12 Movies Like Texas Rising You Need to Watch
Find 12 epic picks with war, history, western, and drama vibes, from Texas Rising to The Last Kingdom, Sons of Liberty, and more.
If you’re searching for movies like Texas Rising, you’re probably after big historical drama with battles, politics, and larger-than-life figures. This list pulls together 12 picks that hit those notes from different angles, including the frontier grit of Texas Rising, the Viking-era tension of The Last Kingdom, and the revolutionary intrigue of Sons of Liberty. You’ll also find the emotional sweep of The Book of Negroes, the dark ambition of Macbeth, and the sweeping empire stories in Barbarians Rising and Versailles. Whether you want war, western grit, or prestige history, these titles offer plenty of scope, tension, and memorable characters.
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01
The Last Kingdom
action · drama · history
A show of heroic deeds and epic battles with a thematic depth that embraces politics, religion, warfare, courage, love, loyalty and our universal search for identity. Combining real historical figures and events with fictional characters, it is the story of how a people combined their strength under one of the most iconic kings of history in order to reclaim their land for themselves and build a place they call home.
Directed by Jon East, Edward Bazalgette, Peter Hoar, Andy Hay, Paul WilmshurstCast Alexander Dreymon, Eliza Butterworth, Arnas Fedaravicius, Mark Rowley, Emily CoxNetflix -
02
Sons of Liberty
drama · history
A radical group of young men band together in secrecy to change the course of history and make America a nation.
Directed by Kari SkoglandCast Ben Barnes, Marton Csokas, Ryan Eggold, Henry Thomas, Michael Raymond-JamesAmazon Prime Video -
03
The Book of Negroes
drama · history · war
Kidnapped in Africa and subsequently enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata must navigate a revolution in New York, isolation in Nova Scotia and treacherous jungles of Sierra Leone, in an attempt to secure her freedom in the 19th century.
Directed by Clement VirgoCast Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Lyriq Bent, Ben Chaplin, Allan Hawco, Greg BrykAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
04
Macbeth
drama · history · war
Feature film adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish play about General Macbeth whose ambitious wife urges him to use wicked means in order to gain power of the throne over the sitting king, Duncan.
Directed by Justin KurzelCast Jack Madigan, Frank Madigan, Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy ConsidineFreevee -
05
Barbarians Rising
documentary · action · drama · history
Told from the perspective of the rebel leaders, the series chronicles a wave of rebellions against absolute power by those the Roman Empire called “barbarians” – tribes they viewed as beyond the fringe of civilization that lived a brutish and violent existence. But these also were men and women who launched epic struggles that shaped the world to come with a centuries-long fight to defeat the sprawling empire.
Directed by Simon George, Declan O'Dwyer, Maurice SweeneyCast Michael Ealy, Richard Riddell, Hristo Terziev, Tom Hopper, Steven WaddingtonAmazon Prime Video -
06
Gallipoli
drama · history · war
As dawn breaks on April 25, 1915, ANZAC troops go into battle on the beaches of the Gallipoli peninsula. Landing in the dark chaos, Tolly, Bevan and their mates struggle to establish a tenuous foothold on the treacherous slopes and deep ravines. They endure the next eight months on the peninsula learning lessons of survival. By the time of the final evacuation they have also learned the skills of combat and what it means to be a young man in war.
Directed by Glendyn IvinCast Kodi Smit-McPhee, Harry Greenwood, Sam Parsonson, Tom Budge, James CallisFreevee -
07
Versailles
biography · drama · history · romance · war
The story of a young Louis XIV on his journey to become the most powerful monarch in Europe, from his battles with the fronde through his development into the Sun King. Historical and fictional characters guide us in a world of betrayal and political maneuvering, revealing Versailles in all its glory and brutality.
Directed by Christian Langlois, Thomas Vincent, Richard Clark, Daniel Roby, Christoph SchreweCast George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos, Tygh Runyan, Stuart Bowman, Evan WilliamsAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
08
Hitler: Germany's Fatal Attraction
documentary · history · war
As April 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the death of Adolf Hitler, this documentary investigates the before, during and final days of the most terrifying dictator of the western world.
Directed by Daniel KonturCast Richard J. Evans, Nicholas O'Shaughnessy, Martin KempAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
09
Last Knights
action · drama
When an evil emperor executes their leader, his band of knights – bound by duty and honour – embarks on a journey of vengeance that will not come to an end until they've destroyed their mortal foe.
Directed by Kazuaki KiriyaCast Clive Owen, Morgan Freeman, Cliff Curtis, Aksel Hennie, Tsuyoshi IharaAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
10
A.D. The Bible Continues
drama
"A.D. The Bible Continues" picks up where the smash hit miniseries "The Bible" left off, continuing the greatest story ever told and exploring the exciting and inspiring events that followed the Crucifixion of Christ. The immediate aftermath of Christ's death had a massive impact on his disciples, his mother, Mary, and key political and religious leaders of the era, completely altering the entire world in an instant. Beginning at that fateful moment of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, "A.D. The Bible Continues" will focus on the disciples who had to go forward and spread the teachings of Christ to a world dominated by political unrest, and the start of a whole new religion that would dramatically reshape the history of the world.
Directed by Ciaran Donnelly, Tony Mitchell, Rob Evans, Brian Kelly, Paul WilmshurstCast Richard Coyle, Vincent Regan, Adam Levy, Joanne Whalley, Chipo ChungAmazon Prime Video -
11
Queen of the Desert
adventure · biography · drama · history · romance
A chronicle of Gertrude Bell's life, a traveler, writer, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer, and political attaché for the British Empire in the Near and Middle East at the dawn of the twentieth century. Her knowledge of the tribal leaders is used by the British to establish the Kingdoms of Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Directed by Werner HerzogCast Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson, Damian Lewis, Jay AbdoParamount Plus -
12
The Seventies
documentary · history
A documentary series focusing on the ongoing Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, evolving music industry, the Iran Hostage Crisis, the sexual revolution, and the rise of foreign and domestic terrorism.
Cast Julian ZelizerMax
Wrapping Up
These picks cover the same appeal that makes historical epics so easy to binge: conflict, ambition, and a sense of scale. From Gallipoli’s wartime intensity to The Book of Negroes’ human depth, there’s a wide mix here for fans of drama, history, western, action, and war stories. Bookmark this page if you want a reliable place to come back to when you’re in the mood for another sweeping period piece. We update it regularly, so it stays useful as new releases and classics continue to find their audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Texas Rising?
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 11, 2026