26 Years Later, Heath Ledger's Beloved 71% Rotten Tomatoes Hollywood Debut Has Found a New Streaming Home

In January 2008, Hollywood lost an irreplaceable gem in actor Heath Ledger, who passed away from an accidental overdose as a result of prescription drug abuse. Over a decade later, he is still remembered for his brilliance in the industry, which is reflected in all the productions in which he was involved. Among these is his breakout role in the 1999 rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You, which has since gained popularity as a cult classic, often dubbed one of the greatest rom-coms of all time.

Released on March 31, 1999, 10 Things I Hate About You will find its way to a new streaming home this summer, months after landing on Peacock earlier in January. Per Hulu’s schedule for next month’s additions to its catalog, the coming-of-age movie is set to debut on the streamer on August 1. Gil Junger directed 10 Things I Hate About You in his film directorial debut, while Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith co-wrote the screenplay as a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy, The Taming of the Shrew.

In addition to Ledger, who portrays bad boy Patrick Verona, the much-adored pic stars Julia Stiles as Kat, the antisocial and shrewish older Stratford sister. Patrick attempts to date Kat to help new student Cameron James, who is interested in Kat’s popular younger sister Bianca, but needs to get around the strict dating rules of the girls' father, Walter Stratford. 10 Things I Hate About You, set in Seattle, also stars Joseph Gordon-Levittas Cameron, Larisa Oleynik as Bianca, and Larry Miller as Walter.

The Future of '10 Things I Hate About You' Is Pretty Much Secured

Following its successful release, 10 Things I Hate About You was adapted into a TV reboot, which ran for twenty episodes and saw Miller reprising his role as Walter. The series premiered on July 7, 2009, on ABC but was cancelled in April 2010, a month before its final episode aired. Meanwhile, it was confirmed back in May that a sequel to the hit movie was being developed with Junger returning as director.

The movie, titled 10 Things I Hate About Dating, is intended to be the first in a trilogy of sequels, and, according to the filmmaker, will be more of “a trauma-bond com” compared to its predecessor’s rom-com vibe. Additionally, it’ll be a contemporary retelling of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin's (aka, Molière) 1666 play, The Misanthrope, or The Cantankerous Lover.

10 Things I Hate About You arrives on Hulu in August. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

10 Things I Hate About You

Release Date

March 31, 1999

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Gil Junger

Writers

Karen McCullah, Kirsten Smith