Hollywood is the single biggest and most influential film industry in the world, but sometimes, it overlaps with itself and other new releases that appear oddly similar. While the movie industry has gone through different trends and eras with certain types of movies becoming more popular at certain times, most movies are unique and different in several ways. Despite having genres and sub-genres, movies can overlap in extremely niche ways and still overlap.

For example, there are two separate movies released less than five years apart that feature the actor, Timothée Chalamet, choosing to marry a character played by Florence Pugh, despite being in love with someone else (Dune: Part Two and Little Women). However, there are movies that are significantly more connected, and unusually, both release in the same twelve-month window, which reduces the chance of being a copy of one another. However, phenomena like these happen a lot more often than expected.

10

Freddy Vs. Jason – Alien Vs. Predator (2004)

First on the list, although by no means is this the first set of twin movies, Freddy vs. Jason and Alien vs. Predator. On the face of it, these two films could be sorted into very different camps. One is a slasher horror, while the other is sci-fi horror, one deals with the supernatural, while the other deals with the unknown from outer space, etc. However, there are some odd similarities between these movies, and particularly the fact that they were both released almost exactly 12 months apart.

Both follow highly popular horror franchises from the 80s, reinvented and reimagined to pit iconic monsters against one another. The story sees these terrifying unleashing every tool in their arsenals to overpower their opponent, and throughout the battle, they harm innocent humans caught in the crossfire. Finally, despite everyone involved being a powerful monster, the winner suffers from a darker fate as their rival returns in unexpected ways.

9

The Prestige – The Illusionist (2006)

In 2006, Christopher Nolan released an elaborate movie which saw two incredibly talented magicians from the nineteenth century competing to become the best. While the film was a great success, adorned with spectacular talent, and full of mind-boggling illusions which should have made this a very unique picture, The Illusionist was released in theaters a month ahead of The Prestige. Despite The Prestige being the recipient of Academy Awards, it only managed to earn roughly $20 million more than The Illusionist (via The Numbers), despite the film being made on more than twice the overall budget (via The Numbers).

Both stories revolve around magic. Both feature talented leads, with Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman in The Prestige and Edward Norton in The Illusionist. Both films tell tragic love stories littered with loss, despair, and grief. Overall, both movies had a great deal in common which likely lessened the impact of both.

8

Knocked Up – Juno (2007)

The summer of 2007 was evidently the season for comedy movies about unexpected pregnancies that lead to unlikely relationships, as it both began and ended with movies on this exact topic. In Knocked Up, Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl form an unexpected couple after a one-night stand results in an unplanned pregnancy. The couple consider the options with the child, and Rogen’s character is willing to step up and be a father.

In Juno, teenage best friends accidentally get pregnant and complicate their relationship. Once again, they consider their options, although with added weight regarding their futures and education, and the father offers to step up. However, in both movies, the fathers are pushed away as the mothers choose to take on their journey alone. Eventually, relationships are healed and formed, resulting in a happy ending for all involved.

7

No Strings Attached – Friends With Benefits (2011)

Simply looking at the titles for both No Strings Attached and Friends with Benefits immediately makes it clear that these movies have a lot in common, but the connections between these romantic comedies run deep. Firstly, the films were released roughly six months apart, but the personal connection between the stars is even crazier. In No Strings Attached, the couple is played by Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. While in Friends with Benefits, they are played by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher initially met while recording That ’70s Show, where they hit it off and had a romantic relationship both on and off-screen from about 1998 until 2006. The pair split after that, and would not be officially reunited until January 2012, when they both hosted the Golden Globes, a further six months after Kunis’ twin movie was released. While the real-life coincidence is wild, the stories in both films are also remarkably similar, with friends who choose to have casual sexual relationships with each other before catching feelings for each other.

6

Olympus Has Fallen – White House Down (2013)

Releasing four months apart in 2013, both Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down feature strikingly similar stories. Both are political action thrillers revolving around a plot where the White House is under attack, and an unexpected hero steps in to save the day and the President. In Olympus Has Fallen, Gerard Butler stars as the highly skilled agent who protects the President, played by Aaron Eckhart. In White House Down, Channing Tatum plays the agent, and Jamie Foxx as the President.

Both movies are based on fictional terrorist attacks that cause enormous destruction and pose an imminent threat to the President. Both movies feature the heroic agents going above and beyond what they are required to do as they are not currently employed to protect the President or the White House. Both feature action, gunshots, and explosions galore with feats bordering on superhuman performed by the heroes.

5

This Is The End – The World’s End (2013)

Aside from the titles of both movies being very similar, sharing more than 50% of the words and letters, This Is the End and The World’s End have plenty more in common. For example, This Is the End was released in June 2013, and The World’s End was released in July 2013. Both movies feature apocalyptic events, and an ensemble cast of great comedy actors.

While the films’ biggest difference is potentially the setting, with one in the US and the other in England, the stories are remarkably similar and zany. Both movies revolve around ridiculous events playing out, and a group of people partying while the world is about to fall to pieces. However, due to the dire situation, their parties are interrupted, and they must choose to band together in an effort to hold back the apocalypse.

4

The Equalizer – John Wick (2014)

2014 was a great year for action movies, with both The Equalizer and John Wick coming out just one month apart, in late September and late October respectively. Both movies follow highly skilled assassins who have a special aptitude for eliminating targets in creative ways. Denzel Washington stars in The Equalizer as the titular lead, and Keanu Reeves stars as the titular John Wick.

Both films also gained a level of success which afforded them spin-offs and received multiple sequels exapanding on their dark stories. In both films, a criminal underbelly is revealed, and these highly skilled men return to a world they left behind to right wrongs. They avenge and enact violence in order to achieve their goals, and they prove their abilities and intellect as they stave off countless enemies trying to stop them.

3

Spectre – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Two of the largest and most enduring espionage franchises ever made also came dangerously close to releasing within weeks of each other. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation was moved up to avoid conflict (via THR). This move was almost certainly the right choice, as competing with a similar film like the latest bond movie, Spectre, would have been a terrible mistake. However, they did still come out approximately four months apart.

Both movies feature popular and iconic spies who embark on seemingly impossible missions and always manage to save the day. Both films feature incredible stunts, fights, and incredible spy technology and vehicles that allow them to complete their work to a high level of success. Daniel Craig had proven his strength in the role of James Bond over earlier movies, and Tom Cruise excelled in the role of Ethan Hunt, and had the two movies been pitted against each other, it could have reduced overall success for them both.

2

Churchill – Darkest Hour (2017)

In 2017, major production studios looked back at the harrowing events that rocked the world 70 years earlier in WWII. Considering Winston Churchill’s death had occurred a little over 50 years prior, it could have led to an increased interest in the man who is often credited with being instrumental in the victory over Germany and putting an end to WWII. However, within six months, two different movies about Churchill’s life were released.

Brian Cox stars in the aptley titled, Churchill, while Gary Oldman tackles the role in Darkest Hour. Both films focus on Churchill’s own life, and the burden of leading a war from behind a desk, while trying to make the best choices for their nation and the world at large. Both see Churchill undergo stresses and strains, and both serve as great examples of a biopic about a very influential figure. But it is odd that both released so close together, with such similar plots and focuses.

1

The First Omen – Immaculate (2024)

Much more recently, in 2024, two religious horror movies were released approximately two weeks apart, in March and April. Immaculate follows a young nun who is assigned to serve in a small remote Italian monastery occupied by nuns nearing the end of their lives. However, the young nun, played by Sydney Sweeney, is disturbed to learn about shocking truths and hidden secrets, and she suddenly becomes pregnant despite never having had sex before.

This same plot is once again repeated in The First Omen. However, the actress is different and, instead of serving in a nunnery, the young initiate is working in an Italian orphanage. Both of the women are American, both are specially selected to birth a child to change the world, and even the final fight in both films is similar with stabbings, flames, and tragic deaths. Each of these movies bears a strong resemblance to their twin films, released incredibly close to one another, and appear to simply be coincidentally similar.