Movies like 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2020)
The best movies like 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2020) are The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019), The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Making of The Last of Us (2023). If 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedHearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)7.9/10 from 447 votes
- NewestFinding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic (2026)Released 2026
The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
Aaron Paul, Vince Gilligan and other cast members, producers and crew share stories and footage from the making of "El Camino."
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Even the most devout Star Wars fan might not know that filmmaker and journalist Michel Parbot was once given unprecedented access to the set, stars, and filmmakers behind The Empire Strikes Back. The resulting work, The Making of The Empire Strikes Back, has apparently never been commercially released. Most of the footage has been lost, but 15 minutes has circulated online in recent years. Now, the 1 hour cut of Michel Parbot’s lost documentary has been found.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Making of The Last of Us (2023)
Featuring extensive interviews with the cast and crew, this all-access documentary gives a rare glimpse into the daunting behind-the-scenes efforts that went into the production of the HBO Original smash hit series The Last of Us.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion (2023)
Through in-depth interviews with cast and crew, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Assembled uncovers how Marvel Studios’ “Secret Invasion” was born. Witness what it took to conjure the world of the show, and spend time with Samuel L. Jackson as he dons the patch once again to engage in the most baffling battle of Nick Fury’s career.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Eternals (2022)
Join director Chloe Zhao and the Cast of Eternals as they recount their experiences during the making of Marvel Studios’ most ambitious film to date. Discover how the ensemble cast felt stepping into their roles, filming in remote locations, and creating bonds that would help to create the on-screen relationships that span over 7,000 years.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTimeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford (2023)
An in-depth look at an incredible moment in film history when Steven Spielberg and George Lucas assembled an amazing creative team to collaborate on another cinematic benchmark featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with Spielberg, Lucas, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, James Mangold, and many others as well.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
A Farewell to Ozark (2022)
Jason Bateman, Laura Linney and other cast members open up about the show's characters and creators, plus what they'll miss most.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
The Director and the Jedi (2018)
An intimate documentary delving into Rian Johnson's process as he comes in as a director new to the Star Wars universe.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Join visionary director Sam Raimi and the cast of the film as they recount their experiences bringing Marvel’s darkest story to life. From world-building to universe-building, hear first hand accounts from the cast and crew on what it took to design, create and make each universe unique and believable.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Moon Knight (2022)
Join the likes of Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke as they reveal how Marvel Studios' Moon Knight was painstakingly brought to life. Through insightful interviews with cast and crew, along with immersive footage from the set, and a candid "roundtable discussion" with the series' directors, this "making-of" pulls back the curtain on the groundbreaking series of Marvel Studios' newest hero.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Join visionary director James Gunn and superstars such as Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldaña as they recount how “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” was conceived, shaped, and delivered to the world. And stand alongside the cast and crew in the emotional final moments of the shoot as they bid farewell to each other, and close this chapter in the saga of Peter Quill and his loveable band of misfit-warriors.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
A chronicle of the production problems — including bad weather, actors' health, war near the filming locations, and more — which plagued the filming of Apocalypse Now, increasing costs and nearly destroying the life and career of Francis Ford Coppola.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye (2022)
Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisObi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022)
This special explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to the screen, as well as Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to their classic roles. Director Deborah Chow leads the cast and crew as they create new heroes and villains that live alongside new incarnations of beloved Star Wars characters, and an epic story that dramatically bridges the saga films.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThrough the Eyes of Forrest Gump (1994)
A look behind the scenes of Robert Zemeckis' 1994 Oscar-winning film, 'Forrest Gump'.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Echo (2024)
Join us on a revealing journey behind-the-scenes of Maya Lopez’s own groundbreaking series. Witness how the production took unprecedented steps to portray the deaf experience, and Native American culture truthfully. Spend time with powerhouse actor Vincent D’Onofrio as he brings the Kingpin to monstrous life once again. All this and more waits to be discovered in "Assembled: The Making of Echo."
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic (2026)
Featuring interviews from members of the casting, production design, costume design, and creature effects teams, follow the behind-the-scenes journey of bringing the Harry Potter books to the small screen. Find out how the new Golden Trio were found, and celebrate the commitment to detail of the artists, craftspeople, and technicians who have come together to bring the wizarding world to life.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Loki Season 2 (2023)
Through candid interviews with the creative minds behind the show, and exclusive on-set footage, discover how the talented team that powered "Loki: Season 2" raised the stakes for this latest MCU adventure. Witness imaginative costumes, elaborate environments, and far-out variants come to life, meet new allies and foes, and time-slip across the Multiverse.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Settle in with the likes of Taika Waititi, Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, and Tessa Thompson, and as they divulge the secrets behind the creation of Thor: Love and Thunder. Through in-depth interviews with cast and crew, along with raw, unseen footage from the set and beyond, this documentary special pulls back the curtain on the God of Thunder’s fourth feature film.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel (2022)
Go behind-the-scenes every step of the way with immersive footage from the making of the series, along with insightful interviews on set from the cast and crew of Ms. Marvel as we watch Iman Vellani and her character, Kamala Khan, become the fan-favorite superhero right before our eyes.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Making of Jay Kelly (2025)
From the immersive opening shot to the emotional final line, go behind the scenes with director Noah Baumbach, George Clooney, Adam Sandler and more.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2023)
Follow the production of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” as the cast and crew take on the incredible challenge of remembering T’Challa with a chapter befitting the late king. Through intimate behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, watch Shuri take on the mantel of Wakanda’s hero and face a new foe from the ocean’s depths in Namor.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 (1996)
The making of the motion picture "Apollo 13", as well as the story of the space mission it details. Featuring interviews with director Ron Howard, astronaut Jim Lovell, his wife Marilyn Lovell, producer Brian Grazer, executive producer Todd Hallowell, visual effects supervisor Robert Legato, lead digital compositor Mark Forker, astronauts Fred Haise and Dave Scott, Apollo 13 flight director Gerald Griffin, command module systems controller Sy Lieberglot, Apollo 13 flight dynamics officer Jerry Bostick, mission control director Gene Krantz, Tom Kelly of Grumman, NASA mission operations director Christopher Kraft, daughters Susan Lovell Williams and Margaret Haise, command systems module controller John Aaron, and actors Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, and Ed Harris.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
The Beginning: The Making of Star Wars Episode I (2001)
The entire process of making Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) is shown here in this documentary. From pre-production through post-production, we get to see visual effects meetings, John Williams' music sessions, and even the storm that wiped out the pod-racers & props.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, and director Shawn Levy sit down and spill the proverbial beans about how "Deadpool & Wolverine" was conceived, carried to term, and then birthed.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025)
The authorized documentary celebrating the film that redefined Hollywood, 50 years after its premiere. Featuring rare archival footage and interviews with acclaimed Hollywood directors alongside Steven Spielberg, top shark scientists, and conservationists, the film uncovers the behind-the-scenes chaos and how the film launched the summer blockbuster, inspired a new wave of filmmakers, and paved the way for shark conservation that continues today.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Sweatbox (2002)
Trudie Styler, a documentarian, had been allowed to film the production of 'Kingdom of the Sun'/'The Emperor's New Groove' as part of the deal that originally brought her husband Sting to the project. As a result, Styler recorded much of the struggle, controversy, and troubles that went into making the picture on film (including when producer Fullmer called Sting to inform the pop star that his songs were being deleted from the film). Styler's completed documentary, The Sweatbox, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 13, 2002. Disney owns the rights to the documentary and has not released it on home video or DVD.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance (2011)
The 35th anniversary of the 1976 Oscar-winning film “Rocky” is marked with a TV retrospective in which Sylvester Stallone and others reminisce about the creation of the movie as well as the other films in the franchise.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Val (2021)
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors, has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSly (2023)
His love of film began as an escape from a rocky childhood. From underdog to Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone tells his story in this documentary.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic?
The closest matches to 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic are The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019), The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Making of The Last of Us (2023). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic?
People who watched 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic most often go on to The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019), The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Making of The Last of Us (2023).
What is the highest-rated movie like 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic?
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991), rated 7.9/10 by 447 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic?
Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic?
Yes: The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019), The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Making of The Last of Us (2023).
How are movies similar to 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.