Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander‘s sci-fi thriller is now available to stream on Hulu. Directed by Alex Garland, the acclaimed movie also stars Domhnall Gleeson alongside Sonoya Mizuno and Gana Bayarsaikhan.
Ex Machina debuts on Hulu today, August 3, 2026. A24 released the movie in the United States in 2015, and it quickly garnered viewers’ attention. Hailed as one of 2010’s best sci-fi thrillers, it earned praise for its smart storytelling and unsettling take on artificial intelligence.
The story follows Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a young programmer who wins a one-week visit to the remote home of his CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). He finds Ava (Alicia Vikander), Nathan’s creation of an advanced humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. Nathan instructs Caleb to determine whether Ava truly possesses human-like consciousness. As Caleb grows closer to Ava, the experiment begins to take an unexpected turn.
Why is Ex Machina still one of the best sci-fi movies ever made?
Nearly a decade after its release, Ex Machina remains prominent for its grounded approach to science fiction. Instead of relying on large action sequences, Garland builds tension through conversations, psychological mind games, and the complex relationship between Caleb and Ava.
Alex Garland made his directorial debut with this movie. It raised questions about artificial intelligence, consciousness, manipulation, and what it means to be human, which feel even more relevant today. Given today’s AI boom, many of the movie’s ideas no longer feel like science fiction.
Ex Machina earned $38 million against a budget of $13 million. At the time of writing, Ex Machina holds a 92% critics score and an 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Further, it went on to win an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, beating several blockbusters at the time. That is a rare achievement for a movie built on such a modest budget.
For those who are watching it for the first time or want a rewatch, Ex Machina is still a worthy watch on Hulu.
Originally reported by Manoj Chekkilla on ComingSoon.
