Movies like For the Whales (1976)
The best movies like For the Whales (1976) are Blackfish (2013), The Love Nest (1923) and Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002). If For the Whales hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedBlackfish (2013)7.8/10 from 1,230 votes
- NewestDigger (2026)Released 2026
Blackfish (2013)
Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Love Nest (1923)
In an attempt to forget his lost sweetheart, Buster takes a long trip at sea where he boards a whaling ship with a strict captain.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)
Get ready as Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber and the rest of the Veggies set sail on a whale of an adventure in Big Idea's first full-length, 3-D animated feature film. This is the story of Jonah and the Whale as you've never seen it before - a story where we learn that one of the best gifts you can give - or get - is a second chance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHawaiian Holiday (1937)
Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto experience all that Hawaii has to offer. Donald tries hula dancing, Pluto explores the beach and Goofy takes up surfing!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFree Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisTerror in a Texas Town (1958)
Armed with a harpoon, a Swedish whaler is out for revenge after the death of his father. A greedy oil man trying to buy up the Swede's land might be the guilty party.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFree Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)
Willy the whale is back, this time threatened by illegal whalers making money off sushi. Jesse, now 16, has taken a job on an orca-researching ship, along with old friend Randolph and a sarcastic scientist, Drew. On the whaler's ship is captain John Wesley and his son, Max, who isn't really pleased about his father's job, but doesn't have the gut to say so. Along the way, Willy reunites with Jesse.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisErin Brockovich (2000)
A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts investigating and soon exposes a monumental cover-up.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBig Miracle (2012)
A small-town news reporter and a Greenpeace volunteer enlist the help of rival superpowers to save three majestic gray whales trapped under the ice of the Arctic Circle.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012)
The enthusiastic Pirate Captain, along with his rag-tag crew, sets out to beat his bitter rivals. The chaotic adventure takes them from exotic shores to Victorian London, and from a haplessly smitten scientist to a diabolical queen.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSeal Team (2021)
After his best friend is killed in a shark attack, Quinn, a lovable yet tenacious seal assembles a SEAL TEAM to fight back against a gang of sharks overtaking the neighborhood. But this merry band of international seals are not at all trained for such a mission. They seek the help of a much more skillful combatant, Claggart, but even his tricks and flips can’t whip these guys into shape. However, with a little bit of ingenuity, intelligence and a lot of heart, our SEAL TEAM may actually be able to bring peace back to their undersea community.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWhiplash (2013)
A ferocious, bullying music teacher teaches a dedicated student.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisShark Tale (2004)
Oscar is a small fish whose big aspirations often get him into trouble. Meanwhile, Lenny is a great white shark with a surprising secret that no sea creature would guess: He's a vegetarian. When a lie turns Oscar into an improbable hero and Lenny becomes an outcast, the two form an unlikely friendship.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMoana (2016)
In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the demigod to set things right.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDigger (2026)
The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity's savior before the disaster he's unleashed destroys everything.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSeaspiracy (2021)
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species — and uncovers an alarming global conspiracy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures (2010)
Born on a Baja, California beach in 1959, new hatchling Sammy races across the beach to the ocean while avoiding being caught by seagulls and crabs. Thus begins Sammy's incredible fifty-year ocean journey where he overcomes obstacles, both natural and man-made, while trying to fulfill his dream of travelling around the world. Along the way he meets his best friend, a fellow turtle named Ray, and never forgets about Shelly, a turtle he saved that first day on the beach and the one he's always loved.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Civil Action (1998)
Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIce Age: Continental Drift (2012)
Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFree Willy (1993)
When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca whale who has been separated from his family. Sensing kinship, they form a bond and, with the help of kindly whale trainer Rae Lindley, develop a routine of tricks. However, greedy park owner Dial soon catches wind of the duo and makes plans to profit from them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like For the Whales?
The closest matches to For the Whales are Blackfish (2013), The Love Nest (1923) and Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after For the Whales?
Start with Blackfish (2013), the closest match to For the Whales.
What is the highest-rated movie like For the Whales?
Blackfish (2013), rated 7.8/10 by 1,230 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like For the Whales?
Digger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like For the Whales?
Yes: Blackfish (2013), The Love Nest (1923) and Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002).
How are movies similar to For the Whales chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside For the Whales, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.