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Hulu’s ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ Reimagining Debuts to Mixed Reviews

The remake rebuilds characters and motives for contemporary Los Angeles.

Overview

  • The film is streaming exclusively on Hulu as of Oct. 22, 2025, and is rated R for some strong/bloody violence, sexual content and language.
  • Critics frequently praise Maika Monroe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, while pointing to a slow-burn approach and a graphic final act.
  • Early aggregation shows a Rotten Tomatoes critics score around 54% based on roughly two dozen reviews, indicating a split reaction.
  • Director Michelle Garza Cervera frames the project as a rework rather than a retread, with deeper backstories, moral gray areas and a prominent queer subtext.
  • Updates include a present-day Los Angeles setting, a delayed reveal of the nanny’s motives, and a class-conscious lens that shifts the audience’s alignment.