Ian McKellen's underrated heist movie is now on Hulu
Ian McKellen stars in Steven Soderbergh's The Christophers, the critically acclaimed art-heist black comedy now streaming on Hulu. Co-starring Michaela Coel, the Neon release scored 95% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes after a quiet theatrical run—and it ranks among Soderbergh's sharpest recent films.
Key Takeaways
- The Christophers, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel, is available on Hulu as of Aug. 22, 2026.
- The art-forgery thriller premiered at TIFF on Sept. 7, 2025, then opened in limited U.S. theaters on April 10, 2026.
- It holds a 95% Rotten Tomatoes critics score (155 reviews) and an 87% audience score despite grossing only about $4 million.
- Ed Solomon wrote the script; Jessica Gunning and James Corden play Julian Sklar's greedy adult children.
If you follow streaming and TV alerts, this is the kind of quiet theatrical flop that becomes essential home viewing. Soderbergh—the Oscar-winning director of Traffic and Ocean's Eleven—steers a witty caper that doubles as a character study of two stubborn artists who refuse to let greed have the last word.
What is The Christophers about?
Ian McKellen plays Julian Sklar, a renowned painter who has stopped creating new work. His children, Sallie (Jessica Gunning) and Barnaby (James Corden), hire art restorer Lori (Michaela Coel) to finish sketches from his unfinished “Christophers” series so they can sell the pieces after he dies.
Lori is introduced as Julian's new assistant. Their bond starts tense, then turns conspiratorial once he learns why she was hired. Together they plot to stop the siblings from cashing in on his name. Per CNET, the film swings between intimate drama and a thrilling scam-vs-scam chase.
Why is Ian McKellen's performance a big draw?
Reviews highlight McKellen as both funny and tragic as the washed-up Julian, with magnetic chemistry opposite Coel's stoic Lori. Neither character holds the moral high ground, which makes their uneasy alliance land harder. Gunning and Corden have smaller but effective turns as the greedy heirs. The London-shot film sits alongside Soderbergh's other strong 2025 thriller, Black Bag, as part of a sharp late-career stretch.
When can you stream The Christophers on Hulu?
After its festival bow and limited Neon theatrical run, The Christophers hit Hulu on Aug. 22, 2026. ComingSoon.net (via Yahoo Entertainment) also notes a Blu-ray release on July 14, 2026 from Decal with Neon. For viewers who missed it in theaters, the streaming window is the easiest way to catch one of the year's best-reviewed under-the-radar heist movies starring Ian McKellen.