The year 2008 is important in the history of superhero movies because it produced two industry-altering hits — Marvel’s Iron Man and Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight. Both movies changed the way Hollywood makes tentpoles, and their influence can be felt to this day. There was, however, a third superhero movie that came out in the summer of 2008. The movie was a bigger hit at the box office than Iron Man, and was primed for a sequel that was never made. Conversations about the long-rumored follow-up resurface from time to time, but no concrete progress has been made on the project in nearly two decades. That said, the original movie was recently added to the free streaming library of Pluto TV, making it easier to access for an audience that likely wasn’t born when it was first released.
The movie in question was directed by Peter Berg, with Will Smith in the lead role of an immortal superpowered being who wastes his life on drinking and debauchery. When he saves the life of a PR professional played by Jason Bateman, he agrees to an image makeover that projects him in a more favorable light. What he doesn’t realize is that he is part of a duo of immortal superheroes whose powers decline when they come into proximity with each other. His other half is played by Charlize Theron, who would revisit the same themes years later in The Old Guard and its sequel, The Old Guard 2.
The Forgotten 2008 Superhero Movie Is Streaming for Free
We’re talking, of course, about Hancock. Produced on a reported budget of $150 million, the movie made nearly $630 million worldwide. It was co-written by none other than Breaking Bad‘s Vince Gilligan, and was co-produced by an even more unexpected person: Michael Mann. Hancock received mediocre reviews, and is now sitting at a 42% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Though it begins with promise, Hancock suffers from a flimsy narrative and poor execution.” The latest update for a sequel came in 2025, when Smith hinted that Zendaya may be involved. With I Am Legend 2 in the works, it wouldn’t be surprising if Hancock is resurrected as well. You can watch the movie on Pluto TV, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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July 2, 2008
- Runtime
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92 minutes



















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