Movies like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy (2002)
The best movies like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy (2002) are Making 'The Shining' (1980), Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022) and Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010). If Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedMaking Squid Game: The Challenge (2023)8.0/10 from 241 votes
- NewestJaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025)Released 2025
Making 'The Shining' (1980)
Directed and edited by Stanley Kubrick's daughter Vivian Kubrick, this film offers a look behind the scenes during the making of The Shining.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNever Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010)
For decades, Freddy Krueger has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters, scaring up over half a billion dollars at the box office across eight terrifying, spectacular films.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007)
The definitive 3½-hour documentary about the troubled creation and enduring legacy of the science fiction classic 'Blade Runner', culled from 80 interviews and hours of never-before-seen outtakes and lost footage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Pixar Story (2007)
A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDe Palma (2016)
An intimate conversation between filmmakers, chronicling De Palma’s 55-year career, his life, and his filmmaking process, with revealing anecdotes and, of course, a wealth of film clips.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAttack of the Hollywood Clichés! (2021)
One-man armies, meet-cutes, casual strolls away from huge explosions — stars and industry insiders toast and roast these cinematic chestnuts and more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSpider-Man 2: Making the Amazing (2004)
A comprehensive 12-part documentary on the making of "Spider-Man 2," covering everything from pre-production to premiere.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGuillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema (2022)
With mesmerizing footage and time lapses of animators at work, this behind-the-scenes special captures the artistry of a unique tale years in the making.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSpielberg (2017)
A documentary on the life and career of one of the most influential film directors of all time, Steven Spielberg.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Walking Dead: The Return (2024)
Stars of "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, walk down memory lane and visit iconic locations where pivotal moments between their characters, Rick and Michonne, were filmed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)
The story of the insane scandals related to the remake of “Island of Dr. Moreau” —originally a novel by H. G. Wells—, which was brought to the big screen in 1996. How director Richard Stanley spent four years developing the project just to find an abrupt end to his work while leading actor Marlon Brando pulled the strings in the shadows. Now for the first time, the living key players recount what really happened and why it all went so spectacularly wrong.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJaws @ 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMaking Squid Game: The Challenge (2023)
Go behind the scenes and witness how the "Squid Game"-inspired reality show transformed from a scripted drama to a cutthroat, nail-biting competition.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisJodorowsky's Dune (2013)
In 1974, Chilean-French director Alejandro Jodorowsky embarked on the quixotic project of adapting Frank Herbert's influential novel Dune (1969) for the big screen. After investing two years, and millions of dollars, the gigantic project ended in failure; but the artists Jodorowsky brought together to carry it out continued to work together, and ended up laying the foundations for modern science fiction cinema.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarvel 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisElectric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)
A documentary about the rise and fall of the Cannon Film Group, the legendary independent film company helmed by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · 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: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Skywalker Legacy (2020)
The story lives forever in this feature-length documentary that charts the making of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisPingu - a cartoon character conquers the world (1995)
A private commercial agent investigates the rising popularity of the ”Pingu” cartoon.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Surviving 9/11 (2021)
9/11 was perhaps the defining historical event of the postwar era. Broadcast live around the world like horrifying theatre, it was a moment in history imprinted onto people's memories. But what was it like to actually live through, and how easy is it to move on from a day that society wants to go on remembering? Twenty years on, this film brings together 13 ordinary people who were caught in an event they weren't able to fully comprehend at the time and which they are still working through.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Listen to the Light: The Making of 'Brain Damage' (2017)
54-minute long documentary on the making of Frank Henenlotter's cult classic, Brain Damage.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Hill Street (2014)
The evolution of skateboarding culture in Ireland since the late 1980s.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Le Club : Claude Jade (2001)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Pasolini and the Secret Humiliation of Chaucer (2006)
Documentary about the making of Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Canterbury Tales (1972), and particularly focusing on the many edits and cut scenes that were made before the film's release.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Lost Body of Alibech (2005)
Documentary about a lost sequence from Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1971 film "The Decameron".
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Kieslowski: Dialogue (1991)
Documentary featuring a candid interview with Kieślowski and rare behind-the-scenes footage from the set of The Double Life of Véronique
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
BTS Love Yourself : Speak Yourself [The Final] (2022)
The finale of the LOVE YOURSELF Tour attended by 2.06 million people through 62 concerts in 24 cities around the world, spectacular performances and special effects that filled the Seoul Jamsil Olympic Stadium and the live atmosphere of the last day of the LOVE YOURSELF Tour.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Yes Men (2003)
A comic, biting and revelatory documentary following a small group of prankster activists as they gain worldwide notoriety for impersonating the World Trade Organization (WTO) on television and at business conferences around the world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
![BTS Love Yourself : Speak Yourself [The Final] (2022) poster](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/bWgOjwvWxgKKD3n4VehAn466dsI.jpg)
Like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy?
The closest matches to Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy are Making 'The Shining' (1980), Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022) and Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy?
Start with Making 'The Shining' (1980), the closest match to Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy.
What is the highest-rated movie like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy?
Making Squid Game: The Challenge (2023), rated 8.0/10 by 241 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy?
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy?
Yes: Making 'The Shining' (1980), Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return (2022) and Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010).
How are movies similar to Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.