The Will Smith Superhero You Forgot About Is Finally Streaming On Hulu

Time for a bit of nostalgia mixed with capes and chaos: Will Smith’s superhero outing 'Hancock' is swooping onto Hulu next month. Yes, that one – the film where Smith plays a massively flawed, perpetually hammered superhuman who’s as much hassle as he is hero. It’s not exactly your typical Marvel affair. Let’s break down exactly what you’re getting here, plus a bit of backstory for anyone who likes the nitty-gritty.

When & Where?

'Hancock' lands on Hulu on Monday, 1 June 2026. If you missed its big-screen run – or just want to relive the utter mayhem – set your reminders.

A Weird Road to the Screen

Now, the origin of this film is genuinely fascinating. The original story dates back to a spec script by Vy Vincent Ngo, titled 'Tonight, He Comes', written way back in 1996. That version apparently featured a version of Hancock looking after a 12-year-old boy, which – let’s be honest – is a properly odd set-up considering how much the character drinks. The eventual rewrites came courtesy of John August and 'Breaking Bad' creator Vince Gilligan, who quite reasonably decided that a drunken superhero playing babysitter was a bad look. So the kid got scrapped, the script got tightened, and we ended up with the film most of us know.

The Film: Not Exactly a Family Classic

Here’s the core premise: Hancock (Will Smith) is immortal, super-strong, and completely incapable of PR, regularly causing more destruction than he prevents. Enter Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), a slick PR consultant who tries to repair Hancock’s public image. Things get even messier when Hancock uncovers some ancient, tangled connection to Ray’s wife Mary (played by Charlize Theron). Hint: it’s not your standard love triangle.

Cast & Crew Cheat Sheet

• Will Smith as John Hancock (also produced via his Overbrook Entertainment banner)
• Charlize Theron as Mary
• Jason Bateman as Ray
• Jae Head as Aaron
• Eddie Marsan as Kenneth 'Red' Parker Jr
• Johnny Galecki as Jeremy
• Thomas Lennon as Mike
• Directed by Peter Berg
• Screenplay credits: Vy Vincent Ngo, John August, Vince Gilligan

Smash or Flop?

Ask the critics, and they’ll tell you 'Hancock' is… pretty average. Rotten Tomatoes puts it at 42% – not exactly a hero’s welcome – and audiences aren’t much kinder, sitting at 59%. Over on IMDb: 6.4 out of 10, from more than half a million punters.

Yet, somehow, the film defied the critics and pulled in a whopping $629.4 million during its run, all on a $150 million budget. So while it wasn’t exactly a critical darling, it definitely filled seats.

'They believed that a hero should not get drunk around a kid that young and ultimately removed that element.' – Nice to see someone applied a bit of sense in Hollywood, for once.

So, if you’ve got a soft spot for antiheroes, fancy Catching Smith, Theron and Bateman in the same slightly bonkers blockbuster, or just want to see what a Vince Gilligan superhero story looks like, 'Hancock' will be waiting on Hulu this June.