Movies like A Thief in the Dark (1928)
The best movies like A Thief in the Dark (1928) are The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), Stowaway (2022) and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019). If A Thief in the Dark hooked you with its mystery, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedScooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo (2010)7.7/10 from 275 votes
- NewestMr. K (2025)Released 2025
The Deep End of the Ocean (1999)
A three-year-old boy disappears during his mother's high school reunion. Nine years later, by chance, he turns up in the town in which the family has just relocated.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStowaway (2022)
A tenacious party girl fights to survive after three thieves commandeer her luxury yacht. Unable to escape and trapped on the yacht at high seas, the prey becomes the hunter as she turns the tables on the intruders and takes matters into her own hands.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019)
Nancy Drew, a smart high schooler with a penchant for keen observation and deduction, stumbles upon the haunting of a local home. A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve the mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Inhabitant (2022)
Like any other teenage girl, Tara is just surviving high school — yet her father and mother seem strangely distant. Amidst a nearby spree of gruesome ax murders, Tara has sightings of terrifying entities, forcing her to question her own sanity and shocking ancestry.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
SnoozefestMovies like thisAbigail (2019)
A young girl Abigail lives in a city whose borders were closed many years ago because of an epidemic of a mysterious disease. Abby's father was one of the sick - and he was taken when she was six years old. Going against the authorities to find his father, Abby learns that her city is actually full of magic. And she discovers in herself extraordinary magical abilities.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Haunted (1991)
When the Smurl family moves into a duplex, they find out it's haunted. When the Catholic Church is no help, they reach out to famous demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Commuter (2018)
A businessman, on his daily commute home, gets unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that threatens not only his life but the lives of those around him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Kennel Murder Case (1933)
Philo Vance, accompanied by his prize-losing Scottish terrier, investigates the locked-room murder of a prominent and much-hated collector whose broken Chinese vase provides an important clue.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2022)
A young woman with psychokinetic powers breaks out of a Louisiana asylum and makes her way to New Orleans, where she falls into the city’s netherworld of misfits and miscreants.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Limits of Control (2009)
A mysterious stranger works outside the law and keeps his objectives hidden, trusting no one. While his demeanor is paradoxically focused and dreamlike all at once, he embarks on a journey that not only takes him across Spain, but also through his own consciousness.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMr. Arkadin (1955)
Claiming that he doesn't know his own past, a rich man enlists an ex-con with an odd bit of detective work. Gregory Arkadin says he can't remember anything before the late 1920s, and convict Guy Van Stratten is happy to take the job of exploring his new acquaintance's life story. Guy's research turns up stunning details about his employer's past, and as his work seems linked to untimely deaths, the mystery surrounding Mr. Arkadin deepens.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAmelia’s Children (2024)
When Edward’s search for his biological family leads him and his girlfriend Ryley to a magnificent villa high in the mountains of Northern Portugal, he is full of excitement at meeting his long-lost mother and twin brother. Finally, he will discover who he is and where he comes from. But nothing is as it seems, and Edward will soon learn that he is linked to them by a monstrous secret.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisScooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! (2006)
It's horror on the high seas when Scooby-Doo and the gang take a creepy cruise into one of the world's most mysterious places, the Bermuda Triangle! If Scooby, Shaggy and the gang can't solve this mystery, they may have to walk the plank.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisScooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo (2010)
The gang goes on a trip to check on Velma's younger sister, Madelyn. She's been studying stage magic at the Whirlen Merlin Magic Academy, where apparently there have been sightings of a giant griffin. The gang decides to investigate.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
After a carnival troupe saves his life, a man agrees to help its immortal leader collect five souls and win a bet with the devil.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSong of the Thin Man (1947)
While attending a glamorous jazz cruise on New York’s East River, Nick and Nora Charles witness the fatal shooting of a wealthy patron. When suspicion falls on a young bandleader and his musicians, the couple steps in to clear their friends and uncover the real killer. Their investigation leads through a lively world of jazz clubs, radio personalities, high society, and backstage rivalries, where almost everyone has a secret and the next clue may be hidden in the music.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Invisible (2007)
After an attack leaves him in limbo -- invisible to the living and also near death -- a teenager discovers the only person who might be able help him is his attacker.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRabbits (2002)
A story of a group of humanoid rabbits and their depressive, daily life. The plot includes Suzie ironing, Jane sitting on a couch, Jack walking in and out of the apartment, and the occasional solo singing number by Suzie or Jane. At one point the rabbits also make contact with their “leader”.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWinter's Tale (2014)
A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMr. K (2025)
Mr. K, a traveling magician, finds himself in a Kafkaesque nightmare when he can’t find the exit of his hotel. His attempts to get out only pull him deeper, entangling him further with the hotel and its curious inhabitants.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisProtection (1929)
During the height of Prohibition courageous reporter Chick Slater and determined "sob sister" journalist Myrtle Hines uncover a dangerous bootlegging and extortion ring operating in their city. As they dig into the corruption, they get swept into a web of racketeers, mob violence, and romantic complications. The film explores the power of the press as the journalists risk everything to expose the criminal underworld.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery
Come to My House (1927)
Socialite Joan Higham visits the bachelor apartment of Floyd Benham and a blackmailer photographs her there. She then tries to protect her reputation and her relationship with Jerome de Witt.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
The Joyous Trouble-Makers (1920)
Spirited Beatrice Corlin challenges William Steele to successfully construct a cabin on the disputed land, promising to cook him a home-cooked dinner if he succeeds. Beatrice then enlists the aid of an acquaintance named Joe Embry to help her win the bet. After several clashes between the men, Embry’s true colors are revealed when he abducts Beatrice. Learning of the treachery, William comes to her rescue. The ordeal brings William and Beatrice to the realization that they have fallen in love with each other. Rather than settling their wager, they cancel the bet by merging their land and getting married.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
Wings of the Morning (1919)
In Singapore, Captain Robert Anstruthers protects his friend, Colonel Costabel, from a scandal involving the Colonel’s wife and Lord Ventnor. When Robert intervenes, Ventnor frames him for harassing the wife. To shield her innocence, Robert stays silent, is dishonorably discharged, and becomes a sailor under an assumed name.After a shipwreck, Robert saves Iris Deane, the ship owner's daughter. While surviving on a deserted island, they fall in love. When a rescue party arrives—led by Ventnor, Iris's suitor—Ventnor tries to discredit him. However, the Colonel's wife confesses the truth back in Singapore. Cleared of all charges, Robert is restored to his military rank and reunited with Iris.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
The Innocent Sinner (1917)
An innocent country girl, Mary Ellen Ellis, moves to the city with an experienced man, Walter Benton, under the promise of marriage. Once in the city, she finds herself in a "world of crime" but reforms a burglar named Bull Clark. Clark, in turn, saves her from another criminal called "The Weasel," and repays her with his gratitude.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
A Virgin Paradise (1921)
Pearl White is a child living alone on a South Seas island after the death of her missionary father. By a stroke of luck, she becomes an heiress, and is transplanted into modern society.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
News Parade (1928)
Nick Naylor receives an order to take a picture of the camera-shy millionaire A.K. Wellington. As the millionaire is traveling with his daughter, Nick follows them to Lake Placid, Palm Beach and even Havana. In Havana, he is then able to shoot the photos of the millionaire. There, they are both kidnapped.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
Ever Since Eve (1934)
Neil Rogers, a young man who owns a substantial share of a Western gold mine, comes East and falls in love with the rather wild Elizabeth Vandegrift.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
Flames of the Flesh (1920)
Candace is deeply distraught and on the verge of suicide after being betrayed and discarded by her lover when a man named Craig Boardman intervenes. He stops her by convincing her to live and proposes a plan to exact revenge on all men. Boardman takes Candace to Paris. There, under the guidance of a famous courtesan named Madame Binnat, she changes her name to Laure and transforms into an alluring seductress. Her path crosses with members of the Eastcoat family—including an American millionaire and his sons—setting the stage for her calculated vengeance.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
The Fool (1925)
The Rector of a wealthy church loses the sympathy and support of parishioners when he preaches the doctrine of Christ to sacrifice worldly goods. He establishes a mission among the lower classes and, although he is beaten for his efforts, he gains happiness by doing good.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like A Thief in the Dark?
The closest matches to A Thief in the Dark are The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), Stowaway (2022) and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after A Thief in the Dark?
Start with The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), the closest match to A Thief in the Dark.
What is the highest-rated movie like A Thief in the Dark?
Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo (2010), rated 7.7/10 by 275 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like A Thief in the Dark?
Mr. K (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like A Thief in the Dark?
Yes: The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), Stowaway (2022) and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019).
How are movies similar to A Thief in the Dark chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside A Thief in the Dark, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.