The best movies on Peacock

In case its branding mascot and rainbow palate weren't a dead giveaway, Peacock is the streaming service owned and operated by NBCUniversal, which means it has access to a trove of titles that draw from Universal Studios' deep well of content. But what does that mean for you? Well, alongside its TV series and live sports offerings, Peacock features classic movies such as Django and Jerry Maguire alongside contemporary favorites like The Northman and Asteroid City. As with any streamer, its wealth of options can feel overwhelming, so allow EW to point you in the right direction.

Here are the best movies on Peacock right now.

<i>Afternoon Delight</i> (2013)

Kathryn Hahn seems to have a knack for embracing characters with wonderfully messy lives. Well before playing Clare in Tiny Beautiful Things, she was Rachel, a stay at home mom thwarted by her run-of-the-mill routines and sexual dry spell with her husband, Jeff (Josh Radnor). In an attempt to rekindle their marriage, she drags Jeff to a strip club, where they meet Juno Temple's McKenna, a full-time sex worker who later becomes their live-in nanny, and with whom Rachel nurtures an unlikely bond. Praised by none other than Quentin Tarantino, Afternoon Delight is a charmingly awkward and hilariously steamy flick, which Temple summarized to EW as "a movie about women...admiring things about each other and learning from each other. But also ultimately kind of destroying each other." —James Mercadante

Where to watch Afternoon Delight: Peacock

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Joey Soloway

Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch, Jessica St. Clair, Michaela Watkins, Josh Stamberg, Keegan-Michael Key

Related content: Afternoon Delight trailer: Stripper/nanny with a heart of gold

<i>American Psycho</i> (2000)

Meet the carefully curated facade of Patrick Bateman — a man who not only slays a morning skincare routine but also, well, slays. Adapted from Bret Easton Ellis' controversial 1991 novel, American Psycho follows Bateman as he leads a double life, hobnobbing with his narcissistic co-workers as a slick N.Y.C. investment banker while moonlighting as a serial killer. This satirical horror brilliantly dissects the soulless '80s capitalist culture, where materialism reigns supreme and vanity is a virtue, while Christian Bale conjures a monumental character study with his mordant and monstrous Bateman. EW's critic wrote, "Funny, pungent, and weirdly gripping, American Psycho is a satire that feels like a hallucination" draped in a "tone of rambunctious, light-fingered malevolence." —J.M.

Where to watch American Psycho: Peacock

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Mary Harron

Cast: Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Chloë Sevigny, Samantha Mathis, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, Reese Witherspoon

Related content: American Psycho cast: Where are they now?

<i>Asteroid City</i> (2023)

In Asteroid City, Wes Anderson's unmistakable flair drapes a storybook landscape, complete with a VSCO filter-like color palette that puts the 'Wes' in this unconventional, mid-century Western. The stage is set in a southwestern town during the 1950s (or perhaps a retrofuturistic daydream thereof), where townsfolk and educators gather for the annual Junior Stargazer convention. Things take a turn when an extraterrestrial visitor arrives, further complicating Anderson's layered story (and story-within-the-story), all brought to life by a packed Hollywood ensemble. As EW's critic observed, "Anderson seems to be philosophizing about that gap between the truth we seek in storytelling and the lush, bravura craftsmanship required to tell it." —J.M.

Where to watch Asteroid City: Peacock

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber

Related content: Here's what you need to know about Asteroid City, courtesy of Wes Anderson

<i>Django</i> (1966)

Once you've surrendered to its magnificent soundtrack (scored by the brilliant Luis Bacalov), you'll be randomly belting out Rocky Roberts' infectious "Djangooooo." Sergio Corbucci's quintessential spaghetti Western follows its namesake, an ex-Union soldier who roams the arid Mexico and U.S. borderlands, and his fugitive companion, Maria. Together, they tumble into a cutthroat feud between the Ku Klux Klan and Mexican revolutionaries. The film's unapologetic brutality led to bans in several countries and kept it from the U.K. until 1993, a testament to its visceral impact. It's no wonder Quentin Tarantino drew inspiration here for his own revisionist Western, Django Unchained (2012). —J.M.

Where to watch Django: Peacock

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Sergio Corbucci

Cast: Franco Nero, Loredana Nusciak, José Bódalo, Ángel Álvarez, Eduardo Fajardo

<i>Emma</i> (2020)

While Clueless (1995) might forever reign as the best of Jane Austen's Emma adaptations, Autumn de Wilde's 2020 reimagining is a worthy contender that adeptly musters the novelist's immortal spirit. Anya Taylor-Joy steps into the shoes of its eponymous lead, a wealthy Regency-era woman whose matchmaking antics eclipse her own romantic prospects. Bathed in a sumptuous pastel mise-en-scène — which earned Oscar nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling — and boasting standout performances from Taylor-Joy and Mia Goth, Emma seamlessly demonstrates how to modernize a period piece without sacrificing its inherent charm. —J.M.

Where to watch Emma: Peacock

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Autumn de Wilde

Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Josh O'Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, Bill Nighy

Related content: Emma. costume designer Alexandra Byrne on creating a confectionary Regency wardrobe

<i>Fahrenheit 9/11</i> (2004)

Michael Moore, known for his award-winning documentaries Roger & Me (1989) and Bowling for Columbine (2002), delivered another cinematic juggernaut with this audacious and controversial documentary. Fahrenheit 9/11 — crowned with the Palme d'Or and holding the title of America's highest-grossing documentary — fearlessly scrutinizes the Bush administration's exploitation of post-9/11 paranoia to advance unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq instead of seeking the terrorist attack's true perpetrators. As EW's critic notes, "Fahrenheit 9/11 offers a catharsis for the audience. Dazzlingly assembled, at once reckless and insightful, the movie filters the actions of the Bush administration through a nose-thumbing outrage that might have been irresponsible if Moore's own words weren't girded by images that spoke 1,000 more." —J.M.

Where to watch Fahrenheit 9/11: Peacock

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Michael Moore

Related content: Fahrenheit 9/11 paves the way for documentaries

<i>Half Nelson</i> (2006)

Amid the wellspring of heartwarming student-teacher tales where educators often shepherd their scholars (think 1989's Dead Poets Society or 2017's The Edge of Seventeen), Half Nelson flips the script. Earning his first Oscar nod, Ryan Gosling shines as Dan Dunne, an adored history teacher and girls' basketball coach bottling up a life of vices. When troubled student Drey catches him using drugs, an unexpected bond forms as they navigate their tumultuous lives together. To quote EW's critic, "Half Nelson conspicuously offers no tidy resolution or concluding uplift, which only makes the movie that much more trustworthy, and the unflashy, documentary-style filmmaking more artful." —J.M.

Where to watch Half Nelson: Peacock

EW grade: A (read the review)

Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Denis O'Hare, Starla Benford

Related content: The 15 best Ryan Gosling roles

<i>The Invisible Man</i> (2020)

Reviving a horror classic is not always wise, but casting a fearless force like Elisabeth Moss as the lead in Blumhouse's feminist reimagining of the 1933 flick was a stroke of genius (her Golden Globe-winning performances in Top of the Lake and The Handmaids Tale had already proven she's a pro at facing terror head on). Moss plays Cecilia Kass, a woman who suspects she's trapped in a gaslighting nightmare courtesy of her "dead" and now-invisible ex. If you're looking for something spooky that goes beyond the realm of gimmicky jump scares, The Invisible Man summons spine-chilling dread while deftly dissecting the atrocities of domestic abuse and surveillance in the digital age. —J.M.

Where to watch The Invisible Man: Peacock

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Leigh Whannell

Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Harriet Dyer, Michael Dorman

Related content: The Invisible Man director breaks down that shocking restaurant scene

<i>Jerry Maguire</i> (1996)

It's the movie that launched a million quotes. Tom Cruise stars as Jerry Maguire, a young sports agent who goes rogue after he's fired from his fancy agency job. Left with only one client — the talented but high-maintenance wide receiver Rod Tidwell — Jerry must find a way to advance the player's career if he is to keep himself in the sports management game, all while balancing his relationship with his new family. Hailed by EW's critic as "the ultimate Tom Cruise movie," this classic sports dramedy is "an ode to the pleasures of family, real and extended." —Ilana Gordon

Where to stream Jerry Maguire: Peacock 

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Cameron Crowe

Cast: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, Jonathan Lipnicki, Kelly Preston, Jerry O'Connell, Bonnie Hunt, Regina King

Related content: She didn't have it at 'hello': Patricia Arquette on how she 'blew' her Jerry Maguire audition

<i>John Wick</i> (2014)

In the first chapter of the John Wick franchise — which has made more than half a billion dollars worldwide — the titular retired hitman randomly encounters Losef Tarasov, an entitled scuzzball whose father Viggo is a Russian crime boss in New York City. What begins as a wonton attack on Wick becomes an all-out juggernaut of vengeance as the elite assassin re-engages with the world he left behind, mostly to murder those responsible for killing his emotional support puppy. Sleek tailored suits with tactical linings and a wide swath of high-powered weaponry are par for the course in this consistently satisfying action film. EW's critic complimented the "pulsating daredevil energy" of John Wick, and called its screenplay "a marvelously rich and stylish feat of pulpy world-building." —Johnny Loftus

Where to watch John Wick: Peacock

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Chad Stahelski

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Defoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick

Related content: The John Wick franchise checks into the '70s with The Continental trailer

<i>Meet the Patels</i> (2014)

Ravi Patel is a thirtysomething Indian American actor who recently parted ways with his white girlfriend, Audrey. Now single (much to the dismay of his family), Ravi feels the pressure to find a wife from his first-gen immigrant parents, who've mastered both the art of traditional matchmaking and ragging on his lack of love life. Struggling to scale the towering walls of cultural expectations while nursing the wounds of a romance gone sour, Ravi embarks on a quest to decipher his heart's desires. Along for the ride is his sister and partner in singlehood, Geeta, who serves as co-pilot in this lighthearted documentary. Sure, it might take some conventional routes via your favorite rom-coms, but Meet the Patels is nonetheless a side-splitting yet profound exploration of love, family, and sheer chaos mixed in a cross-cultural blender. —J.M.

Where to watch Meet the Patels: Peacock

Directors: Geeta V. Patel, Ravi V. Patel

Cast: Ravi V. Patel, Geeta V. Patel, Champa V. Patel, Vasant K. Patel, Audrey Wauchope, Chandar Abboy, Chirag Patel, Renita Abboy, Rali Amin, Sunkrish Bala

<i>Night of the Living Dead</i> (1968)

With a budget just over $100,000, George Romero's indie horror masterpiece transformed the zombie genre, reshaping these once-subjugated creatures into autonomous, flesh-craving fiends while forever etching them into pop culture (and paving the way for future undead favorites like The Walking Dead). Revolving around a group of unlikely survivors holed up in an abandoned farmhouse, this film unravels as they fend off an onslaught of ravenous ghouls storming the area. Night of the Living Dead didn't just make cinematic history; it gnawed its way into the collective consciousness, birthing a thriving franchise with five sequels from 1978 to 2009, which all carry Romero's iconic directorial touch. —J.M.

Where to watch Night of the Living Dead: Peacock

EW grade: A+ (read the review)

Director: George Romero

Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Judith Ridley, Keith Wayne, Kyra Schon

Related content: Night of the Living Dead made our countdown of the 13 scariest movies of all time

<i>The Northman</i> (2022)

After undergoing months of brutal training set to '80s Italo music, Big Little Lies star Alexander Skarsgård sculpted himself into a colossal and wrathful Viking warrior prince in Robert Eggers' adaptation of the Norse legend that inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet (and, much later, The Lion King). In a less Disney-esque twist, Prince Almeth receives a sobering message from a Seeress — played by Icelandic pop icon Björk in her return to acting after a two-decade hiatus — who urges him to fulfill his oath of vengeance against his uncle, the culprit behind his father's death and his mother's abduction. A visually dazzling spectacle, The Northman was described by EW's critic as "Eggers' biggest film in both scope and budget," and "a sprawling summit-of-the-gods epic shot through with rich, hallucinatory set pieces, and movie stars in wild Pagan wiggery." —J.M.

Where to watch The Northman: Peacock

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Robert Eggers

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, Willem Dafoe

Related content: The Northman director breaks down the finale's nude volcano brawl

<i>The Nutty Professor</i> (1996)

Serving up a rib-tickling family dinner scene where Eddie Murphy masterfully embodies every character, The Nutty Professor still crackles with its zany charm. Sherman Klump (Murphy), a brilliant scientist affected by obesity, invents a transformative weight-loss serum, gulping it down after a disastrous date with Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett Smith). Shedding 250 pounds instantly, Sherman adopts an alter ego named Buddy Love, whose arrogance begets chaos. Despite its hit-or-miss fart jokes and problematic weight humor, the film surprises with its prosthetic artistry and heartwarming touch that goes beyond the ordinary comedy fare. —J.M.

Where to watch The Nutty Professor: Peacock

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Tom Shadyac

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Coburn, Larry Miller, Dave Chappelle, John Ales

Related content: Jada Pinkett Smith reveals why her Nutty Professor wig looked so 'rough': 'I fought and I fought'

<i>Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i> (2010)

How hard are you willing to fight for love? For 22 year old musician Scott Pilgrim, the answer is very. After meeting and falling for Ramona Flowers, Scott discovers that to win her hand, he must first defeat her seven evil exes in combat. A romantic action comedy film based on the graphic novel series and told using video game and comic-like imagery, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World may have Sex Bob-Ombed at the box office, but the film has since developed a loyal cult following — and rightly so. With an ensemble cast featuring some of the best twentysomething comedic talent the early-2010s had to offer, Scott Pilgrim is a unique comedy with a style that's all its own. —I.G.

Where to watch Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Peacock

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Edgar Wright

Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Chris Evans

Related content: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: An oral history of Edgar Wright's super-powered cult classic

<i>Short Term 12</i> (2013)

Penned and helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton (who drew from his own experience working at a teen group facility), Short Term 12 unfolds within the titular foster home for troubled youth. Grace, a supervisor harboring her own hidden wounds, sees herself in Jayden, a newcomer grappling with self-harm, which catalyzes a reckoning with her past. Though anchored by standout performances from then-rising stars like Rami Malek and LaKeith Stanfield, it's Brie Larson's first leading film role as Grace that leaps off the screen, radiating an acting wisdom beyond her years as she embodies raw vulnerability and understated strength. With dialogue as realistic as the characters themselves, this indie gem — which snagged SXSW's Grand Jury and Audience Awards for a Narrative Feature — immerses you so deeply that you'll briefly forget you are merely a spectator. —J.M.

Where to watch Short Term 12: Peacock

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

Cast: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Hernandez, Melora Walters, Stephanie Beatriz

Related content: After Captain Marvel and Bohemian Rhapsody, it's time to revisit Short Term 12

<i>Shrek</i> (2001)

Once upon a time, in a swamp far, far away, Mike Myers graced us by voicing DreamWorks' misanthropic ogre. He was living the dream, basking in the solitude of his boggy sanctuary, until a horde of storybook creatures — a talking donkey, three little pigs, seven dwarves, and more — decide to crash the party after being ousted from the kingdom by Lord Farquaad. To reclaim his peace and quiet, Shrek must rescue a certain red-haired princess, all for the sake of Farquaad's romantic fantasies. A fairy tale that brims with unexpected friendships, laugh out loud moments, and enough layers to rival an onion, Shrek is an animated delight you just can't ogre-look. —J.M.

Where to watch Shrek: Peacock

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Directors: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson

Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel, Conrad Vernon, Chris Miller, Cody Cameron, Simon J. Smith, Christopher Knights

Related content: Eddie Murphy would bring back Donkey for potential Shrek 5: 'I'd do it in 2 seconds'

<i>You Won't Be Alone</i> (2022)

In 19th-century Macedonia, Nevena — a tongueless 16 year old raised in caves — falls into the clutches of a Freddy Krueger-like spirit, Maria the Wolf-Eateress, who possesses her mother's body and transforms Nevena into a shape-shifting witch. Liberated from her cavernous confines and venturing into the world above, Nevena's first act involves taking a peasant's life and adopting their form. Meanwhile, she grapples with newfound powers and human nuances, all under Maria's sinister surveillance. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, this gory fairy tale transcends horror by casting itself into the core of humanity, exploring themes of love, gender, and more. As per EW's sage critique, "The movie also gets deeper and more emotional as it goes, becoming a metaphor for restless empathy and non-binary points of view. You Won't Be Alone is a fitting title, bearing the ominous warning of a juicy thriller, but also a subtle sense of compassion." —J.M.

Where to watch You Won't Be Alone: Peacock

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Goran Stolevski

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Sara Klimoska, Anamaria Marinca, Alice Englert, Félix Maritaud, Carloto Cotta