Movies like Whale Wisdom (2018)
The best movies like Whale Wisdom (2018) are My Octopus Teacher (2020), Blackfish (2013) and Deep Blue (2003). If Whale Wisdom hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedMy Octopus Teacher (2020)7.9/10 from 1,114 votes
- NewestA Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026)Released 2026
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean at the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her den and tracking her movements for months on end he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisBlackfish (2013)
Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisDeep Blue (2003)
Deep Blue is a major documentary feature film shot by the BBC Natural History Unit. An epic cinematic rollercoaster ride for all ages, Deep Blue uses amazing footage to tell us the story of our oceans and the life they support.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEarth (2007)
An epic story of adventure, starring some of the most magnificent and courageous creatures alive, awaits you in EARTH. Disneynature brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet – polar bears, elephants and humpback whales.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPuff: Wonders of the Reef (2021)
A baby pufferfish travels through a wondrous microworld full of fantastical creatures as he searches for a home on the Great Barrier Reef.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPandas (2018)
In the mountains of Sichuan, China, a researcher forms a bond with Qian Qian, a panda who is about to experience nature for the first time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisInside the Mind of a Dog (2024)
Embark on a delightful journey into the world of dogs in this documentary that reveals scientific and emotional insights about our lovable BFFs.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJane (2017)
Drawing from never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives, director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisShark Whisperer (2025)
Marine conservationist and social media activist Ocean Ramsey fearlessly swims with sharks in this documentary about her risky mission to protect them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSeaspiracy (2021)
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species — and uncovers an alarming global conspiracy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPowaqqatsi (1988)
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDeepsea Challenge 3D (2014)
Described as being a film about determination, danger and the ocean’s greatest depths, James Cameron's "Deepsea Challenge 3D" tells the story of Cameron’s journey to fulfill his boyhood dream of becoming an explorer. The movie offers a unique insight into Cameron's world as he makes that dream reality – and makes history – by becoming the first person to travel solo to the deepest point on the planet.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGhost Elephants (2026)
In Angola's mist-shrouded highlands, three KhoiSan master trackers embark on a spiritual quest to rediscover the legendary "ghost elephants" of Lisima, creatures presumed lost but remembered in ancestral trance, ritual, and memory.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBehind the Planet of the Apes (1998)
Roddy McDowall takes you, film by film, from production meetings to make-up sessions, then right onto the movie set to see the actual filming of the science fiction masterpiece. The most comprehensive history of Planet of the Apes ever created, this fascinating 127-minute documentary explores one of the most imaginative and influential series in movie history.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOcean with David Attenborough (2025)
David Attenborough takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisA Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026)
Veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough tells the story of a remarkable group of gorillas, from his first encounter in the '70s to the present day.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Elephant Queen (2019)
Embark on an epic journey of family, courage, and coming home in this feature-length documentary. Join Athena, the majestic matriarch, as she leads her elephant herd across an unforgiving African landscape filled with vibrant wildlife.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNaqoyqatsi (2002)
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDolphin Reef (2018)
Echo is a youngster who can't quite decide if it's time to grow up and take on new responsibilities-or give in to her silly side and just have fun. Dolphin society is tricky, and the coral reef that Echo and his family call home depends on all of its inhabitants to keep it healthy. But Echo has a tough time resisting the many adventures the ocean has to offer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMystery of the Giant Birds (2025)
Scientists discover through DNA that giant flightless birds like Madagascar's Elephant Birds & New Zealand's Moas didn't reach islands via continental drift as thought, but have a surprising evolutionary story of how they got there.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Wild Australia: The Edge (1996)
From beautiful but dangerous waterfalls to canyons and underground rivers carved into stone millions of years ago, Wild Australia is a stunning look at our fragile world and how it relates to Earth of ninety million years ago
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Disenchanted Forest (2002)
We call them o-rang-u-tans, which literally means "forest persons" in the Malay and Indonesian languages. They are the only great apes native to Asia. Of all the apes, they are the closest to man in genetic makeup. And they face extinction. Two years in the making, the film is an intimate portrayal of the world of orangutans, the threats to their survival and the people committed to help them thrive. The film focuses on a recent discovery that orangutans do not rely on animal instinct for survival, but instead have a culture that they have preserved from generation to generation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Diary of a Bee (2021)
In DIARY OF A BEE we follow the adventurous journey of a single bee from its birth (or hatching) to the founding of a new colony. Three years of shooting with the latest macro camera technology and special post-processing enable a unique visual language that allows completely new insights into the world of bees - without becoming unscientific. This story is told by Anna Thalbach as the "winter bee" and her daughter Nellie Thalbach, who takes on the role of the "summer bee". Welcome to the big drama of the little pollen collectors!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Secret Life of Hippos (TBA)
The secret life of hippos is revealed in this award-winning documentary, which follows divers into the waters of Tanzania's National Reserve. For the first time, cameras capture on film the astonishing underwater habits of these surprising creatures. A rare look at an essential part of hippo life, filmmakers Craig Huxley and Jean-Christophe Jeauffre's captivating documentary earned the Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival Audience Award.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Gabon The Last Eden (2007)
Surrounded by war-torn nations, the wilds of Gabon may be the last best hope for many of Africa's species.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Hyena Coast (2014)
Brown hyena expert Ingrid Wiesel wants to find her favourite study animal, named Tosca, who has disappeared from her home range on Namibia’s wild west coast. Ingrid's spent the last 17 years studying brown hyenas - now she must journey deep into Tosca's world to discover what exactly has forced her to leave her traditional hunting grounds.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Serengeti: Circle of Life (2011)
An animal documentary by Emmy award winner Hugo van Lawick. The viewer experiences unforgettable and magnificent recordings from Africa, accompanied by a fantastic soundtrack!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Mkomazi: Return of the Rhino (1999)
Once found all over Africa, indiscriminate hunting and enthusiasm for decorative rhino-horn daggers has led to near extinction for the black rhino. Thanks to the passage of tight legislation and the rise of vigilant protection, black rhino numbers are finally rising. This film documents efforts at Tanzania's Mkomazi Game Reserve. It is narrated by legendary British actor Edward Fox with an original score by Nikolas Labrinakos
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Wild (2018)
From the imposing mating call of the red deer and the flight of the buzzard to the hunt of the fox and the micro-ecosystem on a massive oak: nature documentarist Luc Enting recorded it all for his stunning feature film Wild Heart of Holland, produced by PVPictures. The result of his efforts is an exciting, moving and often humorous film, revealing the beauty and diversity of this wild park in every season. We also watch the main characters grow up to adulthood, a path inevitably dogged with challenges. Enting: “To me, this park, in any season, has an almost un-Dutch beauty. It is the largest continuous nature reserve in northwest Europe with an incredible variety of landscapes and life. It has forests, heath, sand drifts, brooks and pushed moraines. With my film, I would like to give a new insight into its incredibly diverse nature.”
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Whale Wisdom?
The closest matches to Whale Wisdom are My Octopus Teacher (2020), Blackfish (2013) and Deep Blue (2003). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Whale Wisdom?
Start with My Octopus Teacher (2020), the closest match to Whale Wisdom.
What is the highest-rated movie like Whale Wisdom?
My Octopus Teacher (2020), rated 7.9/10 by 1,114 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Whale Wisdom?
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Whale Wisdom?
Yes: My Octopus Teacher (2020), Blackfish (2013) and Deep Blue (2003).
How are movies similar to Whale Wisdom chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Whale Wisdom, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.