Alien:Romulus will return to Hulu on May 21, 2026 after briefly being removed from the platform earlier this year.
Fede Alvarez’ sci-fi thriller marks the seventh entry in the main saga of Alien, introducing a new host of characters led by Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson. The story takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens, telling a self-contained narrative that fans can jump straight into.
The film was hugely popular upon release, with many fans citing it as the return to form that the Alien franchise needed after Ridley Scott’s polarizing prequels. While movies like Prometheus were commercially successful—bringing in over $400 million worldwide—many fans believed they didn’t fit neatly into the continuity of the franchise.
Alien: Romulus doesn’t strictly have this problem. It largely ignores the previous movies and tells its own story, following a group of space scavengers who infiltrate an abandoned spaceship and discover the fallout of a deadly attack.
Where Prometheus and Alien: Covenant sometimes got caught up in the intricacies of franchise lore, Alien: Romulus succeeds at being more independent and providing a great story that anybody can enjoy, regardless of their Alien knowledge.
Alien: Romulus was another massive commercial success, pulling in an impressive $350 million worldwide against a reported budget of $80 million. The high budget likely accounts for the extensive visual and practical effects, which have become a staple of the Alien franchise.
Romulus was also a home run with critics, who generally agreed it marked a high point for the Alien franchise since Ridley Scott and James Cameron’s early entries. The film currently sits at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 85%.
As a 20th Century Studios release, Alien: Romulus had previously been available to stream on Hulu (or Disney Plus outside the U.S.) thanks to long-standing to licensing rights. However, the film was removed from Hulu earlier this year due to an agreement with HBO Max.
The film crossed over to HBO Max for a brief period, but it will officially be coming back to Hulu on May 21, 2026. Alternatively, fans can buy or rent the film on any major VOD service—such as Apple TV or Amazon Prime—to avoid having to search for it if further licensing disputes arise in the future.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on May 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.