22 wildly different movies that are actually stealth copies of each other
Plot twins!
No-one wants to see the exact same movie every time they go to the cinema, but scriptwriters have become dab hands at delivering essentially the same plot without audiences realising. Here are eleven pairs of apparently different movies that nevertheless share a plot.
The Nightmare Before Christmas and Wreck-It Ralph
When the man that everyone assumes is scary decides he doesn't want to be that guy anymore, he escapes his world. Having initially caused trouble when all he really wanted to do was help, he eventually has to battle a villain who is part-bug.
Forrest Gump and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
An unusual man travels the world and has amazing adventures before reconnecting with his childhood sweetheart, even though he doesn't ultimately end up with her.
Skyfall and Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Our hero is searching for something vital to the safety of the world but loses it thanks to a poor judgement call. The bad guy who now has control of the item turns out to be an ex-spy. Following a chase through London, the hero loses them again and has to face off in a final encounter in a remote location that has huge personal associations for them. Having stabbed the rogue spy, our hero gets the closure he is looking for.
The Iron Giant and Thor
When an alien being is stranded on Earth, he learns to understand humans by befriending one of them. After becoming a target for government forces he risks his own life to save his new friends, before leaving Earth.
Star Wars and Kung Fu Panda
We've explored this one at length before. Our hero begins his journey as an unfulfilled hick from the sticks who is mentored by an old guy in a brown dressing gown. He learns to fight in an ancient, spiritual discipline and battles his master's former pupil, who has since turned evil. It turns out his father isn't his real father and he finds out who his real dad is in the first sequel. His ultimate spiritual mentor is a wrinkly green guy with a stick who floats away into the spirit realm when he dies. By the third film, he's now the master.
Ghostbusters (2016) and Suicide Squad
When a woman joins a group of misfits they are called upon to fight supernatural creatures who first manifest in a subway tunnel. When the city falls under the control of the evil power the team realises they can defeat these entities using an explosive.
The Shining and Titanic
Flooded lobbies and axe-wielding characters are suddenly the norm amidst the opulent surroundings of a time gone by. As he tries to survive the events of the final evening, Jack is frozen to death but unexpectedly appears in a group scene at the end of the film.
Mousehunt and Catch Me If You Can
When the actions of an unusual character get noticed, those in control start to hunt him. Easily evading the hunters at each step, his actions become increasingly bold as time goes by. When he is eventually caught, the hunters and the hunted realise they have a strong bond and decide to work together.
Point Break and The Fast and The Furious
An undercover cop infiltrating a gang of adrenalin junkies falls in love with one of them and begins to believe this is not the group of criminals he is searching for. When it becomes obvious they are the thieves, the lawman tries to bring them to justice but eventually releases the leader and leaves their role in law enforcement.
Gremlins and Transformers
A young boy receives a creature as a present, which eventually transforms. Evil ersions of the creature then attack the city and try to take control. When the lead creature has been destroyed it is dispatched into water.
Mary Poppins and Ferris Bueller's Day Off
A character with their name in the title who seems to have the power to make anything happen invites two unhappy kids on the adventure of a lifetime. Ignoring the adults who try and stifle their enjoyment, the group enjoys dance numbers before the title character takes their leave so the others can ultimately deal with their problems by themselves.
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