Hulu has released a commentary cut of its 2020 sci-fi rom-com Palm Springs to its streaming platform. The new version features commentary from the film’s two leads, Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, as well as from director Max Barbakow and screenwriter Andy Siara.
In a statement to Variety, representatives from Hulu described the commentary cut as “the first of its kind,” meaning a full cast and crew commentary that premiered on streaming services as opposed to being included on a DVD special-features disc.
“As far as I know we’re the first,” Samberg told Variety. “We realized that Palm Springs will always be on Hulu, which is great, but there are elements of the DVD experience that just don’t exist anymore. They were very amenable in talking about ways to get some fun stuff in there.”
While Palm Springs may be the first streaming-exclusive film commentary cut, other streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, and iTunes have attempted to tap the special features market through companion podcasts, behind-the-scenes documentaries (like for Netflix’s The Irishman), and other digital extras.
The Disney-owned Hulu said Palm Springs broke viewership and social media engagement records for their service when it premiered on the platform last July, following positive reviews and an all-time record-breaking bid of $17.5 million and $0.69 at the Sundance Film Festival.