There are several incredible movies similar toTitanicto watch after streaming the 1990s hit film that has recently trended on Disney+.Titanic’s legacy is one to be revered, and it makes sense that the film continues to trend almost 30 years later. Everything about this movie is iconic, fromTitanic’s ending—which is still widely talked about—to Jack and Rose’s timeless love story to the memorable soundtrack, including Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” Although much ofTitanicis based on a true story, James Cameron embellished most of the romance.
Regardless, Jack and Rose’s enduring love story is part of cinema’sbest romantic movies with tragic endings. Many aspects helpedTitanicbecome the legendary film it is today, fromTitanic’s talented cast of charactersto combining real and fictional events to create an epic, tragic movie. There are several other films that resonate withTitanic. These movies could not be more different from each other, ranging from epic war films to historical romances to tragic movies that took liberties with a true story. However, they all connect toTitanicin some way.
Glory
Cast
Based on documented events, Glory is a historical war-drama film by director Edward Zwick and tells the story of the first all-black infantry regiment in the Civil War. Being led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, comprised entirely of volunteers, fight to protect their nation and people while facing discrimination from all sides.
Gloryis an epic historical movieabout the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War. This regiment was the second to include Black Americans serving in the Union Army.Glorystars Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, and Denzel Washington—in fact,Gloryis one of severalmovies where Denzel Washington’s character dies. AlthoughGlorymight not seem to have much in common withTitanic, there is a lot more than meets the eye. For one,TitanicandGloryare historical films based on real events ending in tragedy.
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TitanicandGloryhave been criticized for their portrayal of real events. Although James Cameron implemented several small scenes inTitanicthat actually occurred, Jack and Rose’s love story was fictional. While the Battles of Fort Wagner and the outcome were real inGlory, the characters were fictionalized, except for Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Furthermore, the 54th Regiment consisted mostly of freedmen from the North (viaBlue & Gray Dispatch), whereasGlorydepicts many of the Black soldiers as formerly enslaved people. However, bothTitanicandGlorystill capture real tragic events by telling them through an epic drama lens.
The English Patient
In the aftermath of World War II, a critically burned patient in an Italian monastery recounts his tragic love affair with a married woman. As memories unfold, the complexities of their romance and the secrets of the past come to light, intertwining with the present and revealing poignant truths.
The English Patientis an epic romantic war moviebased on Michael Ondaatje’s book of the same name. It revolves around a deeply injured pilot recounting his personal history to the nurse who cares for him and other Allied forces that eventually join them. The pilot’s history eventually unfolds a devastating love affair and the lengths he endured to reunite with his love.The English PatientandTitanicdepict some ofthe most epic love stories in moviesthat end in tragedy.
In the Skin of a Lion
Jul 24, 2025
Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction
AlthoughThe English Patientis not based on a particular event, it does occur during World War II, depicting the gruesome reality of soldiers' injuries and the devastating circumstances of the war. While the basis forThe English PatientandTitanicare significantly different,their tragic love stories bring these two films together, illustrating various circumstances for true love to exist and eventually fall apart.
Boys Don’t Cry
Boys Don’t Cry is a film that chronicles the journey of a young transgender man, Brandon Teena, as he navigates his gender identity and desires for love in the rural landscape of Nebraska. The film explores themes of identity, acceptance, and societal confrontation.
Boys Don’t Cryis not a historical film, but it is based on a tragedy. While it depicts the heartbreaking story of Brandon Teena, it also portrays a powerful and forbidden love between Teena and Lana Tisdel. Other than both films finding their basis in real tragedy, there is not much in common betweenBoys Don’t CryandTitanic. However,these films prioritize the fictionalized romance over the real tragic events. While Brandon Teena and Lana Tisdel dated in real life, their relationship was not as serious.
Although writer and director Kimberly Peirce sought out an LGBTQ+ actor to play Brandon Teena, she was unsatisfied with the people who auditioned. When Hilary Swank came in, she passed the security guard dressed as a boy and lied about her age. However, Peirce was so impressed and liked the fact that Swank was an unknown actor, so she gave Swank the role.
Furthermore, Lana Tisdel broke up with Brandon Teena upon learning that he was transgender (viaE! News). However, Kimberly Peirce stood by the film, insisting that her “whole point was to explore the mechanics of hatred so that this stuff didn’t happen again.” WhileTitanichas not received the same level of retaliation for historical inaccuracy, Jack and Rose’s story is ultimately fictional, just like the fictionalized version of Teena and Tisdel that Kimberly Peirce created. However,both love stories inBoys Don’t CryandTitanictie their tragedies together.
Gladiator
Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.
Gladiatoris another epic historical film that surprisingly shares some similarities withTitanic. While the former takes place in Ancient Rome andTitanicis based on a tragedy that occurred in the early twentieth century, both movies are big-budget films that establish fictionalized characters in a historical setting. Maximus Decimus Meridius is a fictional character, butthe line of Roman Emperors inGladiatordid consist of real people.
Similarly,Jack and Rose’s story is fictional, but they met many passengers who were real, including Mr. Andrews (Victor Garber), Margaret “Molly” Brown (Kathy Bates), Captain Edward John Smith (Bernard Hill), J. Bruce Ismay (Jonathan Hyde), and John Jacob Astor IV (Eric Braeden). Even the band in the movie never stopped playing during the real sinking. Part of the reason why Jack and Rose’s story feels so authentic is because they are placed among people who existed, similar to Maximus Decimus Meridius' narrative.
Belle
Belle, directed by Amma Asante, chronicles the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy admiral. Set in 18th-century England, the film explores her unique position in society and her involvement in the movement to abolish slavery.
Belleis a period drama, just likeTitanic.Belleis loosely based on a painting of Dido Elizabeth Belleand her cousin, Lady Elizabeth Murray. However,BelleandTitanicgreatly contrast when it comes to historical accuracy.Titanicis often praised asan accurate and realistic period drama(despite the love story), butBelleactually romanticizes Dido Elizabeth Belle’s life.Belleprimarily focuses on the titular character’s romance with John Davinier, an aspiring lawyer.
The circumstances surrounding Dido Elizabeth Belle’s life differ significantly in reality. Her father never gave her his last name, and her mother was a 15-year-old when she gave birth to Belle (viaEnglish Heritage). However,BelleandTitanicportray forbidden and passionate love stories between people of different social classes. Although Dido Elizabeth Belle was raised by her father’s uncle, she was still treated differently because of her racial background and illegitimate. Despite the number of historical accuracies,Belleis still a romantic period drama, just likeTitanic.
The Theory of Everything
The Theory of Everything chronicles the relationship between renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane Wilde. Set in Cambridge, the film explores Hawking’s groundbreaking work in theoretical physics and his battle with ALS, against the backdrop of his personal life and enduring romance with Jane Wilde.
The Theory of Everythingis a movie based on Stephen Hawking’s life, focusing on his relationship with his first wife, Jane Wilde Hawking.The Theory of EverythingandTitanicboth take place in the twentieth century, but one focuses on a scientist’s life and marriage while the other focuses on a tragedy. Nevertheless, both movies feature angsty romances that were either nonexistent in real life or vastly different.The Theory of Everythingromanticizes Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde Hawking’s relationship from the beginning.
The Guardianfact-checks various aspects ofThe Theory of Everything, noting how the Hawkings' relationship was inaccurately romanticized from their first date.The Theory of Everythingmarks the end of the Hawkings' marriage with “a beautiful, tear-soaked, mutually respectful conversation.” However, in reality, they broke up during a tumultuous fight on vacation, and shortly after, Hawkings left his soon-to-be ex-wife for Elaine Mason, his second wife. Meanwhile, Jack and Rose’s romance never happened in real life. However,both movies opt to romanticize relationships in the wake of tragedy.
Everest
Released in 2015, Everest is a biographical survival movie boasting a star-studded ensemble cast. It tells the story of two expedition groups who find themselves in the midst of a violent storm while attempting to reach the peak of the titular mountain. Though they’re able to endure the initial onslaught, the harsh weather conditions force the climbers to dig deep in order to survive the descent.
Everestis a survival film based on the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, when several climbers died on Mount Everest while attempting to escape a blizzard. However, the movie follows expedition groups that attempt to survive the disastrous blizzard.Everestdepicts the tenacity of climbers who survived this natural disaster, similar to Rose’s tenacity in surviving the sinking of the Titanic ship. However,one of the survivors of the Mount Everest disaster actually criticized the movie, calling it “total bull” (viaEntertainment Weekly).
While Titanic is primarily about Jack and Rose’s romance, the movie is just as much about Rose surviving the Titanic sinking.
Despite the criticism of historical accuracyEverestreceived, the movie is still a movie about surviving a natural disaster. WhileTitanicis primarily about Jack and Rose’s romance, the movie is just as much about Rose surviving the Titanic sinking.EverestandTitanicillustrate the tenacity of peoplein the wake of devastating natural disasters.
Sully
Sully is a 2016 biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. The movie is based on the true story of the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson” emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549, in which Sullenberger successfully landed the plane on the Hudson River, saving all 155 passengers and crew members on board.
Sullyis one of the manymovies directed by Clint Eastwood, portraying the incredible landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River on August 18, 2025. Tom Hanks stars as Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, one of the two pilots of this flight. All 155 people aboard US Airways Flight 1549 miraculously survived this crash landing, instigated by birds colliding with the airplane’s engine. WhileSullyevidently has a much happier ending thanTitanic,both movies depict natural disasterswhile focusing on one or two primary characters.
AlthoughTitanic’s protagonists are fictional, Captain Edward John Smith and Thomas Andrews both had significant roles in the movie, establishinga fascinating comparison between Sullenberger’s landing of US Airways Flight 1549 and Captain Smith’s handling of the Titanic sinking. However,Sullydoes not depict a romance, unlikeTitanic. However, the actual disasters are depicted fairly accurately, despiteSully’s inaccuracy of US Airways Flight 1549’s aftermath (viaAP News).
The King
After Hal (Timothée Chalamet) is named King Henry V when his father dies, he is thrust into a world with strained politics and a deadly war that was escalated by his father’s tyrannical methods. The Netflix film premiered in 2019 and offered a stacked cast, including Sean Harris, Ivan Kaye, Ben Mendelsohn, and Joel Edgerton.
The Kingis a Netflix epic historical film based on William Shakespeare’s historical plays featuring Henry V, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet. AlthoughThe Kingfeatures real historical figures, Shakespeare’s plays are fictionalized accounts of Henry IV and Henry V. Nevertheless,TitanicandThe Kingshare several commonalities. Both films have impressive casts.Titanicstars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio and also features Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton, Kathy Bates, and Victor Garber.The Kinghas several surprising actors on top of Timothée Chalamet, including Robert Pattinson, Tom Glynn-Carney, Lily-Rose Depp, and Ben Mendelsohn.
AlthoughThe Kingis an adaptation of a fictionalized account of real people, bothTitanicandThe Kingdepict real events with fictionalized elements. Furthermore, both movies are period dramas, although one takes place in the early twentieth century, while the other occurs during the fifteenth century. However,The Kingstill shares more in common withTitanicthan differences.
Little Women
The seventh film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women details the coming-of-age story of the March sisters, four young women living in Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, with Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen playing Amy, Meg, and Beth respectively. The film received critical acclaim upon its release and garnered six nominations and one win at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Similarly toThe King,Little Womenis an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s book—which, in turn, is a fictionalized account of her life. AlthoughLittle Womenfeatures a much happier ending thanTitanic, it still suffers from tragedy when one of the March sisters dies. However, there is still hope for the remaining March sisters to endure, just like Rose did after Jack’s death.Little Womenalso features iconic romances, such as Amy and Laurie’s unexpected love story and Meg and John’s classic marriage.
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Little Womenis arguably the most similar toTitanic.Both movies are period dramas that feature romance and tragedy while including exciting plot points, such as the whereabouts of the Heart of the Ocean and how Jo will find satisfaction with her life. AlthoughTitanicis sadder thanLittle Women, both resonate with each other by illustrating passion, hardship, independence, family dynamics, and love.
Titanic
Titanic is the 1997 blockbuster romantic/disaster epic based on the events surrounding the sinking of the legendary “unsinkable” vessel. Flashing back to the past and forward to the present, the film primarily follows the stories of the well-to-do and somewhat timid Rose and the poor but lively Jack, star-crossed lovers who meet aboard the doomed ship. In addition, the film tells true and fictionalized accounts of the passengers of the RMS Titanic, with an older Rose recounting her tale to the crew of a research ship.
