12 Movies Like The Day of the Jackal You Need to Watch
Craving tense spy and assassin thrillers? Explore 12 smart picks, from The Day of the Jackal to Echoes of the Past, Néro the Assassin, and more.
If you’re hunting for tense, stylish thrillers with assassins, spies, and a lot of pressure at every turn, this list is built for you. It brings together sharp new picks such as The Day of the Jackal (2024), Echoes of the Past (2024), and Chief of Station (2024), alongside darker, more unpredictable choices like Night of the Hunted (2023) and The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024). You’ll also find Néro the Assassin (2025), Warriors of the Wasteland (2024), and Masters of the Air (2024), which lean into action, crime, drama, and mystery in different ways. Whether you want a slow-burn manhunt or a high-stakes mission, these selections keep the suspense tight and the stakes clear. If you came here for movies like The Day of the Jackal, the mix below should give you plenty to add to your watchlist.
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01
Echoes of the Past
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Accused of his sister's murder, Yehia is fiercely determined to seek vengeance and unmask the true perpetrator.
Directed by Sadeer MassoudCast Rakeen Saad, Asser Yassin, Mahmoud Hemida, Shereen Reda, Huda El MuftiNetflix -
02
Néro the Assassin
action · adventure · drama · history
France, 1504. A ruthless assassin goes on the run with his estranged daughter in his quest to protect her from deadly enemies and evil forces.
Directed by Ludovic Colbeau-Justin, Allan MauduitCast Pio Marmaï, Alice Isaaz, Olivier Gourmet, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Yann GaelNetflix -
03
Chief of Station
action · thriller
After learning that the death of his wife was not an accident, a former CIA Station Chief is forced back into the espionage underworld, teaming up with an adversary to unravel a conspiracy that challenges everything he thought he knew.
Directed by Jesse V. JohnsonCast Aaron Eckhart, Olga Kurylenko, Alex Pettyfer, Chris Petrovski, Laëtitia EïdoNetflixHulu -
04
Warriors of the Wasteland
action · adventure · sci-fi
In a distant future following a nuclear catastrophe, the West Balkans have become a lawless wasteland where the most valuable currency is the bullet. A mysterious blind fiddler wanders the ruins, singing the legend of the "Grain People"—a peaceful community of wheat-growers who refuse to submit to a distant city's tyranny. When a young warrior’s family is slaughtered by a deranged warlord, he embarks on a bloody quest for vengeance. Armed only with a blade and a motorcycle, he must navigate radioactive cults and hallucinations to protect the last remnants of civilization.
Directed by Nemanja CeranicCast Igor Bencina, Isidora Simijonovic, Sergej Trifunovic, Marta Bjelica, Jovo MaksicAmazon Prime Video -
05
Night of the Hunted
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
When an unsuspecting woman stops at a remote gas station in the dead of night, she's made the plaything of a sociopath sniper with a secret vendetta. To survive, she must not only dodge his bullets and fight for her life, but also figure out who wants her dead and why.
Directed by Franck KhalfounCast Camille Rowe, Jeremy Scippio, J. John Bieler, Aleksandar Popovic, Stasa StanicAMC+ -
06
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
crime · drama · thriller
Investigating judge Iman grapples with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran. When his gun vanishes, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing draconian measures that strain family ties as societal rules crumble.
Directed by Mohammad RasoulofCast Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Setareh Maleki, Mahsa Rostami, Niousha AkhshiHulu -
07
Masters of the Air
action · drama · history · war
During World War II, airmen risk their lives with the 100th Bomb Group, a brotherhood forged by courage, loss, and triumph.
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Dee Rees, Timothy Van PattenCast Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Austin Butler, Darragh Cowley, Matt GavanApple TV Plus -
08
The Killer
action · thriller
Zee is a feared contract killer known as "the Queen of the Dead," but when she refuses to murder a young blind woman, she finds herself hunted both by criminal colleagues and a determined police detective.
Directed by John WooCast Nathalie Emmanuel, Omar Sy, Sam Worthington, Diana Silvers, Saïd TaghmaouiPeacock Premium -
09
Children of the Church Steps
drama · history · thriller
A group of young friends survive life on the streets, finding in each other hope and resilience to dream of different futures — until tragedy unfolds.
Directed by Márcia Faria, Luis LomenhaCast Samuel Silva, Andrei Marques, Wendy Queiroz, Bruno Gagliasso, Patrick CongoNetflix -
10
Take Cover
action · thriller
A burned-out professional sniper finds himself trapped in an all-glass penthouse by a lethal competitor and must find a way to survive and escape with little to no cover between him and the killer.
Directed by Nick McKinlessCast Scott Adkins, Jack Parr, Alice Eve, Madalina Bellariu Ion, Alba De TorrebrunaHulu -
11
Kleo
action · crime · drama · mystery · thriller
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former East German spy resolves to find out who betrayed her and why — and use her lethal skills to exact revenge.
Directed by Viviane Andereggen, Jano Ben Chaabane, Isabel Braak, Nina VukovicCast Jella Haase, Dimitrij Schaad, Julius Feldmeier, Vincent Redetzki, Thandi SebeNetflix -
12
Wrong Side of the Tracks
action · adventure · crime · drama · thriller
When his teenage granddaughter falls victim to the drug dealers overtaking his neighborhood, a fed-up war veteran takes matters into his own hands.
Directed by Iñaki Mercero, Oriol Ferrer, Alberto Ruiz Rojo, Luis OliverosCast Jose Coronado, Laura Ramos, Manuel Tallafé, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Luis ZaheraNetflix
Wrapping Up
This roundup makes it easy to find smart, suspenseful choices when you want espionage, pursuit, or danger without wasting time on filler. From 2024 standouts to the newer titles arriving in 2025, the page balances action, crime, drama, thriller, and mystery in a way that feels fresh and useful. Bookmark it for later, since it’s updated regularly as new releases and viewer favorites come in. Check back whenever you want another tense night of watching with a smarter shortlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to The Day of the Jackal?
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 9, 2026