Best Movies Based on a True Story (January 2026)

At the heart of any great film is a great story. And sometimes, the best stories come from unbelievable true events. Some of the most powerful movies are based on the lives of extraordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. These films remind us that real life can be just as cinematic as anything dreamed up in a writer’s room. Here are some of the best movies based on a true story.

What are the best movies based on a true story?

These are just a few of our favorite picks, spanning genres and tones. There are inspirational tales of perseverance (The Pursuit of Happyness, The Pianist, The King’s Speech, Lion, 127 Hours), classic sports epics (Rudy, Moneyball, Raging Bull), gripping crime stories (Zodiac, Monster), and portraits of brilliant minds (The Imitation Game, Hidden Figures, The Theory of Everything, The Right Stuff). We can’t forget the hard-hitting investigations (The Insider, Dark Waters, Killers of the Flower Moon), films set during times of war (Hacksaw Ridge, Saving Private Ryan, Glory), and movies rooted in pivotal moments in history (The Big Short, Dallas Buyers Club, Small Things Like These, Selma).

We could go on and on, but we decided to narrow these cinematic acievements to our favorite picks. Each of these films proves that when real life meets great filmmaking, the results can be unforgettable.

Schindler’s List (1993)

This epic historical film is one of the most recognized and respected movies in cinematic history. Released in 1993, Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List adapts the novel Schindler’s Ark, a historical fiction book based on the real story of Oskar Schindler. The film tells the story of Schindler (played by Liam Neeson), a German industrialist and member of the Nazi Party who becomes an unlikely hero after witnessing the horrific atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

Schindler maintains relationships with members of the Nazi elite, most notably Amon Göth (Ralph Fiennes), the ruthless officer overseeing the construction and operation of the Płaszów concentration camp. Using his money, factory, and influence, Schindler ultimately saves more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the darkest days of the Third Reich. Shot mostly in stark black-and-white, the film is brutal, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. It’s not an easy watch by any means, but it’s one of the most important films ever made and absolutely earns its place on any list of must-see true stories.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2014)

For a bit lighter fare (though that might not be exactly the right word), The Wolf of Wall Street tells the story of the rise of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio in what is arguably a performance that should have won him an Oscar long before The Revenant) in New York during the ’80s and ’90s. This rags-to-riches story isn’t exactly inspiring, since we also get a front-row seat to the inevitable downfall, but it’s one heck of a ride along the way. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film also launched Margot Robbie into stardom with her Hollywood breakout performance as Belfort’s glamorous New Jersey wife. Jonah Hill also plays a fantastic supporting role. This film is as excessive as it is chaotic. It’s well worth a watch, even if you feel a little gross by the time it’s over.

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

This biographical crime comedy-drama follows Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), the first Black detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to prove himself, Ron takes on an incredibly dangerous and almost unbelievable mission: infiltrating and exposing the Ku Klux Klan. He poses as a white supremacist over the phone. At the same time, his Jewish detective partner, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), attends KKK meetings in person, allowing the two of them to pull off one of the strangest undercover operations in law enforcement history.

Directed by Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and ultimately took home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Spotlight (2015)

This investigative journalism drama follows the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team as they uncover the massive child abuse scandal within the Catholic Church. Set in the early 2000s, the film focuses on a small group of reporters who methodically piece together years of buried evidence, institutional cover-ups, and legal maneuvering that allowed abuse to continue unchecked.

Unlike some flashier true-story adaptations, Spotlight is deliberately restrained. Real journalism is, after all, pretty unglamorous. This adaptation of a true story doesn’t fall into the trap of cinematic speeches or dramatic flair. It’s a crawl of a film, but completely devastating as the corrupted truth comes to light. Directed by Tom McCarthy, the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

Oppenheimer (2024)

Directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer tells the story of the brilliant and deeply complicated physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy in an outstanding performance that earned him an Oscar. Set mostly during World War II (the timelines jump a bit), the film follows the international race to build the atomic bomb and Oppenheimer’s role in leading the Manhattan Project.

From start to finish, the movie takes us through what it takes to make this bomb a reality. However, the film doesn’t showcase this as triumph, but lays out the consequences of this destroyer of worlds. As Oppenheimer grapples with the weight of what he’s helped create, the film also places this astonishing figure at the center of a political conflict, as his former affiliations and personal beliefs come back to haunt him in the years that follow. Though you might expect this epic to feel more like a marathon given its three-plus-hour runtime, the pacing feels more like a sprint. From start to finish, Oppenheimer never lets up.

How we picked the best movies based on a true story

We narrowed our choices down to the best movies across various genres. While we could easily swap out any of these films for others, these are among the most critically acclaimed or tell these stories in ways that are inspiring, challenging, unusual, and just great to watch.

Source: Comingsoon.net