Skip to content

Movies like The Eternal Return (2018)

The best movies like The Eternal Return (2018) are Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) and Ghost Elephants (2026). If The Eternal Return hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

    Summoned from an ashram in Tibet, Ace finds himself on a perilous journey into the jungles of Africa to find Shikaka, the missing sacred animal of the friendly Wachati tribe. He must accomplish this before the wedding of the Wachati's Princess to the prince of the warrior Wachootoos. If Ace fails, the result will be a vicious tribal war.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  2. White Hunter, Black Heart (1990)

    Renowned filmmaker John Wilson travels to Africa to direct a new movie, but constantly leaves to hunt elephants and other game, to the dismay of his cast and crew. He eventually becomes obsessed with hunting down and killing one specific elephant.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  3. Ghost 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

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  4. Dumbo (2019)

    A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  5. Holiday in the Wild (2019)

    When her husband abruptly ends their marriage, empty nester Kate embarks on a solo second honeymoon in Africa, finding purpose and potential romance.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  6. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)

    Animal pals Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria are still trying to make it back to New York's Central Park Zoo. They are forced to take a detour to Europe to find the penguins and chimps who broke the bank at a Monte Carlo casino. When French animal-control officer Capitaine Chantel DuBois picks up their scent, Alex and company are forced to hide out in a traveling circus.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  7. The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

    A turn of the century wild west show struggling to make a living in Mexico comes into the possession of a tiny prehistoric horse. This leads to an expedition to the Forbidden Valley where they discover living dinosaurs. They capture one and take it back to be put on display, leading to inevitable mayhem.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  8. Hatari! (1962)

    A female wildlife photographer arrives on an East African reservation where a group of men trap wild animals for zoos and circuses.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  9. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

    To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  10. Water for Elephants (2011)

    In this captivating Depression-era melodrama, impetuous veterinary student Jacob Jankowski joins a celebrated circus as an animal caretaker but faces a wrenching dilemma when he's transfixed by angelic married performer Marlena.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  11. Merry Madagascar (2009)

    While trapped on the island of Madagascar, the Central Park Zoo escapees receive a visit from Santa--crash landing on their territory and getting amnesia to boot! The animals must help Santa assume his rightful place in the universe, while King Julian laps up the opportunity for his subjects.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  12. I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)

    Jack Spade returns from the army in his old ghetto neighbourhood when his brother, June Bug, dies. Jack declares war on Mr. Big, powerful local crimelord. His army is led by John Slade, his childhood idol who used to fight bad guys in the 70s.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  13. The Monster Squad (1987)

    Count Dracula returns to the world of humans accompanied by Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy, and the Gillman. The uglies are in search of a powerful amulet that will grant them the ability to rule the world. A group of horror-loving heroes are the only ones daring to stand in their way.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  14. He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

    After a baron steals his scientific discoveries, runs away with his wife, and slaps him in public, a man joins a Parisian circus sideshow as a clown whose act consists of being slapped repeatedly and becomes infatuated with a showgirl colleague whose father intends to marry her off to the baron.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  15. The Jungle Book (2016)

    After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli, a man-cub fostered by wolves, is forced to flee the jungle, and he embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera, and the free-spirited bear, Baloo.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  16. Jay Kelly (2025)

    Famous movie actor Jay Kelly embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting both his past and present, accompanied by his devoted manager, Ron.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  17. Sorry to Bother You (2018)

    In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  18. Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

    An imaginative elephant named Horton hears a faint cry for help coming from a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. Horton suspects there may be life on that speck and despite a surrounding community, who thinks he has lost his mind, he is determined to save the tiny particle.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  19. The Jungle Book (1967)

    The boy Mowgli makes his way to the man-village with Bagheera, the wise panther. Along the way he meets jazzy King Louie, the hypnotic snake Kaa and the lovable, happy-go-lucky bear Baloo, who teaches Mowgli "The Bare Necessities" of life and the true meaning of friendship.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  20. Hollywood Shuffle (1987)

    Aspiring actor and hot-dog stand employee Bobby Taylor catches the ire of his grandmother for auditioning for a role in the regrettably titled exploitation film "Jivetime Jimmy's Revenge." When Tinseltown Studios casts Taylor in the title role, he has a series of conflicted dreams satirizing African-American stereotypes in Hollywood, and must reconcile his career goals with his desire to remain a positive role model for his little brother.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this

Like The Eternal Return and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like The Eternal Return?

The closest matches to The Eternal Return are Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) and Ghost Elephants (2026). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after The Eternal Return?

Start with Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), the closest match to The Eternal Return.

What is the highest-rated movie like The Eternal Return?

The Jungle Book (1967), rated 7.3/10 by 6,840 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like The Eternal Return?

Ghost Elephants (2026) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like The Eternal Return?

Yes: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), White Hunter, Black Heart (1990) and Ghost Elephants (2026).

How are movies similar to The Eternal Return chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Eternal Return, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

↑ ↓ to move · Enter to open · Full search page