As we kick off 2026, and we still have our dark evenings, we’re looking for things to watch. One of the most unexpected picks that you won’t regret watching is one of the defining young adult sci-fi trilogies of the 2010s: The Maze Runner. All three films — The Maze Runner, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and Maze Runner: The Death Cure — are now streaming on Hulu, which gives subscribers the best opportunity to revisit (or finally binge) a trilogy that helped shape a decade of dystopian sci-fi storytelling.
Directed by Wes Ball and adapted from James Dashner’s bestselling novels, The Maze Runner franchise carved out its own lane during the YA boom. While other series leaned heavily into romance or mythology overload, these films doubled down on momentum, mystery, and survival-first storytelling. The numbers back it up. The first film, released in September 2014, remains the highest-grossing entry, earning over $348 million worldwide. The Scorch Trials followed in 2015 with $312 million, while the final chapter, The Death Cure, released in 2018 and wrapped up its run with $288 million globally. Even at its “lowest,” the franchise was still pulling huge numbers. Collider’s review hailed the film, noting:
“I haven’t read any of the Maze Runner books, but I could feel the young adult vibe running through the story in the best possible sense. After the film, I briefly spoke with a fellow audience member who had read the books, and it sounds like screenwriters Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T.S. Nowlin stripped the story down to the essentials, which you can feel in the film’s quick pacing. Ball has helped build a firm foundation for the series. The movie doesn’t need to be a Hunger Games imitator. The Maze Runner has found its own way through.”
Who Stars in ‘The Maze Runner’ Trilogy?
One of the franchise’s greatest assets was its cast, many of whom later went on to major careers. Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster anchored the series as its core trio, while a strong supporting lineup — including Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, and Patricia Clarkson as the chilling WCKD leader Ava Paige — helped flesh out the world. Later entries expanded the ensemble even further with additions like Giancarlo Esposito, Rosa Salazar, Aidan Gillen, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jacob Lofland, Will Poulter, and Walton Goggins.
The Maze Runner trilogy is streaming now.
