New on Hulu April 26-May 2: our expert's picks for 7 TV shows and movies coming to Hulu this week

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible
Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Scrolling for something new to watch on Hulu this week, April 26-May 2? Let me give you a hand with my picks for the best movies, TV shows and more arriving on the streaming service.

As we close out April and head into May, Hulu is adding a number of movies from two iconic franchises, and the latest edition of a beloved TV franchise, while a couple of smaller, indie and foreign movies are also worth keeping an eye out for.

Check out all of the picks for this week directly below.

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

Ernest Cole

Ernest Cole (Image credit: Magnolia Pictures)
  • Acclaimed documentary premieres on Hulu on April 29

Ernest Cole is a historical figure that many may not know about, but his work helped define an era of South African history. In the 1960s, Cole was working as a freelance photographer and became one of the first people to expose the horrors of the apartheid practices that South Africa was employing. But where his life went after his historic photos is just as fascinating. Learn about his story in this documentary from Raoul Peck, which won the best documentary prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival.

Jeopardy! Masters 2025

Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! Masters

Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! Masters (Image credit: Disney/Eric McCandless/Getty Images)
  • The primetime Jeopardy! tournament featuring the game show's best players is back for a new edition, streaming on Hulu starting May 1

It's time for the third-annual Jeopardy! Masters tournament, where the best recent players and legends from the game show square off to see who's the best of the best. Defending champion Victoria Groce will try to repeat against the largest field yet in Jeopardy! Masters, as nine total contestants take part. You'll be able to keep up with Jeopardy! Masters 2025 every week as new episodes land on Hulu each Thursday.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Targon Egerton in Kingsman: The Secret Service

Targon Egerton in Kingsman: The Secret Service (Image credit: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX/Album/Alamy Stock Photo)

With all the mystery about the next James Bond movie, you can help with the waiting by watching Kingsman: The Secret Service in May on Hulu, which is a loving send-up of the iconic spy franchise and thrilling bit of popcorn entertainment. The sequel (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) and prequel (The King's Man) also become available to stream on Hulu in May.

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Tom Cruise wire hanging stunt in Mission: Impossible

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible (Image credit: Paramount Pictures / United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo)
  • First four Mission: Impossible movies come to Hulu on May 1

Ahead of the final Mission: Impossible movie coming out later in May — Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning — Hulu is choosing to accept the mission of making the first four movies from the long-running Tom Cruise franchise available to its subscribers. That includes Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible 2, Mission: Impossible 3 and Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. I've always enjoyed the franchise, but since we're nearing the end of its run, I suggest everyone give it a nice bookmark and watch the first entry this month.

Once (2007)

Once movie

Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard in Once (Image credit: Summit Entertainment)
  • Classic Irish indie that inspired a Broadway hit is streaming on Hulu May 1

I was just beginning to expand my movie watching habits when Once came out, so I checked out the Irish-made indie from John Carney that starred real-life musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova as two people who meet in Dublin and find they have a special connection through music. Though it won an Oscar for Best Original Song (“Falling Slowly”), Once became even more well-known when it was adapted as a Tony-winning Broadway musical, but I still hold a special place in my heart for the original movie and highly recommend that you give it a try.

Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back

Mark Hamill and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode VI - The Empire Strikes Back

Mark Hamill and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (Image credit: 20th Century Fox/Atlaspix/Alamy Stock Photo)
  • In time for Star Wars Day, the entire original trilogy hits Hulu on May 1

May 4 has become an annual holiday for Star Wars fans ("May the Fourth be with you"), and to celebrate, Hulu is adding the entire original trilogy to its library, as well as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which leads right into A New Hope. However, forced to pick just one, I will always go with The Empire Strikes Back, which is my favorite entry in the entire series.

Decision to Leave (2022)

Park Hae-Il and Tang Wei in Decision to Leave

Park Hae-Il and Tang Wei in Decision to Leave (Image credit: MUBI)
  • Acclaimed South Korean crime drama debuts on Hulu on May 2

There's a lot of great stuff coming out of South Korea. Most people know about Squid Game and the work of Bong Joon Ho, but Park Chan-wook's 2022 crime drama Decision to Leave is an awesome piece of filmmaking. Winner of the Best Director prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the movie tells the story of a detective who, in the course of a murder investigation, becomes entangled with the wife of the victim, leading to more than a few complications. It's a gripping watch that I highly recommend.

Michael Balderston
Assistant Managing Editor

Michael Balderston is What to Watch’s assistant managing editor and lead movie writer, covering movies coming to theaters, writing movie reviews and highlighting new and classic movies on streaming services; he also covers a range of TV shows, including those in the Taylor Sheridan universe, Slow Horses, Only Murders in the Building, Jeopardy!, Saturday Night Live and more, as well as the best ways to watch some major US sporting events.

Based outside of Washington, D.C., Michael's previous experience includes writing for Awards Circuit, TV Technology and The Wrap.

Michael’s favorite movie of all time is Casablanca, while his favorite TV show is Seinfeld. Some 2025 favorites include One of Them Days and Black Bag for movies, and The Pitt on TV. Follow on Letterboxd to keep up with what I'm watching.

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