‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ 2025 Remake Watch Details
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Maika Monroe, Raúl Castillo, Martin Starr, Mileiah Vega, Riki Lindhome, Shannon Cochran
Directed By: Michelle Garza Cervera
Where to Watch: Exclusively on Hulu
The reimagining of the cult classic psychological thriller/horror film, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, comes to your screen as part of this year’s Hulu October release schedule. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the original or are looking for something new and chilling to dive into, here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 remake.
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ 2025 Release Date
The Hulu Original remake of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle becomes available to stream on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
You can watch the new film — and the original 1992 version — with a Hulu subscription.
Don’t have a Hulu account? DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment Genre Pack includes popular live channels streaming apps Disney+, Hulu Bundle & HBO Max (Basic with Ads) for $29.99/mo. + tax for the first month.*
*Regularly $34.99/mo + tax
What is 2025 ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ About?
Based on the 1992 psychological thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle directed by Curtis Hanson, the 2025 reimagining follows a similar path of suspense, manipulation and revenge — this time adding layers of emotional instability and queer tension for a modern lens.
When a young couple hires a seemingly harmless nanny to help care for their newborn child, their idyllic life slowly begins to unravel. Beneath the young nanny’s calm exterior lies a chilling agenda, slowly revealed throughout the film. Once inside the home, she embeds herself into the family’s life, manipulating and sabotaging them from within until everything they know and love threatens to come crumbling down.
What is the 2025 Movie ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ Based on?
The new Hulu Original psychological thriller is inspired by the 1992 film of the same name, not the 1917 silent drama, also with the same name. That film focused on the fight for sex education.
While the core premise remains similar, the 2025 version reimagines key aspects for a modern audience. Character names and relationships have been updated, the sequence of information revealed to the audience has been restructured to heighten suspense and new themes attempt to bring added depth and contemporary resonance to the story.
Cast of ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ (2025)
Here’s a look at the main cast list for both the reimagined 2025 film and the original 1992 film:
2025 Cast & Characters
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Caitlyn Morales, a well-off mother and real estate attorney who is looking to hire a nanny after bringing home a newborn child.
- Maika Monroe as Polly Murphy, a mysterious woman with a hidden agenda who is hired as a nanny for the Morales family.
- Raúl Castillo as Miguel Morales, Caitlyn’s architect husband
- Martin Starr as Stewart, a friend and colleague of Caitlyn
- Mileiah Vega as Emma Morales, Caitlyn and Miguel’s 10-year-old daughter
- Riki Lindhome as Bethany
- Shannon Cochran as Rosanna
1992 Cast & Characters
- Annabella Sciorra as Claire Bartel, a happily married woman looking to hire a nanny after her second child is born.
- Rebecca De Mornay as Mrs. Mott / Peyton Flanders, a revenge-bent woman who infiltrates the Bartel home posing as a nanny.
- Matt McCoy as Michael Bartel, the husband of Claire and father of their two children.
- Ernie Hudson as Solomon, the intellectually disabled handyman hired by the Bartels.
- Julianne Moore as Marlene Craven, a close friend of Claire and ex-girlfriend of Michael
- Madeline Zima as Emma Bartel, the young daughter of Claire and Michael
- John de Lancie as Dr. Victor Mott, Mrs. Mott’s disgraced and deceased obstetrician husband
- Kevin Skousen as Marty Craven
2025 Trailer
Check out the official trailer for the 2025 The Hand That Rocks the Cradle:
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ 2025 Film Critical Reception
Unlike the original 1992 film — praised for its gripping tension, strong performances and unsettling atmosphere — early reviews of the 2025 reimagining have been mixed.
Critics commend the cast’s compelling performances and the film’s modern layers of class, gender and LGBTQ+ subtext, but many note that its slow pacing, heavy-handed exposition and the lackluster climax detract from the potential of an otherwise thoughtful update.
Watch Hulu with DIRECTV MyEntertainment
Don’t have a Hulu account? DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment Genre Pack includes popular live channels streaming apps Disney+, Hulu Bundle & HBO Max (Basic with Ads) for $29.99/mo. + tax for the first month.*
*Regularly $34.99/mo + tax
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hulu's 'The Hand That Rocks the Cradle' based on something?
The new Hulu film, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, is a modern reimagining of the 1992 original film of the same name.
When does the new The Hand That Rocks the Cradle come out?
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025) premieres on Hulu Wednesday, October 22.
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