Movies like The Ascent of Man (1987)
The best movies like The Ascent of Man (1987) are 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and Fly Me to the Moon (2024). If The Ascent of Man hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest rated2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)8.0/10 from 13,144 votes
- NewestDigger (2026)Released 2026
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisStar Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFly Me to the Moon (2024)
Sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones, brought in to fix NASA's public image, wreaks havoc on Apollo 11 launch director Cole Davis' already difficult task of putting a man on the moon. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as backup, and the countdown truly begins.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRed Lights (2012)
Two investigators of paranormal hoaxes, the veteran Dr. Margaret Matheson and her young assistant, Tom Buckley, study the most varied metaphysical phenomena with the aim of proving their fraudulent origins. Simon Silver, a legendary blind psychic, reappears after an enigmatic absence of 30 years to become the greatest international challenge to both orthodox science and professional sceptics. Tom starts to develop an intense obsession with Silver, whose magnetism becomes stronger with each new manifestation of inexplicable events. As Tom gets closer to Silver, tension mounts, and his worldview is threatened to its core.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLast and First Men (2020)
As the end approaches inexorably, the last humans, living millions of years into the future, send a message to the humanity of the present that is both a plea for help and a warning, but also an epic tale of evolution, decline and hope.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHypnotic (2021)
A young woman seeking self-improvement enlists the help of a renowned hypnotist but, after a handful of intense sessions, discovers unexpected and deadly consequences.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like this2010 (1984)
While planet Earth poises on the brink of nuclear self-destruction, a team of Russian and American scientists aboard the Leonov hurtles to a rendezvous with the still-orbiting Discovery spacecraft and its sole known survivor, the homicidal computer HAL.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPirates of Silicon Valley (1999)
The story about the men who made the world of technology what it is today, their struggles during college, the founding of their companies, and the ingenious actions they took to build up the global corporate empires of Apple Computer Inc. and Microsoft Corporation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMoon (2009)
With only three weeks left in his three-year contract, Sam Bell is eager to return to Earth. Stationed alone at a Moon-based facility with his computer assistant GERTY, an unexpected accident sets off a series of unsettling events that shake his isolation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCrimes of the Future (2022)
With his partner Caprice, celebrity performance artist Saul Tenser publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. An investigator from the National Organ Registry obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed... Their mission — to use Tenser's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBugonia (2025)
Two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLouis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (2026)
With rare access and no holds barred, the acclaimed documentarian investigates a growing ultra-masculine network and its controversial influencers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once again as the journey of Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle begins.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIn the Blink of an Eye (2026)
Three storylines, spanning thousands of years, intersect and reflect on hope, connection, and the circle of life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Conspiracy (2012)
A documentary about conspiracy theories takes a horrific turn after the filmmakers uncover an ancient and dangerous secret society.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies 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 thisInterstellar: Nolan's Odyssey (2014)
A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFinch (2021)
On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a robot, built to protect the life of his dying creator's beloved dog, learns about life, love, friendship, and what it means to be human.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisChaos on the Bridge (2014)
Canadian acting legend William Shatner takes viewers inside the creation of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the bold attempt in 1986 to recreate the success of the original television series, in which Shatner played Captain James T. Kirk.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSwan Song (2021)
In the near future, Cameron Turner is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Presented with an experimental solution to shield his wife and son from grief, he grapples with altering their fate in this thought-provoking exploration of love, loss, and sacrifice.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Ascent of Man?
The closest matches to The Ascent of Man are 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and Fly Me to the Moon (2024). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Ascent of Man?
Start with 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), the closest match to The Ascent of Man.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Ascent of Man?
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), rated 8.0/10 by 13,144 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Ascent of Man?
Digger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Ascent of Man?
Yes: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and Fly Me to the Moon (2024).
How are movies similar to The Ascent of Man chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Ascent of Man, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.