The Man in My Basement is taking over Hulu. Directed by Nadia Latif in her feature debut, who co-wrote the script with Walter Mosley based on his 2004 novel of the same name, the new thriller follows a man who receives an unexpected offer from an eccentric businessman (played by Willem Dafoe) to rent his basement for the summer.
The cast also includes Emmy nominee Corey Hawkins (Paul) in a leading role alongside four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire, The Florida Project, At Eternity’s Gate), Anna Diop, and Tamara Lawrance. The movie premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in select theaters on September 12.
Now, soon after its release, The Man in My Basement ranks first on Hulu’s Top 15 movies in the United States for today, September 29, where it has been for the past two days. It ranks above Swiped, The Surfer, Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, Desert Dawn, Practical Magic, Would You Rather, and John Wick: Chapter 4.
It also ranks above The Devil Wears Prada, The Other Woman, Night at the Museum, The Proposal, World War Z, Fear Below, and The Amateur. Additionally, The Man in My Basement ranks 10th on Hulu’s Top 15 overall, which also includes TV shows, ranking below Project Runaway, High Potential, Reasonable Doubt, The Golden Bachelor, and Dancing with the Stars.
It also ranks below Alien: Earth, General Hospital, Only Murders in the Building, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, and above The Lowdown, Hell’s Kitchen, 20/20, English Teacher, and Doc.
What The Man In My Basement’s Streaming Success Means For The Movie
The Man in My Basement is reaching a large audience on Hulu soon after it premiered in the Discovery section at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in select theaters on September 12. Now, not long after that, The Man in My Basement has hit Hulu and is seeing significant streaming success, ranking as their most-watched movie over the past few days.
With fewer than 50 ratings from users, The Man in My Basement does not yet have an audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, the movie has received mixed reviews from critics, resulting in a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score. For instance, in ScreenRant‘s review of The Man in My Basement, Mae Abdulbaki writes, “Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe elevate a too-ambitious horror thriller that stalls… The Man in My Basement is a story that is strong in theme but not in execution.”
Our Take On The Man In My Basement’s Streaming Success
Interestingly, The Man in My Basement involves a behind-the-scenes story nearly as dramatic as its plot. Jonathan Majors was originally cast in the lead role, but after his arrest and subsequent ᴀssault allegations, he was fired from the film. Corey Hawkins was cast to replace him, and his commanding performance has not only redefined the film but also become central to its streaming success.
