12 Movies Like Dark You Need to Watch
Find 12 tense, twisty picks with crime, drama, mystery, sci-fi, and thriller vibes for fans seeking movies and shows with a Dark-like edge.
If you want movies like Dark, you’re probably after tense, puzzle-box storytelling with dread, family secrets, and a mystery that keeps shifting under your feet. This list leans into that same mood, starting with Dark (2017) and branching out to sharp, unsettling picks such as The Sinner (2017), Safe (2018), and The Cry (2018). You’ll also find darker genre blends like Dexter: New Blood (2021), Home Before Dark (2020), and Stranger Things (2016), which mix crime, drama, mystery, sci-fi, and thriller elements in different ways. For something a little more unusual, Before We Vanish (2017) adds a striking sci-fi angle that still fits the eerie, high-stakes tone. With 12 titles on the page, it’s built to help you find your next obsession fast.
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01
The Sinner
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
In a small New York town, a haunted detective hunts for answers about perplexing crimes while wrestling with his own demons.
Directed by Antonio Campos, Adam Bernstein, Tucker Gates, Brad Anderson, Cherien DabisCast Bill Pullman, Jessica Hecht, Dohn Norwood, Adam LeFevre, Jessica BielNetflix -
02
Safe
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
After his daughter goes missing, a widower begins uncovering the dark secrets of the people closest to him.
Directed by Julia Ford, Daniel O'Hara, Daniel NettheimCast Michael C. Hall, Amy James-Kelly, Amanda Abbington, Freddie Thorp, Marc WarrenNetflix -
03
The Cry
drama · mystery · thriller
The disappearance of a baby from a small coastal town in Australia is the catalyst for a journey into the disintegrating psychology of a young couple as they deal with an unthinkable tragedy under both the white light of public scrutiny and behind closed doors.
Directed by Glendyn IvinCast Jenna Coleman, Ewen Leslie, Asher Keddie, Alex Dimitriades, Sophie Kennedy ClarkAMC+ -
04
Dexter: New Blood
crime · drama · mystery
10 years after Dexter went missing in the eye of Hurricane Laura, we find him living under an assumed name in the small town of Iron Lake, New York. Dexter may be embracing his new life, but in the wake of unexpected events in this close-knit community, his Dark Passenger beckons.
Directed by Marcos Siega, Sanford BookstaverCast Michael C. Hall, Jack Alcott, Julia Jones, Johnny Sequoyah, Alano MillerAmazon Prime VideoParamount Plus -
05
Home Before Dark
crime · drama · mystery
Young investigative journalist Hilde Lisko moves with her family to the small town her father left behind, only to unearth shocking secrets in her pursuit of the truth.
Directed by Kat Candler, Rosemary Rodriguez, Kate Woods, Jon M. Chu, Jim McKayCast Jim Sturgess, Brooklynn Prince, Abby Miller, Kylie Rogers, Michael WestonApple TV Plus -
06
Stranger Things
drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.
Directed by Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Shawn Levy, Andrew Stanton, Uta BriesewitzCast Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Natalia Dyer, Charlie HeatonNetflix -
07
Before We Vanish
drama · sci-fi
Narumi is on bad terms with her husband, Shinji, when, one day, Shinji goes missing. He comes back a couple of days later, but he seems like a totally different person, and he is now gentle and tender. He goes for a walk every day. Meanwhile, journalist Sakurai covers the story of a family that was brutally murdered, when an unexplained phenomenon takes place.
Directed by Kiyoshi KurosawaCast Masami Nagasawa, Ryûhei Matsuda, Hiroki Hasegawa, Masahiro Higashide, Kyôko KoizumiAmazon Prime Video -
08
Sugar
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
An enigmatic private detective struggles with personal demons as he investigates the disappearance of a Hollywood producer's beloved granddaughter.
Directed by Fernando Meirelles, Adam Arkin, Michael Morris, Adam Bernstein, Amat EscalanteCast Colin Farrell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, James Cromwell, Amy Ryan, Dennis BoutsikarisApple TV Plus -
09
The Bronze Garden
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
Architect Fabián Danubio desperately tries to find his daughter, who has inexplicably disappeared leaving no trace.
Directed by Hernán Goldfrid, Pablo Fendrik, Benjamín NaishtatCast Joaquín Furriel, Isis Leyva, Julieta Zylberberg, Maite Lanata, Luis LuqueMax -
10
Capitani
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
In a Luxembourg village where everyone is keeping secrets, gruff police inspector Luc Capitani investigates the suspicious death of a 15-year-old girl.
Directed by Christophe WagnerCast Luc Schiltz, Sophie Mousel, Brigitte Urhausen, Joe Dennenwald, Konstantin RommelfangenNetflix -
11
The Kettering Incident
crime · drama · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Anna Macy left Kettering when she was just 14, shortly after her best friend, Gillian Baxter mysteriously disappeared. The two girls had been playing in the forbidden forests outside Kettering when they saw strange lights in the sky. Eight hours later, Anna was found alone, terrified and covered in blood. 15 years on, Anna returns to find the town struggling to survive. The forests have been marked for logging and the community is being torn apart by passionate but violent clashes between environmentalists and the local loggers.
Directed by Tony Krawitz, Rowan WoodsCast Elizabeth Debicki, Matthew Le Nevez, Henry Nixon, Anthony Phelan, Damon GameauAmazon Prime VideoPeacock Premium -
12
The Jetty
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Follows Det. Ember Manning as she must figure out how a fire at a vacation home is connected to a podcast journalist investigating a missing person's cold case and an illicit love triangle between a man in his 20s and two underage girls.
Directed by Marialy RivasCast Weruche Opia, Jenna Coleman, Ruby Stokes, Tom Glynn-Carney, Archie RenauxHulu
Wrapping Up
Whether you liked the time-bending structure, the slow-burn suspense, or the emotional weight behind the twists, these picks cover a lot of the same ground without feeling repetitive. Some are grounded crime stories, others lean into sci-fi or supernatural tension, but each one delivers that same uneasy pull fans are chasing. Bookmark this page so you can come back whenever you want another recommendation, because it’s updated regularly as new titles fit the bill. If you’re building a watchlist, this is a solid place to start and an even better place to return.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Dark?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.
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Last updated: September 7, 2026