Movies like Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981)
The best movies like Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981) are The Big Fix (1978), Foul Play (1978) and Deathtrap (1982). If Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen hooked you with its comedy and mystery, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedKnives Out (2019)7.8/10 from 14,794 votes
- NewestThe Thursday Murder Club (2025)Released 2025
The Big Fix (1978)
Private detective Moses Wine is hired by his former college girlfriend to investigate a political smear campaign and he sets out to find out who is responsible, with deadly results.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisFoul Play (1978)
A shy San Francisco librarian and a bumbling cop fall in love as they solve a crime involving albinos, dwarves, and the Catholic Church.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDeathtrap (1982)
A Broadway playwright puts murder in his plan to take credit for a student's script.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Maltese Falcon (1941)
A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a beautiful liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery & thriller
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWoman on the Run (1950)
Frank Johnson, a sole witness to a gangland murder, goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris, on the theory that Frank is trying to escape from possible retaliation. Frank's wife, Eleanor, suspects he is actually running away from their unsuccessful marriage. Aided by a newspaperman, Danny Leggett, Eleanor sets out to locate her husband. The killer is also looking for him, and keeps close tabs on Eleanor.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie (2023)
Monk steps out of retirement as his stepdaughter's wedding turns tragic when her fiancé dies in a bungee jumping accident.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Late Show (1977)
An over-the-hill gumshoe in Los Angeles seeks to avenge the killing of an old pal, another detective who was involved in a case concerning a murdered broad, stolen stamps, a nickel-plated handgun, a cheating dolly, and a kidnapped pussycat.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Cheap Detective (1978)
A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNancy Drew (2007)
Intrepid teenage private eye Nancy Drew heads to Tinseltown with her father to investigate the unsolved murder of a movie star in this old-fashioned whodunit based on Carolyn Keene's popular series of books for young adults. But can the small-town girl cut through the Hollywood hype to solve the case?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Glass Key (1942)
A crooked politician finds himself being accused of murder by a gangster from whom he refused help during a re-election campaign.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Shot in the Dark (1964)
Inspector Jacques Clouseau, smitten with the accused maid Maria Gambrelli, unwittingly turns a straightforward murder investigation into a comedic series of mishaps, testing the patience of his irritable boss Charles Dreyfus as casualties mount.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPsych: The Movie (2017)
The ambitious friends come together during the holidays after a mystery assailant targets one of their own. A comedic thrill-ride follows, as the wild and unpredictable Psych team pursues the bad guys, justice … and, of course, food!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Seven-Ups (1973)
A tough detective who is part of an elite New York City unit is trying to find out who killed his partner, but uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for money.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Thursday Murder Club (2025)
A group of senior sleuths passionate about solving cold cases get plunged into a real-life murder mystery in this comic crime caper.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOverdrive (2017)
Master car thieves square off against French gangsters in the South of France with money, women and lives all on the line.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)
Juliet Forrest is convinced that the reported death of her father in a mountain car crash was no accident. Her father was a prominent cheese scientist working on a secret recipe. To prove it was murder, she enlists the services of private eye Rigby Reardon. He finds a slip of paper containing a list of people who are 'The Friends and Enemies of Carlotta'.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKnives Out (2019)
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMurder! (1930)
When actress Diana Baring is found in a daze beside her colleague’s murdered body, all evidence points to her guilt. During the trial, juror Sir John Menier doubts the verdict, but yields to pressure. Haunted by remorse, he launches his own investigation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both mystery & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisWho Done It? (1942)
Two dumb soda jerks dream of writing radio mysteries. When they try to pitch an idea at a radio station, they end up in the middle of a real murder when the station owner is killed during a broadcast.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWho's Harry Crumb? (1989)
Harry Crumb is a bumbling and inept private investigator who is hired to solve the kidnapping of a young heiress which he's not expected to solve because his employer is the mastermind behind the kidnapping.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCharlie Chan in Panama (1940)
Charlie impersonates an employee of the U.S. government to foil an espionage plot which would destroy part of the Panama Canal, trapping a Navy fleet on its way to the Pacific after maneuvers in the Atlantic.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & mystery
Murder Over New York (1940)
When Charlie's old friend from Scotland Yard is murdered when they attend a police convention in New York, Chan picks up the case he was working on.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & comedy
Charlie Chan in The Chinese Cat (1944)
To solve the murder of a man shot in a locked room, Chan must wade through a Fun House, the writings of an unscrupulous author, and chess pieces.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & comedy
Shadows Over Chinatown (1946)
In San Francisco's Chinatown, Charlie helps two different people search for their missing relatives and uncovers a murder for insurance scheme.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & comedy
Dead Time (2007)
A police and a journalist uncover series of murders that lead into one problem: A treasure many parties were fighting for and caused many casualties.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (1937)
Although Charlie and Lee are in Monaco for an art exhibit, they become caught up in a feud between rival financiers which involves the Chan's in a web of blackmail and murder.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & comedy
Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)
In Rio de Janiero to arrest a nightclub singer on suspicion of a murder in Hawaii, Charlie Chan becomes involved with the Rio police in solving the singer's own murder.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944)
Charlie Chan is an agent of the US government working in Washington DC and he is assigned to investigate the murder of the inventor of a highly advanced torpedo. Aiding Chan is his overeager but dull-witted son Tommy and his daughter Iris.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & mystery
Black Magic (1944)
Chinese detective Charlie Chan solves a murder linked to the occult.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & comedy
The Shanghai Cobra (1945)
Someone is attempting to steal radium stored in a bank. Death by cobra venom connects a number of murders. Charlie Chan investigates.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen?
The closest matches to Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen are The Big Fix (1978), Foul Play (1978) and Deathtrap (1982). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen?
Start with The Big Fix (1978), the closest match to Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen.
What is the highest-rated movie like Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen?
Knives Out (2019), rated 7.8/10 by 14,794 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen?
The Thursday Murder Club (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen?
Yes: The Big Fix (1978), Foul Play (1978) and Deathtrap (1982).
How are movies similar to Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.