Our favorite movie of 2023 is coming to streaming, folks. Created by Tony McNamara and Yorgos Lanthimos (writer and director of The Favourite), Poor Things is the second-most nominated film at this year's Academy Awards — falling just slightly behind Oppenheimer's 13 nominations with 11. And that includes four out of the Big Five awards, including Best Picture.
The film exceeded our great expectations with its Frankenstein-esque story. As Kristy Puchko, Mashable's film editor, wrote in our full review of the flick, "Poor Things is an awe-striking visual feast that satisfies the eyes, tantalizes the loins, and feeds the soul." She called Emma Stone, who plays the resurrected corpse of a woman who died by suicide, a "force of nature," and Mark Ruffalo, "outstanding as the hunky bastard." It's no surprise at all that the pair nabbed Oscar nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor.
Here's everything you need to know to watch Poor Things before the Oscars on March 10 — or anytime after. Prepare yourself for a film "full of whimsy, wonder, weirdness, and unapologetic horniness."
What is Poor Things about?
Adapted from Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name, Poor Things centers around Bella Baxter, the resurrected corpse of a woman (Emma Stone) who died by suicide. It feels like a makeover of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, where the curious scientist is Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). The trouble is Bella may have a grown woman's body, but her child-like mind has a "ravenous desire to know the world," which becomes more than Dr. Baxter can handle. So, as Mashable's film editor puts it, "off she goes on a globe-trekking fling with a devil-may-care — but hot-as-hell — rogue, played by Mark Ruffalo with a winsome gusto."
Here's a trailer to give you a better glimpse into the whimsicality of Poor Things:
When is Poor Things streaming?
Although it's still in select theaters nationwide, Poor Things is set to make its streaming debut on March 7, 2024 exclusively on Hulu. Already a Hulu subscriber? Great — come March 7, Poor Things will be gracing your screen. Not yet a subscriber? Keep reading to learn the best ways to sign up for Hulu, including a generous free trial that could let you watch Poor Things for free.
How to watch Poor Things: The best Hulu streaming deals
In order to stream Poor Things at home, you're going to need a Hulu subscription. There are monthly and annual options, ad-supported and ad-free tiers, free trials, third-party deals, and even bundles to choose from. We've broken down all the nitty gritty details below to help you make the best choice for your streaming needs.
Best for new (or returning) subscribers: Hulu 30-day free trial
If you've never subscribed to Hulu before or you're returning after canceling previously, you can score a free 30-day trial and easily watch Poor Things (and plenty of other great films) without getting charged. Just be sure to cancel before the 30 days are up if you want to avoid seeing a charge on your bank statement. If you decide to keep your subscription going, it'll run you $7.99 with ads or $17.99 per month without ads.
Best for long-term viewing: Hulu (with ads) annual subscription
If you don't qualify for the free trial, you can still save money by opting for the annual subscription instead of the monthly plan. It typically costs $7.99 per month for the ad-supported plan, but if you go for the annual plan instead, that monthly fee drops to about $6.67 per month. While paying $79.99 up front may seem steep, you'll end up saving about 16% over a year's time. It may not be the best option if you're just looking to watch Poor Things and bounce, but if you want to stick around long term, this is your best bet.
Best for T-Mobile customers: Hulu (with ads) included for one year
Having a T-Mobile Go5G Next plan is a gift that keeps on giving. As of Jan. 24, T-Mobile customers on this plan can get Hulu with ads included for free. Just head to the T-Mobile website and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. Enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu. After your initial 12-month promotional period, action will be required to keep your Hulu subscription going, so be sure to keep an eye out for that. Otherwise, this deal is pretty straightforward.
Best for students: Spotify Premium for Students with Hulu
Students can score Hulu for a major discount a couple different ways. First, there's Spotify Premium for Students, which gives students access to Spotify Premium as well as Hulu with ads for only $5.99 per month. Even better, there's a free one-month trial to test things out first. The only real requirement is that you can prove you're actually a student via SheerID.
Next up, there's also a Hulu student account option. There's no free trial, but it'll only cost you $1.99 per month — that's 75% off the typical monthly cost. Like the first option, you'll have to prove your student status through SheerID to claim the deal.
Best bundle deal: Hulu + Disney+ (with ads)
Full disclosure: this is not the best option if you're simply looking to watch Poor Things and be on your merry way. However, if you're looking for one of the best Hulu streaming deals, it doesn't get much better than the Disney bundle. Not only do you get Hulu with ads, but you'll also get full access to the Disney+ streaming catalog as well for only $9.99 per month. That's only $2 more per month than paying for just Hulu on its own (or 37% in savings). If you're a sports person, you can also toss ESPN+ into the mix with the Disney Trio bundle for only $14.99 per month, which is a total of 44% in savings. You'll have to deal with ads while you stream, but it's still the most bang for your buck.
Other ways to watch Poor Things
For those who would rather not sign up for another streaming service, Poor Things is also available to purchase via video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV+ for $19.99. It'll likely also be available to rent in the coming weeks.
Here are the quick links to purchase the film on digital:
Prime Video — buy for $19.99
Apple TV+ — buy for $19.99
Vudu — buy for $19.99
YouTube — buy for $19.99
Topics Film Hulu Streaming How to Watch
