Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel (2021) is hopping onto Hulu right after Halloween. The film, arriving on the streamer starting November 1, was marketed as a historical epic at the time of its release, but it really was more than that — a sharp, modern dissection of power, patriarchy, and truth.
Despite its meticulous filmmaking and a powerhouse cast including but not limited to Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, andBen Affleck, the film bombed at the box office, managing to earn only $30 million on a $100 million budget. This was largely due to its release during pandemic uncertainty, being wedged between major franchise blockbusters, and audiences ultimately missing its nuance. The irony, however, is that both its critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes sit above 80%, proving that the film’s failure was commercial, not creative.
While The Last Duel has been available to rent/purchase via Prime Video, streaming will now give it a second life, where viewers can finally engage with its complexity at scale. What makes the film special isn’t its medieval setting but its Rashomon-style narrative. The story unfolds through three conflicting perspectives on the same event — a brutal accusation of sexual assault, revealing how perception and privilege shape what actually happened. Scott’s decision to structure the film this way turns a 14th-century story into a modern social commentary, and Comer’s performance, in particular, stands as one of the most emotionally intelligent portrayalsof female resilience in recent cinema.
Several More Films Are Arriving on Hulu Starting November 1
In addition to The Last Duel, more than 55 titles are arriving on Hulu the same day. Some of the timeless standouts include Casino (marking its 30th anniversary), The Family Stone (celebrating 20 years), and holiday staples like Love Actually and Deck the Halls. Even lighter entries such as The Princess Bride, Neighbors, and Good Luck Chuck will join the lineup to add tonal variety. The addition makes it look like Hulu has a strategy going on to pair award-caliber cinema with crowd-pleasers to keep both cinephiles and casual streamers engaged. The streamer is also wasting no time shifting gears and already warming audiences up for the holiday rush straight off the chills of spooky season.
Now that it’s hitting streaming, The Last Duelmight finally earn the recognition it deserves. In a time when audiences crave substance beyond spectacle, its themes of honor, justice, and systemic blindness resonate more than ever.
The Last Duel will be available to stream on Hulu starting November 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
