Our team compiled the movies based on true stories and here is what they came up with
Here are the 25 movies based on true stories to check out on the streaming service.
1. Schindler’s List (1993)
Rated R, this historical drama film is based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than 1,000 Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. The film stars Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Kingsley. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film was widely appreciated for its powerful performances, historical accuracy and its ability to bring attention to the Holocaust. The film grossed $321 million worldwide and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
2. The Imitation Game (2014)
Rated PG-13, this historical drama film is based on the true story of Alan Turing, a British mathematician and logician who helped crack German codes during World War II and was later persecuted for his homosexuality. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kiera Knightley and Matthew Goode. Directed by Morten Tyldum, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, historical accuracy and its ability to bring attention to Turing’s contributions during the war and the injustice of his subsequent prosecution. The film grossed $233 million worldwide and received eight Academy Award nominations.
3. The Social Network (2010)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. Directed by David Fincher, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, accurate representation of the early days of Facebook, and its ability to bring attention to the rise of social media and its impact on society. The film grossed $224 million worldwide and won three Academy Awards.
4. The Big Short (2015)
Rated R, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of the 2008 financial crisis, and the group of investors who saw it coming and profited from it. The film stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, and Ryan Gosling. Directed by Adam McKay, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, accurate representation of the financial crisis, and its ability to bring attention to the greed and corruption that led to the crisis. The film grossed $133 million worldwide and received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Rated R, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who defrauded investors out of millions of dollars in the 1990s. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, and Margot Robbie. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the excess and corruption of Wall Street during the 1990s. The film grossed $392 million worldwide and received five Academy Award nominations.
6. The Theory of Everything (2014)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of physicist Stephen Hawking and his relationship with his wife, Jane. The film stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. Directed by James Marsh, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the life and work of Stephen Hawking. The film grossed $123 million worldwide and received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
7. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman who becomes homeless with his young son and fights to turn his life around. The film stars Will Smith and Jaden Smith. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the struggles of homelessness and poverty. The film grossed $307 million worldwide and received numerous award nominations including an Academy Award nomination for Will Smith’s outstanding performance.
8. Apollo 13 (1995)
Rated PG, this historical drama film is based on the true story of the Apollo 13 space mission, which was plagued by a series of technical problems and the subsequent efforts to bring the astronauts home safely. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton. Directed by Ron Howard, the film was widely appreciated for its attention to historical accuracy, tension-filled storytelling and its ability to bring attention to the heroism of the NASA’s team during the Apollo 13 mission. The film grossed $355 million worldwide and received nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
9. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of John Nash, a Nobel Prize-winning mathematician who struggles with schizophrenia. The film stars Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly. Directed by Ron Howard, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges of mental illness. The film grossed $313 million worldwide and won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
10. Goodfellas (1990)
Rated R, this crime-drama film is based on the true story of Henry Hill, a mobster who turns informant for the FBI. The film stars Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the inner workings of organized crime. The film grossed $47 million worldwide and received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
11. The Hurricane (1999)
Rated R, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a boxer who was falsely convicted of murder and spent 20 years in prison. The film stars Denzel Washington and Vicellous Reon Shannon. Directed by Norman Jewison, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the issues of racism and wrongful conviction. The film grossed $50 million worldwide and received three Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Denzel Washington.
12. The Revenant (2015)
Rated R, this adventure-drama film is based on the true story of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman who is mauled by a bear and left for dead by his fellow trappers, and his journey to survive and seek revenge. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and Will Poulter. Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges of survival in the wilderness. The film grossed $532 million worldwide and won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio.
13. The King’s Speech (2010)
Rated R, this historical drama film is based on the true story of King George VI and his efforts to overcome a stammer with the help of a speech therapist. The film stars Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. Directed by Tom Hooper, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges faced by people with speech disorders. The film grossed $414 million worldwide and won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
14. American Sniper (2014)
Rated R, this biographical war-drama film is based on the true story of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who served four tours in Iraq. The film stars Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the sacrifices and challenges faced by American soldiers in the Iraq War. The film grossed $547 million worldwide and received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
15. The Hateful Eight (2015)
Rated R, this Western film is based on a story of a group of travelers who become stranded in a cabin during a blizzard, and tensions rise as they begin to suspect one another of nefarious intentions. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and dangers of life in the American West. The film grossed $155 million worldwide and received one Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Leigh.
16. Sully (2016)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of Chesley Sullenberger, a pilot who successfully landed a damaged plane on the Hudson River, saving all the passengers and crew. The film stars Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, and Laura Linney. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and dangers of flying and the heroism of pilots. The film grossed $238 million worldwide.
17. The Disaster Artist (2017)
Rated R, this biographical comedy-drama film is based on the true story of the making of the 2003 film “The Room,” and its eccentric and passionate director Tommy Wiseau. The film stars James Franco and Dave Franco. Directed by James Franco, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and eccentricities of independent filmmaking. The film grossed $29 million worldwide and received one Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
18. Lion (2016)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of Saroo Brierley, a young boy from India who gets separated from his family and ends up being adopted by an Australian couple. The film stars Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara. Directed by Garth Davis, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and emotions of adoption and the search for one’s identity and roots. The film grossed $140 million worldwide and received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Patel
19. The Post (2017)
Rated PG-13, this historical drama film is based on the true story of the Washington Post’s publishing of the Pentagon Papers, and the legal battles that ensued. The film stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and importance of freedom of the press. The film grossed $162 million worldwide and received two Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
20. The Greatest Showman (2017)
Rated PG, this biographical musical film is based on the true story of P.T. Barnum, the founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. The film stars Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. Directed by Michael Gracey, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and triumphs of P.T. Barnum and the circus industry. The film grossed $434 million worldwide.
21. Darkest Hour (2017)
Rated PG-13, this biographical war-drama film is based on the true story of Winston Churchill during the early days of World War II. The film stars Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas. Directed by Joe Wright, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and triumphs of Winston Churchill and the early days of World War II. The film grossed $150 million worldwide and won an Academy Award for Best Actor for Oldman.
22. I, Tonya (2017)
Rated R, this biographical black comedy film is based on the true story of Tonya Harding, a figure skater who became embroiled in a scandal involving an attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan. The film stars Margot Robbie and Allison Janney. Directed by Craig Gillespie, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and eccentricities of figure skating and the media. The film grossed $48 million worldwide and received three Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Janney.
23. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Rated PG-13, this biographical drama film is based on the true story of the band Queen and its lead singer Freddie Mercury. The film stars Rami Malek and Gwilym Lee. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and triumphs of the band and its lead singer. The film grossed $903 million worldwide and won four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Rami Malek.
24. Green Book (2018)
Rated PG-13, this biographical comedy-drama film is based on the true story of a tour by African American pianist Don Shirley and his white driver Tony Vallelonga during the 1960s. The film stars Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. Directed by Peter Farrelly, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and triumphs of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. The film grossed $325 million worldwide and won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
25. Rocketman (2019)
Rated R, this biographical musical film is based on the true story of Elton John and his rise to fame as a musician. The film stars Taron Egerton and Jamie Bell. Directed by Dexter Fletcher, the film was widely appreciated for its performances, attention to historical accuracy, and its ability to bring attention to the challenges and triumphs of Elton John’s life and career. The film grossed $195 million worldwide and received one Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.