Movies like The Last Days of Pompeii (1950)
The best movies like The Last Days of Pompeii (1950) are The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and Barabbas (1961). If The Last Days of Pompeii hooked you with its history and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Hill (2023)7.7/10 from 327 votes
- NewestThe Salinas Decoder (2026)Released 2026
- In FrenchAge of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013)Also in French
The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
In the year 180 A.D. Germanic tribes are about to invade the Roman empire from the north. In the midst of this crisis ailing emperor Marcus Aurelius has to make a decision about his successor between his son Commodus, who is obsessed by power, and the loyal general Gaius Livius.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDemetrius and the Gladiators (1954)
The story picks up at the point where "The Robe" ends, following the martyrdom of Diana and Marcellus. Christ's robe is conveyed to Peter for safe-keeping, but the emperor Caligula wants it back to benefit from its powers. Marcellus' former slave Demetrius seeks to prevent this, and catches the eye of Messalina, wife to Caligula's uncle Claudius. Messalina tempts Demetrius, he winds up fighting in the arena, and wavers in his faith.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBarabbas (1961)
Epic account of the thief Barabbas, who was pardoned for his crimes and spared crucifixion when Pilate offered the Israelites a choice to pardon Barabbas or Jesus. Struggling with his spirituality, Barabbas goes through many ordeals leading him to the gladiatorial arena, where he tries to win his freedom and confront his inner demons, ultimately becoming a follower of the man who was crucified in his place.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPrizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022)
At the turn of the 19th century, Pugilism was the sport of kings and a gifted young boxer fought his way to becoming champion of England.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAge of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013)
In the 16th century in the Cévennes, a horse dealer by the name of Michael Kohlhaas leads a happy and prosperous family life. When a lord treats him unjustly, this pious, upstanding man raises an army and puts the country to fire and sword in order to have his rights restored.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
SnoozefestMovies like thisDalíland (2022)
In 1973, a young gallery assistant goes on a wild adventure behind the scenes as he helps aging genius Salvador Dali prepare for a big show in New York.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisMary (2024)
A miraculous conception. A merciless king. A murderous pursuit. Mary's journey to give birth to Jesus unfolds in this biblical coming-of-age epic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFlo (2023)
World premiering on the Plage, it tells the story of « the little fiancée of the Atlantic », who’s career reached its peak with her victory of the Route du Rhum in 1990.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Robe (1953)
Drunk and disillusioned Roman, Marcellus Gallio, wins Jesus' robe in a dice game after the crucifixion. Marcellus has never been a man of faith like his slave, Demetrius, but when Demetrius escapes with the robe, Marcellus experiences disturbing visions and feels guilty for his actions. Convinced that destroying the robe will cure him, Marcellus sets out to find Demetrius — and discovers his Christian faith along the way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKingdom of Heaven (2005)
After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Colors of Fire (2022)
February 1927. The funeral of Marcel Péricourt, the most powerful banker in Paris. His daughter Madeleine must take the helm of the financial empire of which she is the heiress. But she has a son, Paul, who with an unexpected and tragic gesture will place her on the path to ruin.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Hill (2023)
The story of Rickey Hill, who overcomes his physical disability and repairs his relationship with his father in a quest to become a major league baseball (MLB) player.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan (2023)
D'Artagnan, a spirited young Gascon, is left for dead after trying to save a noblewoman from being kidnapped. Once in Paris, he tries by all means to find his attackers, unaware that his quest will lead him to the very heart of a war where the future of France is at stake. Aided by King's Musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis, he faces the machinations of villainous Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter, while falling in love with Constance, the Queen's confidante.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMedieval (2022)
The story of fifteenth century Czech icon and warlord, Jan Zizka, who defeated armies of the Teutonic Order and the Holy Roman Empire.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Great War (2019)
In November of 1918 as World War I was ending, a unit of American soldiers goes behind enemy lines to find a lost platoon of African American soldiers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAgainst the Wall (1994)
In 1971, a warden at Attica Penitentiary is caught up in a hostage crisis when inmates take over the prison to demand better living conditions.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEmperor (2020)
An escaped slave travels north and has chance encounters with Frederick Douglass and John Brown. Based on the life story of Shields Green.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both history & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAgora (2009)
A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria and her relationship with her slave Davus, who is torn between his love for her and the possibility of gaining his freedom by joining the rising tide of Christianity.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRebellion (2011)
April 1988, Ouvéa Island, New Caledonia. 30 gendarmes are taken hostage by a group of Kanak freedom fighters. 300 soldiers are sent from France to re-establish order. 2 men confront each other: Philippe Legorjus, chief of the terrorist squad, and Alphonse Dianou, head of the kidnappers. Through their shared values, they will attempt to make discussion triumph. But, in the middle of a presidential election, when the stakes are political, order isn't always dictated by morality. A violent and troubling epic that marks the return of Mathieu Kassovitz in front and behind the camera.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & history
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Most Hated Woman in America (2017)
The true story of Madalyn Murray O'Hair -- iconoclast, opportunist, and outspoken atheist -- from her controversial rise to her untimely demise.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Crossing II (2015)
A story of three couples and their intertwining love stories set in 1940s Taiwan and Shanghai, centered around the 1949 sinking of Taiping.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & history
Frine cortigiana d'Oriente (1953)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history & drama
The Black Tulip (1921)
In 17th century Holland, a faction of royalists is scheming to restore the monarchy and jail the De Witt brothers, who control the Republic. At the same time Tulip Fever is raging, and bulb-grower Cornelis van Baerle tries to obtain the secret of black tulips. Van Baerle will soon find himself threatened by radical royalists and rival bulb-grower Isaac van Boxtel.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history & drama
The Salinas Decoder (2026)
It is August 8th, 1969 and a teacher from North Salinas High School, along with his wife solve one of the ciphers sent to San Francisco Chronicles by the Zodiac Killer, not realizing they turned him into a legend.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history
Lili Elbe (2023)
The painter Lili Elbe was the first person to have gender confirmation surgery in the 1930s. The homonymous opera is a glimpse into the life of Lili Elbe and her wife Gerda Wegener (also a famous painter) through Lili's transition at a time when such surgery was still completely uncharted territory.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Jacob: The Man Who Fought with God (1963)
Biblical figure Jacob is forced to flee for his life when an enraged Esau vows to kill him.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Roma Victis (2025)
In this captivating short film, we follow a Roman soldier separated from his unit after a devastating battle, forced to fight alone in the ominous, misty forests of Germania. Surrounded by the constant threat of Germanic warriors and the relentless forces of nature, he embarks on a gripping struggle for survival. With every step into the darkness, the soldier confronts not only external threats but also his inner demons.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history
Rosslyn Chapel: A Treasure in Stone (2010)
The exquisite Rosslyn Chapel is a masterpiece in stone. It used to be one of Scotland's best-kept secrets, but it became world-famous when it was featured in Dan Brown's the Da Vinci Code.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history
The Warrior Empress (1960)
The poetess Sappho led an uprising against the corrupt government of the island of Lesbos.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both history
Before, Now & Then (2022)
Set against Indonesia’s turbulent post-independence years in the 1960s, the story revolves around the domestic life of a woman whose personal life has been completely overturned by the political turmoil.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Last Days of Pompeii?
The closest matches to The Last Days of Pompeii are The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and Barabbas (1961). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Last Days of Pompeii?
Start with The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), the closest match to The Last Days of Pompeii.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Last Days of Pompeii?
The Hill (2023), rated 7.7/10 by 327 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Last Days of Pompeii?
The Salinas Decoder (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there French movies like The Last Days of Pompeii?
Yes: Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013), Flo (2023) and The Colors of Fire (2022).
How are movies similar to The Last Days of Pompeii chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Last Days of Pompeii, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.