20 Best Biography Movies on AMC+ 2026
Discover AMC+ true-story picks, from BlackBerry and Official Secrets to American Gangster, with 20 standout biography, drama, history, and crime films.
If you want true stories with drama, style, and a little edge, this roundup of AMC+ picks is a strong place to start. From the tech fallout of BlackBerry (2023) to the gripping spy tension of Official Secrets (2019), these movies turn real events into sharp, watchable storytelling. You’ll also find standout performances in Benedetta (2021), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), and Rebel in the Rye (2017), each bringing a different side of history and biography to the screen. Crime fans can dig into American Gangster (2007) and Donnie Brasco (1997), while Mapplethorpe (2018) adds an art-world perspective that is equal parts bold and thoughtful. With 20 titles on this page, it’s easy to find a movie that fits your mood.
-
01
BlackBerry
biography · comedy · drama · history
Two mismatched entrepreneurs – egghead innovator Mike Lazaridis and cut-throat businessman Jim Balsillie – joined forces in an endeavour that was to become a worldwide hit in little more than a decade. The story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone.
Directed by Matt JohnsonCast Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Kelly Van der Burg, Gregory Ambrose CalderoneNetflixAMC+ -
02
Official Secrets
biography · crime · drama · thriller · war
The true story of British intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun who—prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion—leaked a top-secret NSA memo exposing a joint US-UK illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council. The memo proposed blackmailing member states into voting for war.
Directed by Gavin HoodCast Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, Adam BakriNetflixAMC+ -
03
Benedetta
biography · drama · romance
A 17th-century nun becomes entangled in a forbidden lesbian affair with a novice. But it is Benedetta's shocking religious visions that threaten to shake the Church to its core.
Directed by Paul VerhoevenCast Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphné Patakia, Lambert Wilson, Olivier RabourdinNetflixAMC+ -
04
The Man Who Knew Infinity
biography · drama
Growing up poor in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar earns admittance to Cambridge University during WWI, where he becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories with the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy.
Directed by Matt BrownCast Jeremy Irons, Dev Patel, Malcolm Sinclair, Raghuvir Joshi, Dhritiman ChatterjeeAMC+ -
05
Rebel in the Rye
biography · drama · romance · war
The life of celebrated but reclusive author J.D. Salinger, who gained worldwide fame with the publication of his novel The Catcher in the Rye.
Directed by Danny StrongCast Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Victor Garber, Hope Davis, Zoey DeutchAMC+Paramount Plus -
06
American Gangster
biography · crime · drama
Loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts.
Directed by Ridley ScottCast Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Lymari NadalAMC+ -
07
Mapplethorpe
biography · drama
A look at the life of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe from his rise to fame in the 1970s to his untimely death in 1989.
Directed by Ondi TimonerCast Matt Smith, Marianne Rendón, John Benjamin Hickey, Brandon Sklenar, Tina BenkoNetflixAMC+ -
08
White Lightnin'
biography · drama
Deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, where every man owns a gun and a moonshine still, abides living legend Jesco White, "the dancing outlaw". As a boy Jesco was in and out of reform school and the insane asylum. To keep him out of trouble, his daddy D-Ray taught him the art of mountain dancing, a frenzied version of tap dancing to wild country banjo music. After his father's death, crazy Jesco dons his father's tap shoes and takes his show on the road.
Directed by Dominic MurphyCast Muse Watson, Carrie Fisher, Wallace Merck, Stephanie Astalos-Jones, Kirk BovillAMC+ -
09
The Catcher Was a Spy
biography · drama · war
Former major league baseball player Moe Berg lives a double life working for the Office of Strategic Services in World War II Europe.
Directed by Ben LewinCast Paul Rudd, Pierfrancesco Favino, Tom Wilkinson, Connie Nielsen, Anna GeislerováAMC+ -
10
The Stanford Prison Experiment
biography · drama · history · thriller
In 1971, Stanford's Professor Philip Zimbardo conducts a controversial psychology experiment in which college students pretend to be either prisoners or guards, but the proceedings soon get out of hand. Based on a true story.
Directed by Kyle Patrick AlvarezCast Billy Crudup, Michael Angarano, Moises Arias, Nicholas Braun, Gaius CharlesAMC+ -
11
A Call to Spy
biography · crime · drama · history · thriller · war
The story of Vera Atkins, a crafty spy recruiter, and two of the first women she selects for Churchill's "secret army": Virginia Hall, a daring American undaunted by a disability and Noor Inayat Khan, a pacifist. These civilian women form an unlikely sisterhood while entangled in dangerous missions to turn the tide of the war.
Directed by Lydia Dean PilcherCast Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic, Radhika Apte, Linus Roache, Rossif SutherlandAMC+ -
12
My Friend Dahmer
biography · crime · drama · horror
Jeffrey Dahmer struggles with a difficult family life as a young boy. During his teenage years he slowly transforms, edging closer to the serial killer he was to become.
Directed by Marc MeyersCast Ross Lynch, Vincent Kartheiser, Alex Wolff, Adam Kroloff, Anne HecheAMC+ -
13
Little Bites
biography · drama · horror
In a desperate attempt to protect her ten-year-old daughter, a young widow allows a nightmarish monster to slowly eat her alive.
Directed by Spider OneCast Krsy Fox, Jon Sklaroff, Elizabeth Phoenix Caro, Barbara Crampton, Heather LangenkampHuluAMC+ -
14
Lion of the Desert
biography · drama · history · war
This movie tells the story of Omar Mukhtar, an Arab Muslim rebel who fought against the Italian conquest of Libya during the second Italo-Senussi War. It gives western viewers a glimpse into this little-known region and chapter of history, and exposes the savage means by which the conquering army attempted to subdue the natives.
Directed by Moustapha AkkadCast Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, Irene Papas, Raf Vallone, Rod SteigerAMC+ -
15
Snowtown
biography · crime · drama · mystery
Based on true events, 16 year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder.
Directed by Justin KurzelCast Lucas Pittaway, Bob Adriaens, Louise Harris, Frank Cwiertniak, Matthew HowardAMC+ -
16
Red Joan
biography · drama · history · romance · thriller
London, England, May 2000. The peaceful life of elderly Joan Stanley is suddenly disrupted when she is arrested by the British Intelligence Service and accused of providing information to communist Russia during the forties.
Directed by Trevor NunnCast Judi Dench, Nina Sosanya, Laurence Spellman, Nicola Sloane, Sophie CooksonNetflixAMC+ -
17
Hunger
biography · crime · drama · thriller
The story of Bobby Sands, the IRA member who led the 1981 hunger strike during The Troubles in which Irish Republican prisoners tried to win political status.
Directed by Steve McQueenCast Stuart Graham, Laine Megaw, Brian Milligan, Liam McMahon, Karen HassanAMC+ -
18
MLK/FBI
documentary · biography · history
Based on newly declassified files, the film explores the US government’s surveillance and harassment of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Directed by Sam PollardCast Shaun Bowman, Tom Martin, Ben Mehl, Tim NicolaiAMC+ -
19
The Disappearance of Shere Hite
documentary · biography
Shere Hite's bestselling book The Hite Report liberated female orgasm by revealing the most private experiences of thousands of anonymous surveys. Her findings rocked the American establishment and conversations about gender and sexuality.
Directed by Nicole NewnhamCast Dakota JohnsonAMC+ -
20
Mary Shelley
biography · drama · history · romance
The love affair between poet Percy Shelley and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin resulted in the creation of an immortal novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.”
Directed by Haifaa Al-MansourCast Elle Fanning, Bel Powley, Owen Richards, Joanne Froggatt, Stephen DillaneAMC+
Wrapping Up
Whether you’re in the mood for a hard-hitting crime story, a smart historical drama, or a character study with real emotional weight, this list makes AMC+ easier to browse. The mix of biography, comedy, drama, history, and crime means there’s something here for different tastes and viewing times. Bookmark this page so you can come back whenever you want a fresh true-story recommendation. It’s updated regularly, so the lineup stays useful as the catalog changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is this list updated?
We refresh this list regularly as titles are added or removed from streaming catalogs, so rankings and availability stay current.
Do I need a AMC+ subscription to watch these?
Yes — every title on this list is currently available on AMC+. Availability can change, so we recommend checking the streaming link on each title before you start watching.
How are these biography movies ranked?
We rank by a combination of audience rating and current popularity, so you're seeing the biography titles people are actually watching right now, not just an old fixed list.
Related Guides
Last updated: September 8, 2026