16 Movies Based On True Stories You Should Watch In 2026

Movies Based on True Stories to Watch in 2026

Now, if you have been looking forward to watching movies based on true stories but are not able find good ones, here is a table with the 16 best movies that you could most definitely check out, along with their relevant details.

Top 3 Movies According to My Personal Rating

While the list is long, it would turn out to be quite confusing for you to go through all these movies. Now, if you are in a hurry, here are the top 3 movies based on True Stories from this list that are my personal favourites and would recommend. So, without further ado, let’s take a look.

Elvis

This movie could be my most recommended, maybe because I am somewhat of a musician myself, but other than that factor, this might just be one of the most well-done biopics we have ever seen. This movie encapsulates the story of Elvis Presley and how he came to be known as The King. However, it not only tells us the legend but also tells us all about his downfall. Moreover, the performance brought forth by Austin Butler is simply mind-blowing, and the way he has sung Elvis songs himself for the movie, it would take a minute for you to figure out that it’s not the original song but a cover by the actor himself.

Argo

Argo is one of my all-time favourite movies and for good reason. This movie tells us a story that, if was not backed by actual evidence, would sound completely fictional. Argo tells us the story of a CIA Agent who is tasked with rescuing members of the US embassy who were trapped in Tehran during the 1979–81 Iran hostage crisis. This movie sits in my top 3 because of the way it is executed; it has just the right amount of humor, action, thrill, and a story that never gets old, no matter how many times it gets told. So, if you’re here looking for an edge-of-the-seat experience, Argo is the way to go.

Zodiac

If you are someone who enjoys watching true crime, once you are through with Zodiac, trust me when I say it, you’ll take a short sabbatical from watching the genre simply because of how dark the movie turns out to be. Zodiac tells us the true story of the Zodiac killer and his brutal killings, which are displayed on screen in great detail. However, the scariest part is that the killer was never caught. This movie is an acting masterclass by the leads, which you should most definitely not miss out on.

16 Best Movies Based on Real Life to Watch in 2026

So, now that we are through with my personal opinion, let’s take a look at all the movies that have made it to this list. Every moive mentioned here is some of the best true story movies you will find on the internet and if you have some suggestions of your own, drop them in the comments.

Argo

Release Date: October 12, 2012 Cast: Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, Taylor Schilling, Scoot McNairy, Clea DuVall, Chris Messina, Tate Donovan, Christopher Denham, Victor Garber, Kerry Bishé. Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 96%/ 7.7

Argo, starring Ben Affleck, is probably one of the coolest and most thrilling true story-inspired movies that have ever been made. This movie revolves around the 1979–81 Iran hostage crisis, where members of the US embassy were trapped in Tehran. They escaped the hostage takers and took refuge with Canadian diplomats. A United States exfiltration specialist takes up the identity of a filmmaker and, under the cover of a movie named “Argo,” extracts the US citizens undetected. Ben Affleck has given a mindblowing performance in the movie, and not just that, the minute details of every aspect of this operation have been shown to us beautifully. Argo also won three awards at the 85th Academy Awards, so in my opinion, this is a movie you should check out.

The Social Network

Release Date: October 1, 2010 Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 96%/ 7.8

The Social Network is the tale of Mark Zuckerberg and how he became the man who brought the world together on Facebook. The movie, based on the real-life story of Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin, shows how Eduardo was ousted from the company and the end of the friendship between the two. The chemistry between Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield in this movie is almost as if you are watching the real thing happening in front of your eyes. This movie is something I would totally recommend you watch.

Zodiac

Release Date: March 2, 2007 Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Chloë Sevigny, John Carroll Lynch, Anthony Edwards, Lee Norris Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 90%/ 7.7

If you are someone who is fascinated by true crime stories, Zodiac is a true story-based movie that will relieve every itch you have from the genre. Zodiac will take you back to the late 1960s and 1970s in San Francisco, where the citizens were being terrorized by a serial killer who went by the name of the “Zodiac Killer”. The lead detectives in this case are played by Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards. Along with two journalists played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr., who are also investigating the case in hopes of finding out the identity of the Zodiac Killer. It is pretty clear by now that this movie has a super solid cast, and you just can’t go wrong with names like Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Jake Gyllenhaal. This movie operates mainly on a dark theme, but it will also relieve you from the dark element from time to time. Oh, and yes, the Zodiac Killer was never found and is to date unidentified.

Elvis

Release Date: June 24, 2022  Cast: Austin Butler, Olivia DeJonge, Tom Hanks, Dacre Montgomery, Luke Bracey. Richard Roxburgh, Helen Thomson, David Wenham, Natasha Bassett, Chaydon Jay Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 77%/ 7.3

If you don’t know who Elvis Presley is, you might as well be from another planet because this man here is the one who rocked the world of the entire music industry. With his unmatched aura and stage presence with songs like “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, and the most popular of them all, “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Presley became the King of Rock and Roll. However, even though Elvis was one of the biggest stars this world has ever seen, he had a dark side to himself, and this 2022 movie brings us the entire tale of the rise and fall of The King. Austin Butler has done a phenomenal job at playing Elvis Presley and not just acting. The songs you hear in this movie are all sung by Austin himself, and you really can’t tell the difference between his and Elvis’ voices, which is why Austin Butler won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for this movie.

Zero Dark Thirty

Release Date: December 19, 2012  Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Kyle Chandler, Chris Pratt, James Gandolfini, Jennifer Ehle Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 91%/ 7.4

Everyone knows about the infamous attacks that took down the Twin Towers on 9/11 and the man who was behind those attacks. Zero Dark Thirty is a movie revolving around the planning and intel collection that went into taking down Osama Bin Laden. Even though the lead CIA agent, Maya, is a fictional character and some of the elements are fictionalized as well, this movie brings to life a true event that will be marked in the history of the world. Even though Zero Dark Thirty was a critical success, it also became the center of a lot of controversy, and to know why, you’ll have to watch the movie yourself!

The Good Nurse

Release Date:  September 11, 2022 Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Jessica Chastain, Alix West Lefler, Alix West Lefler, Alix West Lefler, Nnamdi Asomugha, Noah Emmerich, Maria Dizzia Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 74%/6.8

The Good Nurse brings us the true story of one of the most horrifying serial killers America has ever seen. This movie shows us the process of how US Law Enforcement managed to catch Charlie Cullen, who was a nurse by profession, but instead of healing people with medicine, he used it to take the lives of more than 40 people over 16 years. This movie might sound like just another serial killer movie, but it would actually make you feel scared before you walk into a doctor’s office again.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Release Date: December 25, 2013 Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jordan Belfort, Martin Scorsese, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Cristin Milioti, Jon Favreau, Jon Bernthal, Kyle Chandler Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 79%/ 8.2

The Wolf of Wall Street brings us the tale of Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. It shows us how, from having an entry-level job at a Wall Street brokerage firm, he built an empire for himself. However, the methods of brokerage he used were not exactly legal, leading to him being gradually pinned down by the SEC and the FBI. This movie is said to be one of the best movies ever made by DiCaprio, and it is evident by the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor won by Leonardo DiCaprio in 2014.

Black Hawk Down

Release Date: January 18, 2002  Cast: Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy, Tom Sizemore, Orlando Bloom, William Fichtner, Jason Isaacs, Ty Burrell, Sam Shepard Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 76%/7.7

Black Hawk Down takes place in the year 1993, when the United States sent troops to Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian support to the people of Somalia. However, while dropping in soldiers from two Black Hawk helicopters, they were ambushed by heavily armed Somalian forces, which brought down the helicopters as well. The movie revolves around the entirety of rescuing the troops caught in heavy fire and how they made it back to their base. This movie successfully received two Academy Awards and is still known as one of the best military movies out there.

Dallas Buyer’s Club

Release Date: November 22, 2013 Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner, Dallas Roberts, Craig Borten, Steve Zahn, Denis O’Hare, Griffin Dunne, Bradford Cox, Kevin Rankin Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 92%/ 7.9

Bringing us the fascinating tale of Ron Woodroof, whose world came upside down when he was diagnosed with HIV, Dallas Buyer’s Club shows us the indomitable human spirit of survival. Ron was given thirty days to live after his diagnosis, and since the medication for it was not approved by the United States, there was no help for him. Taking his fate into his own hands, he started smuggling unapproved drugs into the U.S. and started giving them to other people who had been suffering. With the help of a fellow patient played by Jared Leto, he helped lots of people. However, his operation was later shut down by the United States Government. This movie is an excellent representation of a true story about a man who refused to give up and, in his hustle to change his fate, became a beacon of hope for hundreds of other people. Jared Leto also won the Oscar for his role in this movie, and if you are someone suffering from anything, this true story movie will give you the hope to carry on, no matter what.

12 Strong

Release Date: January 19, 2018 Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Peña, Michael Shannon, Taylor Sheridan, Elsa Pataky, Thad Luckinbill, Trevante Rhodes, William Fichtner, Navid Negahban, Rob Riggle, Geoff Stults, Kenny Sheard. Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 50%/ 6.5

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, 12 Strong brings us the tale of twelve brave men led by Captain Mitch Nelson who went into Afghanistan to neutralize a Taliban and Al-Qaida stronghold. They allied with the Northern Alliance since their goals aligned. Even though heavily outnumbered and outgunned, rode into battle on horseback and stood victorious in the face of an overwhelming number of enemies. Moreover, Captain Mitch successfully brought all his 12 men home, completing the mission with no casualties. This movie, in 2018, was nominated for “Favorite Action Movie” at the People’s Choice Awards. The next year, this movie was recognized by the Visual Effects Society Awards and was nominated for “Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature.”

Dunkirk

Release Date: July 21, 2017 Cast: Harry Styles, Fionn Whitehead, Cillian Murphy, Jack Lowden, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 92%/ 7.8

Dunkirk brings to life one of the greatest rescue missions carried out in World War 2. In 1940, German advancement into France trapped Allied forces on the beaches of Dunkirk. They were constantly under heavy air raids and were struggling to survive with weapons and equipment scavenged from dead bodies. An operation was launched to get these men to safety with air cover provided by French and British forces. Every available means, be it civilian or defense, was used to methodically evacuate 330,000 French, British, Dutch, and Belgian soldiers. Dunkirk is one of the most visually stunning movies we have seen in a while. Even though the movie might feel slow to some people, the way we see the soldiers gradually losing their patience and hope is presented beautifully. All these factors led Dunkirk to bag 8 nominations at the 90th Academy Awards.

Kingdom of Heaven

Release Date: May 6, 2005  Cast: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Edward Norton, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Ghassan Massoud, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Sheen Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 39%/ 7.3

The Kingdom of Heaven takes us back to the Crusades and brings us to King Baldwin IV. The true-story movie revolves around Balian, who joins his father in the Crusades as it marches on to take Jerusalem. This movie is filled with numerous political themes and will also leave you in awe of King Baldwin, who managed to win great wars at such a young age. The Kingdom of Heaven is a theatrical wonder bringing history to life in one of the most gripping forms I have ever witnessed, and you should give this one a shot as well.

Hacksaw Ridge

Release Date:  November 4, 2016 Cast: Andrew Garfield, Luke Bracey, Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Richard Pyros, Nathaniel Buzolic Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 84%/ 8.1

If you are someone who loves a good World War movie, Hacksaw Ridge will bring you a tale that is almost impossible to believe. This movie brings us the true story of Private Desmond T. Doss, played by Andrew Garfield, a field medic in World War 2 who refused to bear arms on religious grounds. was bullied and made fun of at boot camp for his choice of not using weapons, but won the Congressional Medal of Honor for saving the lives of 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa without firing a single gunshot. This movie is what I would like to call theatrical perfection, be it on the grounds of storytelling or cinematography, this movie is something that will make you laugh, cry, and feel the power of one man’s will. The movie won 2 Academy Awards while being nominated for six.

The Highwaymen

Release Date: March 15, 2019 Cast: Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates, Kim Dickens, Emily Brobst, John Carroll Lynch, Thomas Mann, Edward Bossert Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 58%/ 6.9

The Highwaymen is one of my favorite movies and tells us the tale of two Texas Rangers – Frank Hamer, played by Kevin Costner, and Maney Gault, played by Woody Harrelson. They were given the task of capturing and bringing down the infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, which they fulfilled by killing them in the 1930s. The Highwaymen is a perfect mix of comedy, action, and peak storytelling, which will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end.

The Outpost

Release Date: November 2, 2019 Cast: Scott Eastwood, Orlando Bloom, Caleb Landry Jones, Jacob Scipio, Taylor John Smith, Milo Gibson, Alfie Stewart, Jack Kesy, Elijah Wood, Henry Hughes, Jonathan Yunger, Cory Hardrict, George Arvidson, Celina Sinden Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 91%/ 6.8

The Outpost is a rather underrated movie, but it brings us an unbelievable tale of courage and valor shown by the US Defense Forces. This movie shows us a small outpost named Outpost Keating, with a small unit of soldiers at the foot of three valleys surrounded by all sides in Afghanistan. This unit of soldiers was one day ambushed by a coordinated attack from the Taliban forces from all sides, and even though the soldiers stood victorious, the attack cost the lives of several soldiers who died protecting their comrades. After this, Bravo Troop 3-61 CAV became one of the most decorated units of the entire Afghanistan conflict. This movie will show you some of the most realistic combat sequences with very well-done cinematography, and it is truly an experience in itself.

Better Man

Release Date: January 10, 2025 Cast: Robbie Williams, Nicole Appleton, Jonno Davies, Gary Barlow, Raechelle Banno, Steve Pemberton, Kate Mulvany, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman, Elyssia Koulouris Rotten Tomatoes/IMDb: 89%/7.5

Better Man might just be one of the most unique biopics you would possibly come across. This movie tells the story of world-renowned musician Robbie Williams. However, in this movie, he is not portrayed by an actor but, true Robbie Williams fashion, as a CGI chimpanzee. The movie takes us through his life as a kid to his stardom and the consequences that usually come with it. Overall, this movie is an absolute entertainer, and you should most definitely check it out. Well, this was our list of the best movies based on true stories. Which of these have you watched already? Name Email ID

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