10 Best Movies Like The Tragedy Of Macbeth

One of the most acclaimed movies of 2021 was The Tragedy of Macbeth. As the movie becomes available to a wider audience, viewers are now seeing why there is so much buzz around Joel Coen’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s timeless play with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in the lead roles.

The movie, of course, finds inspiration in the original text but the story of Macbeth is so intertwined with classic storytelling, that there are many other great movies that share these themes. Likewise, many movies spring to mind that share similarities with Coen’s unique approach to The Tragedy of Macbeth.

10 Nosferatu (1922)

It might seem strange to compare a Shakespearean prestige drama to a silent vampire movie, but it speaks to the look of both pieces. Coen clearly drew on the German Expressionism movement with this black-and-white thriller where shadows and dark atmosphere help to tell as much of the story as the dialogue.

Nosferatu is one of the most iconic movies to come out of that style of filmmaking and remains an incredibly influential movie to this day. Based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it tells the story of a vampire count who develops an obsession with the wife of his new clerk.

9 Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Despite The Tragedy of Macbeth being the first movie that Joel Coen directed without his brother, Ethan Coen, it does still resemble some of the brothers’ past work, including their gangster masterpiece, Miller’s Crossing.

Similar to Macbeth, Miller’s Crossing is the story of a highly valued soldier to a powerful leader who finds himself in a treacherous and increasingly dangerous spiral. It is clear that there were some Shakespearean influences in this movie that combines the Coens’ signature colorful character and odd sense of humor with the mob movie vibe.

8 Scotland, PA (2001)

There have been countless adaptations of Shakespeare’s work over the years, including Macbeth. And while The Tragedy of Macbeth is a very faithful take on the material, it is fun to see some outlandish ways of bringing the classic story to life.

Scotland, PA is a crime comedy that loosely tells the story of Macbeth. However, instead of a bloody medieval tale about a man seeking to become king, it tells the story of an employee at a fast-food restaurant and his dastardly ambition.

7 Nightcrawler (2014)

The battle between ambition and greed makes up a huge theme in The Tragedy of Macbeth as the main character begins to see himself as deserving of greatness and convinces him to do anything to achieve that.

Nightcrawler is a modern tale of these themes with Jake Gyllenhaal as a determined man who attempts to make a name for himself as a freelance video journalist through any means necessary. It is a frightening look at a character for whom success outweighs all morals.

6 Scarface (1983)

Another universal element of the story of Macbeth is that success does not necessarily equal happiness. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the higher the main characters climb in their path to absolute power, the more they are haunted by guilt and paranoia.

Scarface is another epic saga that warps the idea of a success story into a violent odyssey. Al Pacino gives an iconic performance as Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who gradually becomes Miami most feared drug kingpin after betraying those close to him and killing everyone in his path. Yet in the end, he finds himself surrounded by enemies.

5 The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

There is a haunting nature to The Tragedy of Macbeth as the main character doesn’t seem like a ruthless villain from the outset, but one murderous decision leads him down a dark path where he keeps attempting to cover his tracks and secure his position which only causes the bodies to pile up.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is a similarly eerie tale of a young man who is introduced to an intoxicating life of luxury unlike anything he’s ever known. When that paradise is threatened, he lashes out in a deadly way and is forced to make one terrible decision after another to keep his dark secrets hidden.

4 Men Of Respect (1991)

Men of Respect is another movie that implants the story of Macbeth into a modern setting, this one set in the deadly world of organized crime. John Turturro plays a hitman who heeds a prophecy that he will rise to the top of his crime family and begins betraying those closest to him in order for it to happen.

While it doesn’t add much new Shakespeare’s tale, it is an impressive cast working with an intense thriller. The same things that make Macbeth such a spectacular story help to elevate Men of Respect.

3 No Country For Old Men (2007)

Another movie from the Coen Brothers that shares the same dark tale of greed is No Country for Old Men. Josh Brolin plays a man who comes across the bloody aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and decides to take the money for his own only to be hunted by unrelenting forces.

It is another movie that follows Macbeth‘s story of one corrupted idea leading to an inescapable path of violence. The movie is a brilliant dark neo-Western featuring one of the most unsettling movie villains of all time with Anton Chigurh.

2 Throne Of Blood (1957)

Akira Kurosawa is a legendary filmmaker whose work has inspired countless generations of filmmakers. But he also drew upon classic source material for many of his movies as well, including Shakespeare. Throne of Blood is his retelling of Macbeth set in feudal Japan.

It follows the story of a veteran general who is encouraged by his ambitious wife to fulfill his place as a lord. Similar to Coen’s work in The Tragedy of Macbeth, it is thrilling to see a master filmmaker like Kurosawa doing his own brilliant take on this rich material.

1 A Simple Plan (1998)

After cementing himself as an acclaimed horror director but before he stepped into the superhero world, Sam Raimi delivered one of his best movies with the underrated crime thriller, A Simple Plan. It stars Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thorton as brothers who find millions of dollars in a small crash site only for mistrust to turn their new fortune deadly.

Interestingly enough, A Simple Plan feels inspired by Coen Brothers movies like Fargo, but it is also not hard to see the Shakespearean influence either in this gripping story of greed corrupting good people.

About The Author

Colin McCormick
(2030 Articles Published)

Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.

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