Here's Where You Can Watch Judas And The Black Messiah
Shaka King's "Judas and the Black Messiah" made a splash when it hit theaters in February. The real-life story of FBI informant William O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) and his inner conflict upon infiltration of the Black Panther Party chapter led by socialist revolutionary Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the movie became an instant hit with critics and streaming audiences. Many considered it the crowning achievement of a landmark year in Black-centered cinema, which also included titles such as "Da 5 Bloods," "One Night in Miami..." "Soul," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and Steve McQueen's "Small Axe" anthology.
Unsurprisingly, "Judas and the Black Messiah" has gone on to be nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and controversial nominations (via Vox) for both of the film's lead actors in the Best Supporting Actor category. The awards success renewed public interest in the film, with more and more viewers looking to get acquainted with King's vision of Black organization and struggle in the 1960s. If you're one of those new viewers and want to know the best way to stream one of the best dramas of 2021 from your home, we've got good news: The movie is available for rental on multiple popular platforms.
Judas and the Black Messiah can be rented on several streaming platforms
"Judas and the Black Messiah" was originally scheduled for a traditional theatrical release on August 21, 2020 (via Deadline), until the COVID-19 pandemic forced Warner Bros. to reschedule it to February 12, 2021 and change its release plans. Like the rest of the studio's 2021 slate, "Judas and the Black Messiah" was released simultaneously in physical and virtual theaters across the nation and on HBO Max, where it remained free to watch for subscribers for a period of one month.
That one-month window has already passed, though, which means that, whether or not you're an HBO Max subscriber, the way to watch the movie right now is the same for everyone. To stream "Judas and the Black Messiah", you need to rent it out individually on one of the following platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, FandangoNOW, Vudu, Redbox, DIRECTV, or the Microsoft Store. All of those services currently offer the movie for the same $19.99 price, with all but Redbox including the option to stream it in 4K.
For most platforms, a rental gives you a lengthy window to start watching the movie, and then a shorter period — usually around 48 hours — to finish it. So read the rental policy of your streaming service of choice carefully, and make sure you have time to finish "Judas and the Black Messiah," which runs 126 minutes long, not long after you start it. But rest assured — once you start watching this movie, it will be impossible not to be glued to the screen.