, except this time it’s Nine Perfect Strangers, which is set to also be filled with drama.
The novel follows a group of Australians who head to a remote health resort for ten days, only for many suspicious things to go down. Big Little Lies star Nicole Kidman leads a great cast of Melissa McCarthy, Samara Weaving, Manny Jacinto, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall, Michael Shannon, and more.
