12 best sports movies on Hulu in 2024

Cinderella Man

“Cinderella Man,” directed by Ron Howard, is based on the true story of Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe), a retired boxer who dreams of returning to the ring. After sustaining what he believes to be a career-ending injury, Braddock accepts a manual labor job to support his family during the Great Depression. But soon, he takes up an offer from Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), his friend and former manager, to make a comeback – despite receiving pushback from his wife, Mae (Renée Zellweger). Against all odds, Jim racks up win after win, eventually setting his sights on the heavyweight championship. Add STARZ to any Hulu plan for an additional $9.99/month to watch.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Released in 2004, “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” is a comedy about a group of misfits who band together to save their beloved gym. It centers around Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn), the owner of a rundown gym called Average Joe’s, who is struggling to keep his business afloat. Eventually, the gym is bought by White Goodman (Ben Stiller), Peter’s nemesis and the owner of Globo Gym, a high-end fitness facility nearby. Not willing to accept this fate, the gym’s loyal members and employees enter a dodgeball competition with the hopes of taking home the $50,000 grand prize – which they would use to save Average Joe’s from demolition. Add Max to any Hulu plan for an additional $15.99/month to watch.

Ford v Ferrari

Set in the 1960s, “Ford v Ferrari” is an Academy Award-winning biographical drama that follows Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), a retired race car driver and designer, and Ken Miles (Christian Bale), a driver and engineer. After a business deal between the Ford Motor Company and Ferrari goes sour, Ford execs hire Carroll and Ken to design a car that will beat the Ferrari team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. But success doesn’t come overnight for the pair, who face pressure from higher-ups and struggle to keep their jobs in the high-stakes environment.

Free Solo

Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, “Free Solo” is a documentary about professional rock climber Alex Hannold’s attempt to complete the first-ever free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The movie, which won Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards in 2019, tracks Alex’s journey up to the big day, including his setbacks and triumphs. While prepping for the climb, Alex gets injured but decides to push through training, which sparks worry from his girlfriend and the film crew. The directors’ concerns were captured in the documentary, as they discussed the ethical dilemma of making “Free Solo,” knowing that Alex could die on camera.

I, Tonya

Equal parts black comedy and biographical drama, “I, Tonya,” is inspired by the real-life story of figure skater Tonya Harding (played by Margot Robbie). It gives audiences a look into Tonya’s childhood and life before becoming a household name, including the years of abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, LaVona Golden (Allison Janney), and, later, her husband, Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan). As the film goes on, it focuses on Tonya’s professional career, including her unexpected rise to success and her involvement in the now-infamous attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), which ultimately ended Tonya’s skating career. Add Max to any Hulu plan for an additional $15.99/month to watch.

Minding the Gap

“Minding the Gap” is a 2018 documentary that follows the lives of three young men – filmmaker Bing Liu and his two friends, Keire Johnson and Zack Mulligan – who live in Rockford, Illinois. The trio shares a love for skateboarding, but they also have other things in common, including their abusive upbringings and a shared desire to escape their turbulent home lives (which they do through skating). As they grow up, the friends begin to go down different paths, experiencing life’s highs (from parenthood to professional success) and lows (grappling with substance abuse, domestic violence, and systematic racism).

Moneyball

Based on the book by Michael Lewis, “Moneyball” is a biographical drama about the Oakland Athletics and their quest to win the World Series in 2002. It stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the team’s general manager who accepts the challenge of building a top-tier team on a limited budget. To make this happen, he teams up with Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), an economics graduate who takes an unorthodox approach to evaluating athletes’ potential. Together, the pair develop their own sabermetric methodology to draft players for the A’s – and end up finding some surprising success. Add Max to any Hulu plan for an additional $15.99/month to watch.

Paterno

“Paterno,” the 2018 biographical drama directed by Barry Levinson, stars Al Pacino as Joe Paterno, the long-time head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team and the winningest college football coach of all time. The movie takes place in the midst of the school’s child sexual abuse scandal, in which Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach, was accused of (and later convicted of) abusing multiple young boys during his time at PSU. Before long, questions start to arise about whether or not Joe knew about the abuse – and if he did, why he didn’t put an end to it. Add Max to any Hulu plan for an additional $15.99/month to watch.

Radio

Inspired by a true story, “Radio” is a sports drama set in the 1970s, featuring Cuba Gooding Jr. as James “Radio” Kennedy, a young man with developmental disabilities. Radio is misunderstood, mocked, and even harassed by others in his Southern town. One day, after being targeted by members of his town’s high school football team, Radio forms a bond with the team’s head coach, Harold Jones (Ed Harris), who lets him help out on the sidelines. But even after being accepted by the coach, Radio continues to have a hard time winning over the players and local townspeople. Add Max to any Hulu plan for an additional $15.99/month to watch.

The Sandlot

“The Sandlot” begins in the summer of 1962, just as fifth-grader Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) has moved to a new neighborhood in Southern California. He notices that a group of boys plays baseball every day in the sandlot near their homes and, in an effort to make friends, asks to join them. Despite his lack of skills, Smalls scores an invite onto the team, and he quickly learns the do’s and don’ts of playing ball in his new neighborhood. Most importantly? He’s warned against chasing down lost balls hit into one particular yard, which is home to a terrifying English Mastiff known as The Beast. Add STARZ to any Hulu plan for an additional $9.99/month to watch.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Will Ferrell plays the titular NASCAR driver in “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” which he co-wrote with Adam McKay, the film’s director. Ricky is one of the sport’s biggest stars and enjoys a lavish lifestyle with his wife, Carley (Leslie Bibb), and his best friend and fellow racer, Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly). But everything changes when Ricky gets into a serious crash, which hospitalizes him and kills his performance on the track. Eventually, he's fired, and Carley leaves him for Cal. With his life in shambles, Ricky tries to gain back his confidence with his estranged father's help.

FAQ

Does Hulu Have Better Movies Than Netflix?

It really just depends on what you like. Netflix and Hulu both have original and licensed movies, but Netflix has a bigger content library. Not sure which one fits your taste better? Explore both catalogs to help you decide.

Does Hulu Have Original Movies?

Yes, Hulu produces original movies. Some well-known titles include “Big Time Adolescence,” “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande,” “Little Monsters” and “Palm Springs.” You can watch any of these movies with a Hulu or Hulu + Live TV plan or with the Disney Bundle.

Is Hulu Good for Sports Fans?

It can be, depending on which plan you choose. With a regular Hulu plan, you’re limited to on-demand sports content, like the documentaries and films listed above. But if you sign up for a Hulu + Live TV plan, you can watch live games from all of the major sports leagues (including the NBA and NFL), as well as sports news shows (like SportsCenter), on-demand sports programs and more.