Tom Hanks 2023 Movie Releases and Theatrical Performance
In 2023, Tom Hanks starred in the drama Flamin' Hot, which premiered at the South by Southwest festival and was released theatrically by Searchlight Pictures on June 9, 2023. The film, directed by Eva Longoria, centers on the creation of the Flamin' Hot Cheetos snack and grossed approximately $16 million worldwide according to The Numbers, with a domestic opening weekend of around $3.5 million. The movie was produced by Searchlight Pictures and Franklin Entertainment, with Hanks serving as a producer alongside his son Colin Hanks.
Theatrical distribution for Flamin' Hot was handled by Searchlight Pictures, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, with international sales managed by Disney's global distribution network. The film received a PG-13 rating from the MPA for thematic content and brief language, and its runtime is 1 hour and 44 minutes. While the movie did not rank among the top 50 highest-grossing films of 2023 domestically, it generated significant audience interest, earning a CinemaScore of A- and a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of the latest public data.
Streaming Availability and Platform Distribution
Following its theatrical run, Flamin' Hot began streaming on Hulu in the United States, consistent with Searchlight Pictures' distribution model under the Disney ecosystem. Hulu, owned by Disney, added the film to its catalog in late 2023, making it available to subscribers without an additional purchase. Internationally, the film's streaming rights were licensed to various Disney+ markets, with availability expanding through regional licensing agreements managed by The Walt Disney Company.
On Hulu, Flamin' Hot is categorized under the Movies section and is accessible to standard Hulu subscribers, including those on the ad-supported tier. The streaming platform lists the film with a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes, in English with subtitle options. Hulu's content library, which includes Searchlight titles, is accessible in the U.S. and select international markets, with availability governed by regional licensing terms set by Disney and its distribution partners.
Production Details and Key Creative Team
Flamin' Hot was produced by a team including Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Mark Rosenberg, and Eva Longoria, with Franklin Entertainment and Searchlight Pictures as the primary production companies. The screenplay was written by Lewis Colick, based on a story by Richard Montañez, who claims to have invented the Flamin' Hot Cheetos recipe while working at Frito-Lay. The film's score was composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, and cinematography was handled by Enrique Chediak.
The production budget for Flamin' Hot was reported by Variety and other industry outlets to be in the range of $25 million to $30 million, covering principal photography, post-production, and marketing costs. The film was shot in multiple locations, including New Mexico and Los Angeles, with principal photography beginning in early 2022. Searchlight Pictures, the distributor, is a specialty film label under Walt Disney Studios, which is part of The Walt Disney Company, a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DIS.