Why I Really Wish Gaten Matarazzo's Pizza Movie Had Been Released In Theaters

While I’m always thrilled when I find a new streaming title I love, if it’s a movie, it also comes with a bit of disappointment, too. That’s because, if I watch a great film for the first time with a Hulu subscription, I’ll wish I saw it in theaters instead. Well, that’s what happened with Gaten Matarazzo’s Pizza Movie. I absolutely loved this college comedy, and I desperately wish I could have seen it on a big screen instead of at home.

Pizza Movie’s Chaos Deserved A Crowd

Well, after graduating from Stranger Things at the end of 2025, Gaten Matarazzo kicked off 2026 with Pizza Movie. In this film, which was written and directed by Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, the actor plays Jack, a college student who goes on quite the drug trip with his roommate Montgomery (Sean Giambrone).

It’s not just them who go on the drug trip; this movie makes it feel like the audience does too. As we follow these boys through one wild night where they’re just trying to find some pizza while high, we’re taken through surreal sequences that involve things like cartoon squid, embarrassing confessions, exploding heads, talking butterflies and more.

To put it lightly, this movie is absolutely bonkers in the best way. Watching it alone at home, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. But every time that happened, all I could think was ‘Man, I wish I were in a crowd of laughing audience members experiencing this absurdity with them.’ And that’s because there’s nothing better to me than laughing, gasping and reacting to a really fun movie with a massive group of people.

Sadly, Comedies Just Aren’t Getting The Theatrical Treament Like They Used To

Sadly, this kind of move has become the norm. While movies like Pizza Movie want theatrical releases, it’s become commonplace for comedies like them to go straight to streaming instead.

A prime example happened a couple of years ago when Glen Powell’s Hit Man was released to those with a Netflix subscription. While I was one of the few who did see Hit Man on a big screen, ultimately, the vast majority saw it on streaming. That’s a shame, considering the experience is heightened when you are able to hear others reacting to a film that is shocking and hilarious.

Other massive streaming comedies that deserved more than just a streaming or super-limited theatrical run range from time-loop comedies like Palm Springs to Rian Johnson whodunnits like Wake Up Dead Man.

Movies like these deserve wide theatrical runs, and while I’m thrilled streaming services give them bigger platforms, they also should get their moment on the big screen. Thankfully, while a lot of crazy comedies don’t get this, the writers of Pizza Movie do have another flick coming out this month that will be released theatrically.

However, The Writers Of Pizza Movie Have A Film Coming Out In Theaters This Month

It truly is an utter shame that Pizza Movie will never be in theaters. However, thankfully, you can see the directors and writers’ next project on the big screen. Yep, Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher wrote two films on the 2026 movie schedule. One, obviously, is Pizza Movie, and the other is called Over Your Dead Body.

Now, this pair did not direct Over Your Dead Body; they are the co-writers. Sitting in the director’s chair for this one is Jorma Taccone, who co-directed Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and is one-third of The Lonely Island. So, that should tell you a bit about how funny this other film could be.

However, while it’s a comedy, tonally it’s quite different from Pizza Movie, seeing as it's a thriller of sorts. That’s because this movie follows a married couple played by Jason Segel and Samara Weaving as they each try to act on their secret plots to kill each other. So, the tension is a lot higher, which in turn makes the comedy a bit different.

Nonetheless, I’m happy these guys’ work is going to be on the big screen on April 24. So, at least you can see Over Your Dead Body in cinemas. Meanwhile, we’ll just have to live with the fact that Pizza Movie is on Hulu. While that’s fine, it deserved so much more.