Looking for a great movie to rent tonight on Apple TV? We've all been there: you open the Store tab, scroll through endless banners of action flicks, thrillers, and new releases, and suddenly thirty minutes pass before you even hit play.
Checking the top movie rental charts is my favorite shortcut to beat decision fatigue, but navigating Apple's storefront specifically for rentals can sometimes be a bit tricky. To save you time and money, I spent some time analyzing the official US iTunes and Apple TV rental charts. Below is my hands-on breakdown of 10 featured movie rentals right now, from hot theatrical PVOD titles to $1.99 bargain rentals, along with practical lessons I've learned while testing Apple's rental system.
A Quick Tip for Movie Renters Before You Pay
During my testing on both my iPad and Apple TV 4K, I noticed something that constantly confuses viewers: Apple TV's store page lists both Standard Rentals and Early-Access PVOD Rentals together.
When you see a higher listing like $24.99 or $19.99, that is a Premium VOD (PVOD) Rental—giving you early home access to big theatrical hits while they are still fresh. Standard rentals, on the other hand, usually drop to $3.99 – $5.99 once the early window passes.
Always check that you are tapping the dedicated Rent button rather than "Buy," so you only pay for temporary access if you don't intend to own the movie permanently!
Current Top 10 iTunes/Apple TV Movie Rentals Chart
1. Verity
- Genre: Psychological Thriller
- Director: Michael Showalter
- Primary Cast: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett
- Listed Store Price: $24.99 (Buy / PVOD)
If you loved Colleen Hoover's novel, this adaptation delivers that same slow-burn paranoia. The story follows Lowen, a struggling writer hired to complete the remaining books of bestselling author Verity Crawford after a devastating accident. Once Lowen moves into the Crawford home, she uncovers an unpublished autobiography that pulls her into a dark web of lies and obsession. It's tense, unsettling, and perfect for a late-night watch.
2. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- Genre: Action & Adventure
- Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
- Primary Cast: Tom Holland
- Listed Store Price: $24.99 (Buy / Early Access)
Tom Holland's Peter Parker is back, but the stakes feel completely different this time. Operating entirely in the shadows now that the world has forgotten who Peter Parker is, he's dealing with profound isolation alongside classic NYC crime-fighting. When a fresh threat emerges, Peter has to balance his personal sacrifices against his duties as Spider-Man.
3. The Dog Stars
- Genre: Sci-Fi / Post-Apocalyptic Thriller
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Primary Cast: Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce
- Listed Store Price: $24.99
Ridley Scott brings Peter Heller's celebrated post-apocalyptic novel to life. Hig, a pilot surviving in an isolated airpark after a global pandemic, lives a strict, quiet life protected by a ruthless survivalist. But when a faint radio transmission sparks hope of something better out there, he risks everything on a solo flight into the unknown. The aerial cinematography on an OLED screen is visually stunning.
4. The End of Oak Street
- Genre: Sci-Fi / Mystery Thriller
- Director: David Robert Mitchell
- Primary Cast: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor
- Listed Store Price: $12.99
Imagine waking up and realizing your entire suburban neighborhood has been plucked out of reality and dropped into a strange, hostile cosmic landscape. That's the wild setup here. It follows the Platt family as they struggle to understand what happened while trying to survive environmental hazards and unknown entities.
5. By Any Means
- Genre: Crime / Historical Thriller
- Director: Elegance Bratton
- Primary Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Wahlberg
- Listed Store Price: $24.99
Based on true events from 1960s Mississippi, this gritty crime drama pairs a young Black FBI agent with Greg Scarpa, a notorious mob hitman brought in by the government to bypass traditional law enforcement barriers. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg share an intense on-screen chemistry that keeps you hooked from start to finish.
6. Practical Magic 2
- Genre: Fantasy / Comedy / Drama
- Director: Susanne Bier
- Primary Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Joey King, Lee Pace
- Listed Store Price: $24.99
The Owens sisters are back! Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprise their iconic roles as Sally and Gillian Owens in this long-awaited sequel. This time around, the family must unite to face an ancient ancestral curse that threatens the next generation of Owens women. It strikes a cozy balance between nostalgia, sisterhood, and light supernatural fun.
7. Coyote vs. Acme
- Genre: Live-Action / Animated Comedy
- Director: Dave Green
- Primary Cast: Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor
- Listed Store Price: $14.99
After decades of exploding anvils and faulty rocket skates, Wile E. Coyote finally hires a down-on-his-luck trial lawyer to sue the ACME Corporation. It's an absolute blast for families and anyone who grew up watching Looney Tunes, packed with sharp legal humor and classic slapstick animation.
8. Forgotten Island
- Genre: Animated / Family Fantasy
- Director: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
- Listed Store Price: $29.99
DreamWorks delivers a vibrant adventure inspired by Filipino folklore. Two lifelong friends, Jo and Raissa, accidentally discover a hidden portal leading to the magical island of Nakali. To find their way back home, they must navigate mythical creatures, ancient magic, and a heartbreaking choice about their own memories.
9. The Weight
- Genre: Historical Drama / Survival Thriller
- Director: Padraic McKinley
- Primary Cast: Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe
- Listed Store Price: $24.99
Set during the Great Depression, Ethan Hawke plays a desperate father trapped in a brutal Oregon work camp. When offered a chance at freedom in exchange for transporting a dangerous shipment of gold through rugged wilderness, he accepts—only to face lethal threats from both the terrain and his fellow team members.
10. Body of Lies (2008)
- Genre: Action / Espionage
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Primary Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong
- Listed Store Price: $1.99 (Rental Deal)
Sometimes the best finds on the chart are catalog classics that drop to a steal. Ridley Scott's suspenseful spy thriller follows a CIA operative on the ground in the Middle East trying to trap a terrorist mastermind. At $1.99, it's an easy, low-risk pick for a mid-week movie night.
How to Rent Movies on Apple TV Step-by-Step
Renting a movie inside the Apple ecosystem is seamless once you know where to tap:
- Launch the Apple TV App: Open the app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K, or Smart TV. Make sure you're logged into your primary Apple Account.
- Navigate to the Store Tab: Select Store from the top or bottom menu bar to browse current featured titles or search directly for a movie.
- Select the Rent Option: On the movie's main page, tap Rent. (If both HD and 4K options exist, double-check if there's any price difference).
- Confirm Your Rental: Authorize the payment via Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode. Once confirmed, your active rental instantly moves to Library > Rentals.
Can You Download Apple TV Rentals for Offline Viewing?
Yes! Downloading rented movies for offline viewing is supported on personal devices including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows PCs. In my testing while preparing for a flight, I downloaded a rented movie to my iPad in advance:
- Go to Library > Rentals in the Apple TV app.
- Tap the Download (cloud) icon next to your rented title.
- Wait for the download to complete before putting your device into Airplane Mode.
Keep in mind that hardware streaming devices (like Apple TV boxes or Smart TVs) stream rentals directly and do not support local offline downloads.
Important Rules Every Apple TV Renter Must Know
Apple's movie rental system operates on strict time limits. Here are the core rules I always keep in mind to avoid losing access:
- The 30-Day Unopened Limit: After paying for a rental, you have 30 days to start watching it. You can rent a movie during a mid-week sale and save it for the weekend without losing time.
- The 48-Hour Playback Clock: The moment you press Play, a 48-hour countdown timer begins. You can pause, rewind, or rewatch the movie as many times as you like within those 48 hours before it automatically expires from your library.
- Smart Renter Tip: If you're hosting a movie night, don't press play on the movie while setting up snacks! Wait until everyone is seated so you maximize your 48-hour window.
Pro Tip: How to Keep Your Apple TV Rentals Beyond the 48-Hour Limit
To remove the 48-hour expiration clock and watch Apple TV rentals on non-Apple devices like Android tablets, legacy media players, or home Plex servers, it's necessary to convert these rentals to local files.
During my testing, I tried using DRmare M4V Converter to see if I could bypass these built-in rental restrictions. The tool seamlessly removes DRM protection from your downloaded iTunes/Apple TV movie rentals and converts them into DRM-free local MP4 or M4V video files.
FAQs About iTunes/Apple TV Movie Rentals
Why don't I see a "Rent" button on certain movies?
Some brand-new theatrical releases enter what Apple calls an "Early Access" window. During this time, studios only make the movie available for digital purchase (or pre-order). If you don't want to buy it outright, add it to your Watchlist and check back in a few weeks when the rental option goes live.
Are iTunes movie rentals the same as Apple TV rentals?
Yes. Apple has unified its old iTunes video catalog into the modern Apple TV app. Whether you search for "iTunes rentals" or use the Apple TV Store, you are accessing the exact same rental system and library.
If I rent a movie on my iPhone, can I watch it on my Apple TV 4K?
Absolutely. As long as both devices are signed into the same Apple ID, your active rental syncs across devices under Library > Rentals. You can start watching on your phone and finish on your big screen seamlessly.
Final Thoughts
Renting movies on Apple TV is one of the most flexible ways to enjoy new releases without cluttering your digital library permanently. Whether you're splashing out on a PVOD early release like Verity or Spider-Man: Brand New Day, catching up on family comedy with Coyote vs. Acme, or grabbing a $1.99 bargain like Body of Lies, there's plenty on the Apple TV chart to choose from. Just keep an eye on that 48-hour playback timer once you press play! What movie are you planning to rent this weekend?
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