Stacker selected 15 pairs of movies which have eerily related plots: All pairs on this record have the identical primary plot when you strip away the small print.
Totally different films with the identical plots
Artwork imitates artwork
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Thematically, all storytelling follows considered one of 4 primary battle narratives: man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. himself, and man vs. society. In movie as in literature, these narrative frameworks are used throughout genres to inform tales of epic adventures, timeless romance, and memorable self-discovery.
Thus, a method or one other, you get a variety of movies which can be very a lot alike — and never simply in a “Star Wars is a Western” sort of a manner. Often, administrators might be open about their inspirations from, or reimagining of, earlier movies; and typically it’s only a complete coincidence. Or is it?
For this record, Stacker discovered 15 pairs of movies which have eerily related plots. In fact, the flicks differ in some ways, too. In a number of circumstances, the identical plot is wearing a special setting or style to make it appear to be one thing else completely. However all pairs of films on this record have the identical primary plot when you strip away the small print. Try these movies that you could be by no means have realized are extra related than you thought.
You might also like: Oscar Best Actress Winner from the Year You Were Born
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions / Dreamworks Photos
‘The Hidden Fortress’ and ‘Star Wars’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
“The Hidden Fortress” follows two Japanese peasants who, of their efforts to flee a warfare, agree to assist a person and girl throughout enemy strains. The peasants are unaware that the person is a basic and the lady is a princess. If that already sounds a bit acquainted, George Lucas admitted that Akira Kurosawa’s basic 1958 image vastly impressed him within the making of “Star Wars,” and lots of similarities may be discovered all through. This contains telling the story from a peasants’-eye view (the peasants being C-3PO and R2-D2); the filmmaking methods and scene transitions used; a slaveowner similar to Jabba the Hutt; and the use of handmaidens, as seen in “The Phantom Menace.”
Toho Firm / Lucasfilm
‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Two movies about males “born into uncommon circumstances” chronicle their life and instances similarly—actually, they’re each tailored from their respective supply materials by the identical screenwriter. “Forrest Gump” follows a mentally disabled man and “Benjamin Button” follows a person born outdated who ages backward, each of whom find yourself being a part of nice historic moments. Each movies chart the lives of males who’re totally different from others, who’ve a lovesick romance with a girl from their childhood, they usually even share similar themes of personal freedom.
Paramount Photos / Warner Bros.
‘Phantom of the Paradise’ and ‘The Rocky Horror Image Present’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
These trendy, horror rock operas don’t simply occur to share genres. “Phantom of the Paradise” and “The Rocky Horror Image Present” additionally share plotlines so related that they have been truly billed as double features for a while. They each parody and are impressed by a slew of basic horror tropes, heart on mad scientist creator pining after a love curiosity, and offer commentary on subversive gender roles, however their equally colourful aesthetics and artwork design. Although each are thought-about cult classics, followers of “Phantom of the Paradise” really feel it’s unjustly overshadowed in its legacy by “Rocky Horror” regardless of popping out a 12 months earlier.
Harbor Productions / Twentieth Century Fox
‘Gremlins’ and ‘Transformers’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Whereas these two “monster” movies appear to be they’re on reverse ends of the spectrum, they draw extra of a resemblance than one would possibly assume. In reality, an eagle-eyed YouTuber made a persuasive argument that the 2 are literally the identical movie, and created a video itemizing dozens of factors to show it. These embody oddly related plot particulars that embody an outdated man discovering an alien creature, lead characters with related household constructions, and even every lead character receiving an alien as a substitute of the automotive he anticipated.
Warner Bros. / Dreamworks Photos
‘Iron Man’ and ‘Physician Unusual’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
It ought to come as no shock that two movies in the identical related, cinematic universe ended up sharing similarities, however the truth that Tony Stark actually becomes Doctor Strange in the comics. However followers of the origin story movies have drawn comparisons between the final define of the plots and the trajectory of Tony Stark and Physician Stephen Unusual: Two rich, smug males who maintain debilitating accidents search out unorthodox therapies and find yourself using their genius to turn into superheroes. Some even went so far as to dub “Physician Unusual” a “rebooted ‘Iron Man.’”
You might also like: Mistakes from the 50 best movies of all time
Paramount Photos / Warner Bros.
‘The Fugitive’ and ‘Minority Report’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Philip Ok. Dick’s 1956 quick sci-fi novella “Minority Report” loosely impressed Steven Spielberg’s 2002 sci-fi drama of the identical identify. However even an off-the-cuff viewer can not help however draw similarities to 1993’s “The Fugitive,” which stars Harrison Ford in a storyline borrowed from the true crime story of Sam Sheppard. Past each movies being led by an motion star who’s on the run from the legislation, online sleuths and critics have discovered quite a few different hyperlinks: Each most important characters are framed for crimes they didn’t commit, noticed on subways by riders who noticed them in newspapers, change their appearances so as to cover, and uncover they have been finally arrange by colleagues.
Warner Bros. / Twentieth Century Fox
‘Rio Bravo’ and ‘Assault on Precinct 13’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Horror director John Carpenter wanted to make a Western however lacked the required sources, so he long-established the premise of the John Wayne basic “Rio Bravo” into the up to date setting that was “Assault on Precinct 13.” “Assault” is finally a far totally different movie than the Howard Hawks Western—however each movies comply with an outnumbered group of hold-outs dealing with a final stand towards a bigger opposing risk; folks unite in each films in a time of crisis; and one the character Lee in “Assault” is a direct reference to a personality in “Rio Bravo.”
Armada Productions / CKK
‘The Prince of Egypt’ and ‘Thor’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Followers of the animated movie “The Prince of Egypt” have noticed a number of uncanny parallels between this 1998 Dreamworks retelling of “The E book of Exodus” and the primary “Thor” movie. Positive, each tales heart on brothers from noble households at odds with each other over their claims to the throne. However audiences have additionally noted similarities in dialogue between the 2 movies in addition to the primary “Avengers” installment, main some to imagine the arc of Marvel’s Thor character was straight impressed by “The Prince of Egypt.”
DreamWorks Animations / Paramount Photos
‘Rear Window’ and ‘Disturbia’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
The resemblance between these two voyeuristic movies was so distinguished that considered one of them was taken to courtroom over it, however the case was dismissed in 2010 because of the similarities merely being too basic. Whereas a choose decided “Disturbia” didn’t steal from the basic Alfred Hitchcock thriller and the quick story it was based mostly on, each movies are about males confined to their houses who start a interest as a peeping tom and who find yourself satisfied that their neighbor is a assassin. 2021’s “Lady within the Window,” based mostly on the 2018 novel of the identical identify, is one other, more moderen iteration of the identical idea.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions / Dreamworks Photos
‘Level Break’ and ‘The Quick and the Livid’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
One’s about quick automobiles, the opposite’s about quick surfers, however folks have seen some placing parallels between “Level Break” and “The Quick and the Livid.” They each observe an undercover FBI agent infiltrating a bunch of sportsmen for prison exercise, each brokers fall in love with waitresses affiliated with the criminals; and each movies even function scenes during which the agent and head prison bond over shrimp on the seashore. An extremely funny and helpful guide posits that they’re not simply related, however precisely the identical movie—save for Vin Diesel’s inclusion, after all.
You might also like: Ranking The Best Years in Movie History
Largo Leisure / Common Photos
‘Dances With Wolves’ and ‘Avatar’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
James Cameron has truly gone on record to admit “Dances with Wolves” was a reference level for his 2009 sci-fi movie “Avatar,” which is why many individuals have seen that the 2 are virtually the identical movie. In every movie, the main males depart their very own worlds behind for brand spanking new worlds, each of them have leg accidents, turn into assimilated with the native peoples, fall in love, and ultimately go to battle. Regardless of how technically groundbreaking it was, a few of us couldn’t assist however really feel like “Avatar” was a movie we’d seen before.
Tig Productions / Twentieth Century Fox
‘Prime Gun’ and ‘Days of Thunder’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
The similarities are so robust with these two movies that some folks argue “Days of Thunder” is secretly simply “Top Gun 2.” The previous adopted the latter by 4 years with the identical director and producers on board, telling one other story a few reckless younger man attempting to flee the shadow of his father, who releases his rage by helming an enormous machine—this time, buying and selling in planes for race automobiles. Each males additionally fall in love with a girl who doesn’t put up together with his rubbish and are up towards a extra level-headed antagonist.
Paramount Photos / Paramount Photos
‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ and ‘Looper’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
It’s laborious to not at the least take some cues from as influential a time-travel collection as “The Terminator,” not to mention its sequel. In “Looper,” we’re thrown right into a future world the place mobsters can ship targets again into the previous to be killed by a hitman. One such hitman, Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), is ultimately tasked with killing his future self. Equally, in “Terminator 2,” John Connor (Michael Edwards) is focused by a future Terminator robotic and guarded by one from the previous. The character of Joe in “Looper” finally ends up aligned with each John Connor and the 2 variations of the Terminator, as properly.
Carolco Photos / TriStar Photos
‘No Strings Hooked up’ and ‘Associates With Advantages’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
It’s turn into one thing of a well-worn joke that, in the identical 12 months, we managed to get two romantic comedies about sleeping along with your pal and trying to maintain issues informal, during which one of many leads from one movie even went on to marry one of many leads from the opposite movie. Each movies comply with the identical arc, touting a progressive method to informal, platonic intercourse, then see their star couple ultimately fall into a typical, monogamous relationship. Nonetheless, it’s a documented phenomenon of movies with related plots being launched inside a really shut timeframe.
Paramount Photos / Display screen Gems
‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ and ‘I, Robotic’
Up to date
9 hrs in the past
Because the novel that “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” relies on got here out nearly 30 years after the quick story assortment that “I, Robotic” was based mostly on, it’s extremely unlikely that the 2004 Will-Smith-led sci-fi movie straight ripped off the 1988 comedy noir. Nonetheless, it’s indeniable that both films share some common threads. Each happen in a world during which people and non-humans should co-exist, and one during which the detective protagonist doesn’t belief these non-humans whereas being thrown into an investigation that includes them. Ultimately, the sinister plot is discovered to have been orchestrated by one such non-human so as to throw the remainder of them below the bus.
You might also like: Best Robert De Niro movies
Touchstone Photos / Twentieth Century Fox
Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5