Top 50 History Movies and TV Shows
1. Hamilton (2020)
G | 160 min | Biography, Drama, History
The real life of one of America's foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Captured live on Broadway from the Richard Rodgers Theater with the original Broadway cast.
Director: Thomas Kail | Stars: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry
Votes: 17,474
2. Vikings (2013– )
14A | 44 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Vikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore - and raid - the distant shores across the ocean.
Stars: Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig, Georgia Hirst
Votes: 396,062
3. The Last Kingdom (2015– )
13+ | 60 min | Action, Drama, History
As Alfred the Great defends his kingdom from Norse invaders, Uhtred - born a Saxon but raised by Vikings - seeks to claim his ancestral birthright.
Stars: Alexander Dreymon, Eliza Butterworth, Ian Hart, Arnas Fedaravicius
Votes: 73,466
4. The Outpost (2020)
R | 123 min | Drama, History, War
A small team of U.S. soldiers battle against hundreds of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
Director: Rod Lurie | Stars: Orlando Bloom, Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Milo Gibson
Votes: 2,415
5. The Great (2020– )
Biography, Comedy, Drama
A royal woman living in rural Prussia during the 18th century is forced to choose between her own personal happiness and the future of Russia, when she marries an Emperor.
Stars: Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Sacha Dhawan
Votes: 9,204
6. Chernobyl (2019)
13+ | 330 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In April 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics becomes one of the world's worst man-made catastrophes.
Stars: Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Adam Nagaitis
Votes: 479,245
7. The Crown (2016– )
PG | 58 min | Drama, History
Follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century.
Stars: Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies
Votes: 114,459
8. Greyhound (2020)
14A | 91 min | Action, Drama, History
Early in World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy captain must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by Nazi U-boat wolfpacks.
Director: Aaron Schneider | Stars: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Michael Benz
Votes: 379
9. Band of Brothers (2001)
R | 594 min | Action, Drama, History
The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord, through V-J Day.
Stars: Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Shane Taylor
Votes: 357,719
10. Patriots Day (2016)
14A | 133 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The story of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the aftermath, which includes the city-wide manhunt to find the terrorists responsible.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, J.K. Simmons, John Goodman
Votes: 85,438 | Gross: $31.89M
11. Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010–2013)
R | 55 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
The life of Spartacus, the gladiator who lead a rebellion against the Romans. From his time as an ally of the Romans, to his betrayal and becoming a gladiator, to the rebellion he leads and its ultimate outcome.
Stars: Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett, Daniel Feuerriegel
Votes: 216,719
12. The Patriot (2000)
14A | 165 min | Action, Drama, History
Peaceful farmer Benjamin Martin is driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolution when a sadistic British officer murders his son.
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs
Votes: 249,239 | Gross: $113.33M
13. Waco (2018)
292 min | Crime, Drama, History
The FBI and ATF seize religious leader David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas in the spring of 1993.
Stars: Michael Shannon, Taylor Kitsch, Andrea Riseborough, Paul Sparks
Votes: 15,350
14. Schindler's List (1993)
PA | 195 min | Biography, Drama, History
In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Caroline Goodall
Votes: 1,173,752 | Gross: $96.90M
15. Gone with the Wind (1939)
G | 238 min | Drama, History, Romance
A manipulative woman and a roguish man conduct a turbulent romance during the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods.
Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood | Stars: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil
Votes: 281,506 | Gross: $198.68M
16. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
14A | 134 min | Biography, Drama, History
In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.
Director: Steve McQueen | Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt
Votes: 619,898 | Gross: $56.67M
17. Medici (2016– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Biography, Drama, History
A political family drama set in Florence in the early fifteenth century. Cosimo de Medici finds himself at the helm of his banking dynasty when his father, Giovanni, dies suddenly.
Stars: Daniel Sharman, Alessandra Mastronardi, Synnove Karlsen, Sebastian De Souza
Votes: 14,219
18. Midway (2019)
PG | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The story of the Battle of Midway, told by the leaders and the sailors who fought it.
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans
Votes: 50,661
19. When They See Us (2019)
296 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they're falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on the true story.
Stars: Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Marquis Rodriguez
Votes: 78,439
20. Mrs. America (2020– )
60 min | Biography, Drama, History
Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly leads an unexpected fight against the Equal Rights Amendment movement during the 1970s.
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Elizabeth Banks
Votes: 4,079
21. The Tudors (2007–2010)
14A | 60 min | Drama, History, Romance
A dramatic series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII.
Stars: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Anthony Brophy, James Frain
Votes: 66,334
22. Dunkirk (2017)
PG | 106 min | Action, Drama, History
Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy
Votes: 523,364 | Gross: $188.37M
23. Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)
18A | 55 min | Crime, Drama, History
An Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.
Stars: Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham
Votes: 167,580
24. Poldark (2015–2019)
60 min | Drama, History, Romance
Ross Poldark returns home after American Revolutionary War and rebuilds his life with a new business venture, making new enemies and finding a new love where he least expects it.
Stars: Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Farthing, Beatie Edney
Votes: 24,136
25. Apollo 13 (I) (1995)
PG | 140 min | Adventure, Drama, History
NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise
Votes: 260,585 | Gross: $173.84M
26. Dark Waters (2019)
PG | 126 min | Biography, Drama, History
A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.
Director: Todd Haynes | Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman
Votes: 40,337
27. Dirilis: Ertugrul (2014–2019)
TV-14 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The heroic story of Ertugrul Ghazi, the father of Osman (Uthman) who founded the Ottoman Empire.
Stars: Engin Altan Düzyatan, Hülya Darcan, Cengiz Coskun, Nurettin Sönmez
Votes: 23,605
28. The Last Dance (2020)
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Charting the rise of the 1990's Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.
Stars: Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, David Aldridge, Scottie Pippen
Votes: 55,934
29. Judy (II) (2019)
PG | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Legendary performer Judy Garland arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts.
Director: Rupert Goold | Stars: Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell
Votes: 32,598
30. The King (I) (2019)
18A | 140 min | Biography, Drama, History
Hal, wayward prince and heir to the English throne, is crowned King Henry V after his tyrannical father dies. Now the young king must navigate palace politics, the war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life.
Director: David Michôd | Stars: Tom Glynn-Carney, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher, Edward Ashley
Votes: 76,324
31. Braveheart (1995)
18A | 178 min | Biography, Drama, History
When his secret bride is executed for assaulting an English soldier who tried to rape her, William Wallace begins a revolt against King Edward I of England.
Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Angus Macfadyen
Votes: 936,929 | Gross: $75.60M
32. Deadwood (2004–2006)
14A | 55 min | Crime, Drama, History
A show set in the late 1800s, revolving around the characters of Deadwood, South Dakota; a town of deep corruption and crime.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Brad Dourif
Votes: 91,287
33. Troy (2004)
14A | 163 min | Drama, History
An adaptation of Homer's great epic, the film follows the assault on Troy by the united Greek forces and chronicles the fates of the men involved.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen | Stars: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Julian Glover
Votes: 477,063 | Gross: $133.38M
34. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
16+ | 139 min | Biography, Drama, History
World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer
Votes: 413,121 | Gross: $67.21M
35. TURN (2014–2017)
60 min | Drama, History, War
A Long Island farmer bands together a group of childhood friends to form an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America's fight for independence.
Stars: Jamie Bell, Heather Lind, Samuel Roukin, Daniel Henshall
Votes: 18,754
36. The Road to Coronation Street (2010 TV Movie)
75 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of how the 22-year-old Tony Warren conceived, wrote and fought for the record breaking UK TV series Coronation Street (1960).
Director: Charles Sturridge | Stars: Ann Aris, Lynda Baron, Steven Berkoff, David Dawson
Votes: 308
37. Tombstone (1993)
PA | 130 min | Action, Biography, Drama
A successful lawman's plans to retire anonymously in Tombstone, Arizona are disrupted by the kind of outlaws he was famous for eliminating.
Directors: George P. Cosmatos, Kevin Jarre | Stars: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton
Votes: 122,104 | Gross: $56.51M
38. The Big Short (2015)
14A | 130 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
In 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the US mortgage market. In their research they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.
Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Votes: 344,811 | Gross: $70.26M
39. The Salisbury Poisonings (2020– )
45 min | Crime, Drama, History
A drama about the Novichok poisoning crisis in Salisbury in 2018.
Stars: Rafe Spall, Anne-Marie Duff, Judah Cousin, Annabel Scholey
Votes: 1,379
40. The Revenant (2015)
14A | 156 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, Domhnall Gleeson
Votes: 679,066 | Gross: $183.64M
41. Les Misérables (2012)
PG | 158 min | Drama, History, Musical
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 300,923 | Gross: $148.81M
42. Hidden Figures (2016)
G | 127 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.
Director: Theodore Melfi | Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner
Votes: 191,234 | Gross: $169.61M
43. The Favourite (2018)
14A | 119 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend, Lady Sarah, governs the country in her stead. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos | Stars: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult
Votes: 160,913 | Gross: $34.37M
44. Rome (2005–2007)
14A | 52 min | Action, Drama, History
A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
Stars: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kerry Condon
Votes: 150,034
45. Call the Midwife (2012– )
PG | 60 min | Drama, History
Chronicles the lives of a group of midwives living in East London in the late-1950s to mid-1960s.
Stars: Vanessa Redgrave, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt
Votes: 19,075
46. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
14A | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades of the 12th century, and there he finds himself as the defender of the city and its people.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Martin Hancock
Votes: 261,323 | Gross: $47.40M
47. Public Enemies (2009)
14A | 140 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.
Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, Christian Stolte, Jason Clarke
Votes: 275,933 | Gross: $97.10M
48. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
14A | 157 min | Drama, History, Thriller
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow | Stars: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Mark Strong
Votes: 264,619 | Gross: $95.72M
49. Malcolm X (1992)
14A | 202 min | Biography, Drama, History
Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee
Votes: 82,568 | Gross: $48.17M
50. The Terror (2018– )
60 min | Adventure, Drama, History
Supernatural, semihistorical, horror anthology series, where each season is inspired by a different infamous or mysterious real life historical tragedy.
Stars: Jared Harris, Derek Mio, Tobias Menzies, Kiki Sukezane
Votes: 34,470