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Hancock

Hancock

There are heroes. There are superheroes. And then there's Hancock.

200892 minPG-13Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Director
Peter Berg
Starring
Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Jae Head

Hancock is a down-and-out superhero who's forced to employ a PR expert to help repair his image when the public grows weary of all the damage he's inflicted during his lifesaving heroics. The agent's idea of imprisoning the antihero to make the world miss him proves successful, but will Hancock stick to his new sense of purpose or slip back into old habits?

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hancock?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hancock streaming on Paramount+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Hancock?

Hancock earns 9 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Hancock worth watching?

Hancock's Midcredits score is the 53rd percentile of all films, from 1M ratings across 6 sources. 52% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

53rd percentile

Better received than 53% of films

69th percentile among Action50th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)49th
Approval (how many liked it)55th

61 /100

49th percentile of all films

66th percentile among Action49th percentile among 2000s

Critics 49 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

52% liked it

55th percentile of all films

68th percentile among Action52nd percentile among 2000s
52% rated it 7–1048% rated it 1–6

Critics 42% · Audience 59%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 14 noms overall

99th percentile

1M ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Action98th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$150M
Opening weekend$63M
Domestic gross$228M
Worldwide gross$629M

Returned 4.2× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a genuinely original, flawed experiment whose promising first half gives way to a divisive tonal shift.

Fans praised

  • fresh, unconventional take on the superhero genre
  • Will Smith's charismatic, deadpan performance
  • strong chemistry among the three leads

Detractors panned

  • erratic, tonally incoherent second half
  • contrived, illogical mythology and plot holes
  • underdeveloped villains and lack of real threat

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Smith's charisma and Theron/Bateman's support praised

OriginalityDivisive80

fresh premise, but ultimately derivative

HumorDivisive70

dry, dark comedy in first half

DialogueDivisive70

witty but loses steam in second half

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

some impressive set pieces, dated in places

CharactersDivisive60

Hancock's arc compelling, others underdeveloped

Plot and storyDivisive40

unbalanced structure, forced mythology and twist

Cinematography40

shaky, over-close, distracting camera work

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 13 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Hancock like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something light and affecting.

It has a few laughs and leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with a knowing, wry distance—it plays a superhero's dysfunction for dry and dark comedy, but shifts to sincere melodrama in the second half without irony.
The rideThe mood shifts from absurd, comic chaos in the first half to a more serious and melodramatic tone in the second half, with the heaviest emotional weight coming during the hospital attack and final separation.
StructureThe story follows a conventional three-act arc: Hancock's reckless behavior and low point, his reform under Ray's guidance, and the revelation of his true origins leading to a final sacrifice.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you pondering the limits and loneliness of superhuman existence, but ends with a hopeful sense of Hancock finding purpose and a new beginning, signaled by the All-Heart logo on the moon.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeHancock is primarily a redemption story: a despised, drunken superhero reforms his public image and personal character through the help of a PR man, becoming the hero he should be. There is no single driving premise type—the plot is a character study of change, not a heist, revenge, or detective story.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Hancock's fractured sense of self, his amnesia, and his journey from public menace to accepted hero, while also exploring burdens of power and the possibility of personal change.
StanceThe film questions the notion of heroism and personal redemption, but doesn't firmly celebrate or condemn Hancock's journey.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingLos Angeles with a superhero presence but otherwise realistic contemporary world

Content guide

Is Hancock okay for kids?

PG-13

Hancock is rated PG-13. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at intense (66/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (52/100) and frightening material at moderate (51/100). Overall it is heavier than 92% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • BGC
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-13
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan保護級
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 61% of all filmsHeavier than 92% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 89%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 72%
Profanity
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 96%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 93%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 57%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Hancock have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hancock?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Will Smith
as John Hancock
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Charlize Theron
as Mary
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jason Bateman
as Ray
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jae Head
as Aaron
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Eddie Marsan
as Red
David Mattey
as Man Mountain
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Maetrix Fitten
as Matrix
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Thomas Lennon
as Mike
Johnny Galecki
as Jeremy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Hayley Marie Norman
as Hottie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hancock?

Movies like Hancock include Suicide Squad (2016), Deadpool (2016) and Captain Marvel (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, several are redemption stories, and most are stories about unlikely alliances.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: superhero. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hancock?

605 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: superhero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.