The best movies on Peacock for when you need some wild fun

Some days, it feels like there are too many streaming services and too many options. How can you possibly choose what movie to watch next?

For those of you who have Peacock (and why wouldn’t you? Their TV offerings are stacked!), we’re here to help. We’ve combed through the streaming service’s catalog to bring you the funniest comedies, the most moving dramas, the most suspenseful thrillers, and the all-around best movies for your viewing pleasure. All you need to bring is the popcorn!

25. Marry Me

Superstar Kat Valdez can’t wait for her big wedding, which will take place during one of her concerts, live, in front of all of her fans (how all celebrities should get married, imo). But moments before the ceremony, a video leaks of her fiancé cheating on her, and Kat needs a new plan — fast. That’s when she sees Charlie Gilbert in the audience, holding his daughter’s homemade poster with the lyrics to Kat’s hit song on it — ”Marry Me.” In front of the world, Kat says “yes.” And the romantic comedy begins. 

Marry Me is a bright and bubbly watch with an earworm of a soundtrack. Owen Wilson is completely phoning it in as Charlie (how many times can one man say “I’m just a math teacher!”), but that’s perfectly fine because Jennifer Lopez brings 100% of the chemistry. She was made for this role! Is Marry Me a piece of art? No. Is it a super fun trope-fest that will leave you smiling? Helllll yes! 

How to watch: Marry Me is now streaming on Peacock.

24. Fast & Furious franchise

Universal is the proud owner of the Fast & Furious franchise, so during any given month on Peacock you’ll be able to watch at least one of the 10 movies in this indelible saga of cars going fast and sometimes blowing up. Each film is technically different; the earlier entries focus more on illegal street racing, while the later pictures expand their range to include heists, spy rings, cyber terrorists, hidden nuclear arsenals, and more. However, they all orbit around a central theme: “There’s a problem, and only this motley crew of street racers can solve it.” And honestly, there’s not much more you need to know! 

These movies are high-action, low-substance in the best possible way. They’re fun, they’re truly ridiculous, and they know it. And last but not least, the car stunts are absolutely insane. Celebrities love being in these movies, from Vin Diesel to Idris Elba to Dame Helen Mirren, and people love watching them. It’s a no-brainer.

How to watch: Fast & Furious is streaming on Peacock.

23. Twister

Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt are Bill and Jo, two storm chasers on the brink of divorce. But when a huge tornado rolls into town, they’ll have a rare (and dangerous) chance to try Bill’s new storm data-collecting tech… as well as a rare (and dangerous) chance to reconnect. 

1996’s Twister is one of the best disaster films ever made, full stop. It’s fast-paced, believably scary, and rooted in grounded emotions. It’s a breathless, exhilarating ride (co-written by Jurassic Park’s Michael Crichton) that set the standard for its genre and turned a cow blowing away in the wind into an icon. 

More than three decades later, 2024’s Twisters attempts to recapture the magic of its predecessor and fails to stick the landing. It’s an entertaining watch (also streaming on Peacock), but the original Twister remains in a class of its own. (F5, to be exact!!!)

How to watch: Twister is now streaming on Peacock.

22. Point Break

Credit: Richard Foreman / 20th Century Fox / Kobal / Shutterstock

Point Break is an iconic ’90s movie in which Keanu Reeves plays rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah, who has to — and we’re not kidding here — infiltrate an L.A. “surf gang” suspected of robbing banks. Very little in this movie makes any sense (the large reason Utah is assigned the undercover role is because he used to play football in college?), which is exactly why it’s so dang wonderful. You’ve got Patrick Swayze as the enigmatic leader of a surfing cult, Gary Busey as Reeves’ gruff veteran partner, and again, Keanu Reeves plays a former college football star named Johnny Utah who has to learn to surf as a matter of life and death. Point Break is ludicrous, magnificent, and fantastically, perfectly ’90s. Vaya con dios, baby.

How to watch: Point Break is now streaming on Peacock.

21. Beetlejuice

Tim Burton’s iconic 1988 hit Beetlejuice defies genre. It’s comedy, it’s horror, it’s surreal, it’s slapstick, it’s gothic, it’s fantasy, it’s all of the above. And that is precisely why it’s achieved “cult classic” status. It’s in an echelon of its own.

Winona Ryder is waifish and moody as Lydia, a goth teen who moves to a rural Connecticut house from NYC with her dad and stepmom (Catherine O’Hara at her finest!). Unfortunately, this house is currently inhabited by two earnest ghosts (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who need a little help haunting the “livings” out of their residence. With no other options, they call Betelgeuse, a crude, fast-talking, demonic smartass for his special brand of chaotic aid. 

Since the 2024 reboot, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, was a rousing success, make sure you visit this definitive Michael Keaton performance to see where it all started. Sure, not all aspects of Beetlejuice have aged well — the age gap between a lascivious bio-exorcist from the beyond and his teen bride-to-be is just one example. But hey, it was the ’80s.*

How to watch: Beetlejuice is now streaming on Peacock.

20. The Northman

Written and directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse), The Northman is a dark, suspenseful retelling of a Scandinavian myth that also happens to have been the direct inspiration for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Alexander Skarsgård is Amleth, a young prince who swears revenge after his uncle murders his father and marries his mother. Years later, now a berserker Viking, Amleth has an encounter with a seer that convinces him the time to collect on that childhood promise is nigh. 

The Northman is a tense, atmospheric, and brutal historical thriller, told as if it were a story recounted around a medieval Scandinavian fire, grounded in an ancient point of view. This visually stunning but bloody revenge saga also stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Björk, obviously.*

How to watch: The Northman is now streaming on Peacock.

19. Ip Man

Credit: Dreams Salon Culture / Pegasus Motion / Kobal / Shutterstock

Ip Man is an exciting martial arts biopic about the extraordinary life of the Wing Chun grandmaster who was Bruce Lee’s teacher. The film tracks Ip Man’s journey from the Southern Chinese village where he was well known as a skilled martial artist to his family’s displacement during the Japanese occupation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, his eventual rise as a fighter, and his establishment of a school in Hong Kong.

Starring the skillful Donnie Yen, Ip Man doesn’t skimp on character development; it’s an electrifying rumination on philosophy, power, and honor in addition to its stunning action. Ip Man is a deeply influential film in the martial arts genre and, to everyone’s delight, has inspired three equally stirring sequels, all of which are available on Peacock.

How to watch: Ip Man is streaming on Peacock.

18. Asteroid City

The most “Wes Anderson” of Anderson’s prolific and twee oeuvre, Asteroid City is not for everyone. If you’ve never found meaning in the stylistic artifice of an Anderson film, then you might feel similarly baffled here. But if Anderson’s whimsy has spoken to you in the past, then take comfort knowing this most recent offering might be his most intricate and affecting film to date. 

Existential and gentle, Asteroid City is a movie about a show about a play, a nesting doll artistic endeavor keenly interested in the nature of storytelling. Is it about an alien encounter in a fictional desert town or the playwright and actors who brought the fictional desert town to life? Or is it about Anderson himself, an explainer on his hyper-specific body of work? The answer is all of this and more. Asteroid City is a fanciful, emotional triumph, popping off the screen with vibrant technicolor and a stacked cast of familiar faces and vibrant newcomers. A must-see film for Anderson-fans.

How to watch: Asteroid City is now streaming on Peacock.

17. The Outfit

This clever and twisted crime flick starring the incomparable Mark Rylance was written and directed by Graham Moore, writer of the Oscar-winning The Imitation Game. Rylance is a soft-spoken British tailor in 1950s Chicago who makes beautiful, bespoke men’s suits. Unfortunately, most of his clientele are ruthless mobsters. The majority of the movie takes place in the span of one shocking and breathless night, when his gangster-clients seek shelter in the shop after an unexpected shootout from a rival organization. 

The Outfit is a sophisticated and constantly surprising thriller. Zoey Deutch is charming as Rylance’s assistant, and Johnny Flynn thrives while playing against type as a no-good ‘50s gangster. It’s an absolute gem of a film that will keep you guessing the whole way through.

How to watch: The Outfit is now streaming on Peacock.

16. Dayveon 

Credit: Mama Bear Studios / Kobal / Shutterstock

Devin Blackmon stars as Dayveon, a young kid in Arkansas struggling in the aftermath of his brother’s death. Unmoored and spending his days listlessly wandering the little town he lives in, he is increasingly drawn to the sense of belonging he finds in a local gang. Directed by Amman Abbasi, with a script by Abbasi and Steven Reneau, Dayveon is a sophisticated and deeply intimate film made even more incredible by the fact that its cast is primarily composed of non-actors. It’s a moving and beautifully shot story that feels wholly, heartbreakingly real. 

How to watch: Dayveon is streaming on Peacock.

15. Anita

Directed by Academy Award–winning documentarian Frieda Mock, Anita sold out its showings when it debuted at Sundance, and it’s no wonder why. This thoughtful documentary tells the story of the 1991 Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings and one of the first major sexual harassment allegations made against a government official. It’s sobering to watch the calm and poised Hill repeatedly be made to describe her experience to a panel of aging, white, male politicians who are visibly uncomfortable and baffled by the subject matter. 

For viewers too young to remember the hearings, Anita is an important, moving primer on a major event in the fight for gender equality. For those who witnessed the hearings and remember the prevailing dismissive public opinion, this documentary is a chance to relive hearings with the sober clarity of a post-Weinstein mindset and to learn just how pivotal and galvanizing this moment was in our history. 

How to watch: Anita is now streaming on Peacock.

14. Long Way North

This absolutely stunning hand-drawn film hasn’t garnered as much attention as, say, Pixar’s latest, but that’s no reason to skip this immensely affecting French-Danish tale. Sasha (Christa Théret) is a 15-year-old aristocrat living in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the 19th century. Determined to find her missing grandfather, a famed explorer, and clear her family’s name, she locates a vessel and sets off with a motley crew into the unforgiving Arctic landscape.

Directed by Rémi Chayé, Long Way North is both an epic adventure and a human drama, exploring themes of empowerment and empathy. What truly makes this 80-minute movie special, though, is its unique artistic style. The snow-covered landscape might be stark, but Long Way North makes the icy world feel both beautiful and alive.

How to watch: Long Way North is streaming on Peacock.

13. Men in Black

Credit: Andy Schwartz / Columbia / Kobal / Shutterstock

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have unmatched chemistry as Agent J and Agent K, two members of a secret government agency that has been covering up the presences of aliens on planet earth for decades — the Men in Black.

1997’s Men in Black was an unparalleled smash hit, inspiring two sequels, a spin-off, and of course, a catchy theme song from Smith (Here come the men in black! They won’t let you rememberrrrrrr!). Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Addams Family Values, Get Shorty), written by Ed Solomon (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Now You See Me), and adapted from a Marvel comic (it all comes back to Marvel!), Men in Black hits just as hard as it did almost 30 years ago. It’s funny, it’s energetic, and it features some of the best pile-of-cockroaches-pretending-to-be-a-human acting you’ve ever seen.

How to watch: Men in Black is now streaming on Peacock.

12. Liyana

A deeply moving and singularly unique documentary, Liyana follows a group of orphans in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) as they work together to write a story. Led by South African writer Gcina Mhlophe, the children create Liyana, their main character, and through the exploration of her fictional life, begin to work through the trauma they themselves have faced. It’s a captivating piece of cinema, featuring both scenic and intimate shots of the kids’ lives, as well as animated renderings of Liyana’s adventures. A stirring celebration of humanity and the power of storytelling.

How to watch: Liyana is streaming on Peacock.

11. 10 Things I Hate About You

Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew gets a teen rom-com makeover in 1999’s fantastic 10 Things I Hate About You. Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) wants to date the pretty and popular Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), but Bianca’s father won’t let her date until her older sister, Kat, does. Unfortunately Kat (Julia Stiles) is a scary loner who pushes everyone away — exactly what their father is counting on. Cameron has a plan, though. He’s going to bribe an even scarier loner (Heath Ledger) to seduce Kat and free up Cameron’s path to love. What could go wrong? 

Written by Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith (co-writers of Legally Blonde!), 10 Things I Hate About You is genuinely funny and easily one of the most beloved romantic comedies of the ‘90s. Heath Ledger is impossibly charming, Julia Stiles is at the peak of her career, and its emotional depth will still surprise you. Time for a rewatch!

How to watch: 10 Things I Hate About You is now streaming on Peacock.

10. Attack the Block

Credit: Big Talk Productions / Kobal / Shutterstock

A South London teenage street gang unexpectedly finds themselves at the front lines of a fight against an alien invasion in this hilarious, genre-bending sci-fi adventure. Attack the Block made big waves when it debuted in 2011, with its biting social commentary, fresh characters, and perfect marriage of laughs and thrills. It also catapulted its stars John Boyega and Jodie Whittaker, into their own major science fiction franchises — Star Wars and Doctor Who, respectively. 

Produced by Big Talk Pictures, which has made some of the best genre-mashup movies in recent memory (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), Attack the Block is must-watch cinema, a stunning debut for writer-director Joe Cornish.*

How to watch: Attack the Block is now streaming on Peacock.

9. Harry Potter (the entire series!)

And now the franchise that needs no introduction: Harry Potter. The original eight-movie series starts as a charming coming-of-age tale about a boy wizard learning about magic and ends as a serious and emotional allegory about fighting fascism and the lengths we will go to protect the people we love. J.K. Rowling notwithstanding, Harry Potter is our hero, Ron Weasley our goofy best friend, and Hermione our actual hero, because duh.

The quality of the movies vary based on the different directors at the helm and the age of the young leads, but the strength of the source material — paired with the prodigious gifts of the many, many storied British actors who fill out the sparkling supporting cast — assure a satisfying watch. Most agree that the final two movies, each covering half of the last book in the series, are the most enthralling in the group — but you’ll have to watch them all to get what’s going on. So, you might as well start with number one, The Sorcerer’s Stone, and go from there. Poor you! You’re about to have a really great time!

How to watch: Harry Potter is streaming on Peacock.

8. Conclave

No one would have predicted that a movie about a bunch of Catholic cardinals scheming and politicking to elect a new pope would be such a runaway success in the year of our lord 2024, but here we are — and Conclave is a hit! While the world waits for the white smoke to announce the new leader of the Catholic church, behind closed doors, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini argue, uncover secrets, and struggle to reconcile human fallibility with a job that is supposed to be infallible. 

You could sign up for this movie on that cast list alone, but Peter Straughan’s tight script (based on a Robert Harris book) and Edward Berger’s (All Quiet on the Western Front) confident direction make a Conclave truly sublime (and surprisingly fun!) modern thriller. 

How to watch: Conclave is now streaming on Peacock.

7. Belfast

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Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, Belfast depicts the start of “the Troubles” from the perspective of a Protestant child living in Belfast in 1969. Nine-year-old Buddy continues to play and get into mischief as his community devolves into violence around him. His parents wonder if it’s time to leave, while Buddy wonders if he might be developing feelings for a Catholic girl. 

It’s a rosy-tinted watch, brimming with affection and infectiously loving. There may be some indulgent mythologizing here — Belfast was inspired by Branagh’s own childhood experiences — but superb performances from a stalwart cast (Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds, Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan), plus an energizing Van Morrison soundtrack, ensure this Academy Award–nominee for best picture is a true crowd pleaser.

How to watch: Belfast is now streaming on Peacock.

6. Didi

If you still know in your bones exactly what sound a new AIM message made, then Didi is the coming-of-age dramedy for you. Chris is a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy in 2008 and in the first generation to grow up online. While Chris attempts to figure out who he is in the world, he also makes silly videos on YouTube; reaches out to his crush on AIM; and learns the devastation of being removed from a friend’s Top Eight on MySpace. When summer is over, will Chris be ready for high school?

The authenticity of Didi is astounding. Though clearly a personal film for writer/director Sean Wang, there is no saccharine sentimentality here. It’s a deeply vulnerable and surprisingly electrifying watch that grapples with cultural identity alongside the heady joy of youth. A tribute to former T9 texters everywhere!

How to watch: Didi is now streaming on Peacock.

5. Man on Wire

In 1974, Philippe Petit walked a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Petit was later arrested for the stunt. In 2008, documentarian James Marsh made Man on Wire, a moving, awe-inspiring chronicle of Petit’s audacious feat, based on Petit’s own book about the event. Suspenseful, mischievous, and paced like a heist movie, Man on Wire is a riveting watch sure to keep even the most ardent documentary-avoider on the edge of their seats.

How to watch: Man on Wire is now streaming on Peacock.

4. Children of Men

Credit: Jaap Buitendijk / Universal / UIP / Kobal / Shutterstock

It’s 2027, and no one can have kids. For nearly two decades, humanity has been experiencing global infertility, the consequence of which is near total societal collapse. Theo (Clive Owen) is a former activist who has currently given up and given in to nihilism. When his ex-wife returns with a dangerous request that might have huge implications for the future of humanity, will Theo step up? 

Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men is an unflinching, relentlessly gripping sci-fi thriller. Its future is not one of spaceships and lasers, but of war and hopelessness — a familiar, haunted version of our own world. The result is destabilizing: Could our own society consume itself so easily in despair? Is our stability as fragile as Theo’s? Alongside these ruminations are fantastic performances (Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor) and some absolutely breathless action sequences. Simply put, Children of Men is a masterpiece. 

How to watch: Children of Men is now streaming on Peacock.

3. Fargo

There aren’t many films out there popular enough to inspire a very popular-in-its-own-right TV show, but Fargo — with its snowy North Dakota setting and offbeat black comedy style — has managed it with aplomb. One of the most memorable roles in Hollywood history, heavily pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) attempts to untangle a messy murder and its links to some hired kidnappers, with things quickly spiraling in the amusingly chaotic way only Coen brothers’ movies can. Complimentary characters include a spineless William H. Macy as desperate-for-money car dealer Jerry Lundegaard, a chillingly dead-eyed Peter Stormare as hired kidnapper Gaear Grimsrud, and Steve Buscemi as his slimy partner in crime.* — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor

How to watch: Fargo is now streaming on Peacock.

2. I Am Not Your Negro

This powerhouse documentary packs a real gut punch with its insights about race in America. For I Am Not Your Negro, director Raoul Peck turns James Baldwin’s notes for an unfinished book into an Oscar–nominated documentary. Baldwin himself appears on screen via vintage TV interviews, and as narrator, Samuel L. Jackson voices Baldwin’s words in low, hushed tones. The typically animated actor sounds different as the writer, at once restrained and filled with righteous anger over how Black people are treated. 

Decades after their deaths, Baldwin began writing about the assassinations of three of his friends — Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers — and what they meant both in the past and in his present for racism in the United States. Meanwhile, Peck brings a contemporary lens, interspersing historical footage with recent videos. He demonstrates that the problems discussed by Baldwin aren’t just historical; they’re still plaguing America, making I Am Not Your Negro relevant as relevant today as it was when it was first released in 2016.* — Kimber Myers, Contributing Writer 

How to watch: I Am Not Your Negro is streaming on Peacock.

1. Alien

Credit: 20th Century Fox / Kobal / Shutterstock

You may not have seen 1979’s superb sci-fi thriller, Alien — and that’s a travesty we’re here to correct — but you’ve definitely seen its cultural influence. Alien made director Ridley Scott a household name, launched creature-bursting-through-the-chest jokes into the cultural lexicon, and is widely accepted as the first action movie to feature a female lead. That’s why, more than half a century later, we’re still getting scared by its sequels and prequels (2024’s Alien: Romulus is the newest installment). But the original, and its stunning, unsettling character design from H.R. Giger, has yet to be beat. 

Sigourney Weaver became a Hollywood icon as Ripley, an officer on the commercial spaceship Nostromo that lands on a nearby planet after receiving a mysterious transmission. There, the crew finds evidence of alien life, and they try to keep it from getting onto their ship. They do not succeed. 

Exciting, fast-paced, scary, and thought-provoking, Alien is a classic for a reason — it’s just that good!

How to watch: Alien is now streaming on Peacock.

(*) denotes writeup came from a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Jan. 6, 2025, 5:18 p.m. EST This article has been updated to reflect Peacock’s current streaming selection.