Movies like Flash Gordon (1980)
The best movies like Flash Gordon (1980) are Star Wars (1977), The Fifth Element (1997) and Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). If Flash Gordon hooked you with its science fiction and adventure, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Empire Strikes Back (1980)8.4/10 from 19,102 votes
- NewestRebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)Released 2024
Star Wars (1977)
Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker and dashing captain Han Solo team together with the loveable robot duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess and restore peace and justice in the Empire.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Fifth Element (1997)
In 2263, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBattle Beyond the Stars (1980)
A young farmer assembles a band of diverse mercenaries to defend his peaceful planet from an evil tyrant.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
SnoozefestMovies like thisJohn Carter (2012)
John Carter is a war-weary, former military captain who's inexplicably transported to the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars) and reluctantly becomes embroiled in an epic conflict. It's a world on the brink of collapse, and Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDune (1984)
In the year 10,191, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe, the vast desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. Its native inhabitants, the Fremen, have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah who would lead them to true freedom.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisValerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
In the 28th century, Valerian and Laureline are special operatives charged with keeping order throughout the human territories. On assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two undertake a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where species from across the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence, and cultures. At the center of Alpha is a mysterious dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGuardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & science fiction
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisStargate (1994)
An interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & adventure
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Last Starfighter (1984)
Video game expert Alex Rogan finds himself transported to another planet after conquering the video game The Last Starfighter, only to find out it was just a test. He was recruited to join the team of best Starfighters to defend their world from the attack.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & science fiction
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBuck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
Capt. William "Buck" Rogers is a jovial space cowboy who is accidentally time-warped from 1987 to 2491. Earth is engaged in interplanetary war following a global holocaust, and Buck's piloting skills make him an ideal starfighter recruit for the Earth Defense Directorate.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAvatar (2009)
In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Anakin Skywalker, a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for revenge against the Jedi.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKrull (1983)
A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)
When the ruthless forces of the Motherworld threaten a quiet farming village on a distant moon, a mysterious outsider becomes its best hope for survival.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi investigate a mysterious plot into the heart of the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisRebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
The rebels gear up for battle against the ruthless forces of the Motherworld as unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge — and legends are made.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSerenity (2005)
A group of rebels travel the outskirts of space evading the sinister Alliance regime. Their lives of smuggling and cargo-running are interrupted by a psychic passenger who harbours a dangerous secret. Soon, the crew find themselves being pursued by an Alliance agent who will stop at nothing to find them.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSupergirl (1984)
After losing a powerful orb, Kara, Superman's cousin, comes to Earth to retrieve it and instead finds herself up against a wicked witch.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
SnoozefestMovies like thisJupiter Ascending (2015)
In a universe where human genetic material is the most precious commodity, an impoverished young Earth woman becomes the key to strategic maneuvers and internal strife within a powerful dynasty…
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
SnoozefestMovies like thisStar Trek Beyond (2016)
The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMasters of the Universe (1987)
When He-Man is driven from Eternia after Skeletor seizes Castle Grayskull, a stolen portal device strands the fight on Earth, where a pair of teenagers become entangled in a war that spans worlds.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & family
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Adventurer/surgeon/rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his band of men, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, take on evil alien invaders from the 8th dimension.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTRON: Legacy (2010)
Sam Flynn, the tech-savvy and daring son of Kevin Flynn, investigates his father's disappearance and is pulled into The Grid. With the help of a mysterious program named Quorra, Sam quests to stop evil dictator Clu from crossing into the real world.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGalaxy Quest (1999)
For four years, the courageous crew of the NSEA Protector — Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, Lieutenant Tawny Madison, and Doctor Lazarus — set off on a thrilling and often dangerous mission in space... until their series was cancelled! Now, twenty years later, aliens under attack have mistaken the Galaxy Quest television transmissions for "historical documents" and beam up the crew of has-been actors to save the universe. With no script, no director, and no clue, the actors must turn in the performances of their lives.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & adventure
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Black Hole (1979)
The explorer craft USS Palomino is returning to Earth after a fruitless 18-month search for extra-terrestrial life when the crew comes upon a supposedly lost ship, the USS Cygnus, hovering near a black hole. The ship is controlled by Dr. Hans Reinhardt and his monstrous robot companion, but the initial wonderment and awe the Palomino crew feel for the ship and its resistance to the power of the black hole turn to horror as they uncover Reinhardt's plans.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & science fiction
SnoozefestMovies like thisCaptain Marvel (2019)
The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStar Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSpacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)
On a distant planet inhabited by mutants, two bounty hunters race to rescue three Earth female captives from the clutches of an evil warlord.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both adventure & science fiction
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Ice Pirates (1984)
In the not too distant future, where by far the most precious commodity in the galaxy is water. The last surviving water planet was somehow removed to the unreachable centre of the galaxy at the end of the galactic trade wars. The galaxy is ruled by an evil emperor presiding over a trade oligarchy that controls all mining and sale of ice from asteroids and comets.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both science fiction & action
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Flash Gordon?
The closest matches to Flash Gordon are Star Wars (1977), The Fifth Element (1997) and Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Flash Gordon?
People who watched Flash Gordon most often go on to Star Wars (1977), The Fifth Element (1997) and Battle Beyond the Stars (1980).
What is the highest-rated movie like Flash Gordon?
The Empire Strikes Back (1980), rated 8.4/10 by 19,102 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Flash Gordon?
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Flash Gordon?
Yes: Star Wars (1977), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) and John Carter (2012).
How are movies similar to Flash Gordon chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Flash Gordon, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.