Movies like American Ocelot (2021)
The best movies like American Ocelot (2021) are Racing Extinction (2015), Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022) and Ghost Elephants (2026). If American Ocelot 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 1,115 votes
- NewestGhost Elephants (2026)Released 2026
Racing Extinction (2015)
An unlikely team of activists and innovators hatches a bold mission to save endangered species.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisExplorer: The Last Tepui (2022)
This documentary starring climber Alex Honnold and famous biologist Bruce Means document their expedition to the South American sky islands in search of new species and discoveries. Follows elite climber Alex Honnold and a world-class climbing team led by National Geographic Explorer and climber Mark Synnott on a grueling mission deep in the Amazon jungle as they attempt a first-ascent climb up a 1000 foot sheer cliff.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies 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 thisAfrican Cats (2011)
African Cats captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a once banished lion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOur Planet: Behind the Scenes (2019)
Years spent recording footage of creatures from every corner of the globe is bound to produce a bit of drama. Here's a behind-the-scenes look.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAn Inconvenient Truth (2006)
A documentary on Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDeep Sea 3D (2006)
Sea life in a whole new way. Deep Sea 3D, an underwater adventure from the filmmakers behind the successful IMAX® 3D film Into the Deep, transports audiences deep below the ocean surface. Through the magic of IMAX®; and IMAX 3D, moviegoers will swim with some of the planets most unique, dangerous and colorful creatures, and understand this inspiring underworld.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisInterstellar: Nolan's Odyssey (2014)
A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies 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 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 thisAudrey (2020)
An unprecedented and intimate look at the life, work and enduring legacy of British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies 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 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 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 thisMy 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 thisThe Curious Birth of Benjamin Button (2009)
A documentary about the making of David Fincher's 2008 film THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Virtually every element in the evolution of the Fincher's film is documented here, from the project's attachment to numerous other directors during the 1990s, to its shoot in 2006 and 2007 in New Orleans, to its complex, CGI-intensive postproduction process.
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 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 thisCharles Darwin and the Tree of Life (2009)
Darwin's great insight – that life has evolved over millions of years by natural selection – has been the cornerstone of all David Attenborough’s natural history series. In this documentary, he takes us on a deeply personal journey which reflects his own life and the way he came to understand Darwin’s theory.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDancing with the Birds (2019)
Some of the world's most majestic birds display delightfully captivating mating rituals, from flashy dancing to flaunting their colorful feathers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAfter the Revolution (2010)
The impact of the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, Mexico, on the lives of the Mayan women who joined as rebels to seek justice within their own culture.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Mystery 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
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like American Ocelot?
The closest matches to American Ocelot are Racing Extinction (2015), Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022) and Ghost Elephants (2026). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after American Ocelot?
Start with Racing Extinction (2015), the closest match to American Ocelot.
What is the highest-rated movie like American Ocelot?
My Octopus Teacher (2020), rated 7.9/10 by 1,115 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like American Ocelot?
Ghost Elephants (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like American Ocelot?
Yes: Racing Extinction (2015), Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022) and Ghost Elephants (2026).
How are movies similar to American Ocelot chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside American Ocelot, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.