Hulu Set to Debut Unique Short Film "Hoops, Hopes, & Dreams" Next Month

A new and unique short film is on its way to Hulu, uncovering the story of how Martin Luther King, Jr. rallied voters at neighborhood basketball courts in Hoops, Hopes, & Dreams.

What’s Happening: 

• Hulu has shared a new trailer for the upcoming film, Hoops, Hopes, & Dreams, revealing that it will be arriving on the platform next month. 
• Hoops, Hopes & Dreams uncovers the untold story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a team of Civil Rights activists used neighborhood basketball courts to rally young voters, build community trust, and spark grassroots political engagement — a strategy that still resonates in modern politics.
• Using creative animation, archival video, and thoughtful interviews, the short film traces a cultural and strategic throughline between MLK’s community-based efforts and the role basketball later played in the 2008 Obama presidential campaign. 
• Featured voices include Civil Rights activist Ambassador Andrew Young, journalist Jemele Hill, Michael Strautmanis (Advisor to President Obama & EVP of the Obama Foundation), Reginald L. Love (Obama’s longtime aide), and NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West. 
• Together, they illustrate how basketball has served as both a gathering place and a platform for empowerment.

• The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, later earning multiple honors including the Best Documentary Short award at the Cleveland International Film Festival.
• Hoops, Hopes, & Dreams is set to premiere on January 19th, exclusively on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.