12 Best Movies Like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to Watch Next (2026)
Looking for tense crime and mystery picks? Explore 12 films with расследations, secrets, and suspense, from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to darker thrillers.
If you want movies like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this list keeps the focus on crime, mystery, and tense investigations. You’ll find titles built around journalists, detectives, cold cases, and people pulled into dangerous searches for the truth. Start with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) or its 2011 version, then move to titles such as Disconnect, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and All the Old Knives for different shades of suspense. There are also darker choices like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Polisse, plus grounded drama-thrillers such as Beyond the Pale and Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House.
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01
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Won 1 BAFTA Film Award 3 nominations
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Swedish thriller based on Stieg Larsson's novel about a male journalist and a young female hacker. In the opening of the movie, Mikael Blomkvist, a middle-aged publisher for the magazine Millennium, loses a libel case brought by corrupt Swedish industrialist Hans-Erik Wennerström. Nevertheless, he is hired by Henrik Vanger in order to solve a cold case, the disappearance of Vanger's niece
Why watch: If you want a direct match, this is the 2009 take on the same story, with crime, drama, mystery, and thriller elements. It fits readers who want the core setup of a journalist and a young hacker digging into a cold case.
Directed by Niels Arden OplevCast Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter HaberAmazon Prime VideoFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
02
House of the Rising Sun
drama · thriller
Ray, an ex-cop, is starting a new life looking to stay out of trouble. One evening, on Ray's watch, the nightclub he works for is robbed and the owner's son is shot dead. As his criminal past is exposed Ray hunts for the person responsible for this crime in an effort to clear his own name. Ray must get to the bottom of this as both the mob and cops start to close in on him as their target suspect.
Why watch: If you like a noir-leaning thriller about a man trying to clear his name while criminal forces close in, this one may fit. The ex-cop angle and pressure from both mob and police make it a good pick for tension-first viewers.
Directed by Brian A. MillerCast Dave Bautista, Amy Smart, Dominic Purcell, Craig Fairbrass, Danny TrejoStarzMore details on IMDb → -
03
And Baby Will Fall
drama · mystery & thriller
Expectant parents become prime suspects in the disappearance of a pregnant woman who was last seen at their garage sale. Model citizen David Rose runs a garden center and is a devoted house-father. Like his wife Ivy, who suffered two stillbirths, their new neighbor Melinda is near to giving birth. Just after David showed her around in the Rose home, Melinda goes missing. Although no corpse is found, just circumstantial evidence more likely to be planted then stupidly left behind, police detective Blanchard treats David as his sole suspect, soon arrested, even after nosy neighbor Bindel is knocked down while David is in jail. School buddy Theo does his best to counsel the couple, yet Ivy doubts her husband's innocence just because of indications he may have had an affair with Melinda since high-school, and starts snooping with her best friend Jody. The worst crime is still being hatched.
Why watch: If you enjoy domestic suspense with a mystery at its center, this may appeal to you. The setup around a disappearance, suspicion, and family strain keeps it in the same general lane as other crime-driven thrillers.
Directed by Bradley WalshCast Anastasia Griffith, Brendan Fehr, Clea DuVall, Stephen Lobo, Ron LeaTubiMore details on IMDb → -
04
Choose
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
Fiona Wagner, a journalism student, tracks a cold-blooded killer with the help of her detective father and a therapist.
Why watch: If you want a darker thriller with a journalism angle, this could be worth a look. The premise of a journalism student tracking a killer, with help from her detective father and a therapist, gives it a clear suspense hook.
Directed by Marcus GravesCast Katheryn Winnick, Kevin Pollak, Nicholas Tucci, Bruce Dern, Richard ShortAMC+More details on IMDb → -
05
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
In the questionable town of Deer Meadow, Washington, FBI Agent Desmond inexplicably disappears while hunting for the man who murdered a teen girl. The killer is never apprehended, and, after experiencing dark visions and supernatural encounters, Agent Dale Cooper chillingly predicts that the culprit will claim another life. Meanwhile, in the more cozy town of Twin Peaks, hedonistic beauty Laura Palmer hangs with lowlifes and seems destined for a grisly fate.
Why watch: If you like mystery and thriller stories with an ominous, surreal edge, this is a strong option. Its missing-person investigation and dark visions give it a very different flavor, but it still rewards viewers who enjoy unsettling puzzles.
Directed by David LynchCast Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Phoebe AugustineMaxMore details on IMDb → -
06
Polisse
crime · drama
Paris, France. Fred and his colleagues, members of the BPM, the Police Child Protection Unit, dedicated to pursuing all sorts of offenses committed against the weakest, must endure the scrutiny of Melissa, a photographer commissioned to graphically document the daily routine of the team.
Why watch: If you prefer crime drama grounded in police work, this is a good fit. The focus on a child-protection unit and the daily pressure of that job makes it a serious, character-centered choice.
Directed by MaïwennCast Karin Viard, JoeyStarr, Marina Foïs, Nicolas Duvauchelle, MaïwennAMC+More details on IMDb → -
07
Disconnect
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
A hard-working lawyer, attached to his cell phone, can't find the time to communicate with his family. An estranged couple uses the internet as a means to escape from their lifeless marriage. A widowed ex-cop struggles to raise a mischievous son who cyber-bullies a classmate. An ambitious journalist sees a career-making story in a teen that performs on an adult-only site. They are strangers, neighbors and colleagues and their stories collide as ordinary people struggling to connect in today's wired world.
Why watch: If you enjoy modern suspense built around technology, this one stands out. The overlapping stories about family, cyber-bullying, and online life make it a smart pick for viewers who like crime drama with a contemporary angle.
Directed by Henry Alex RubinCast Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula PattonNetflixAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
08
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
An American writer living in Rome witnesses an attempted murder that is connected to an ongoing killing spree in the city and conducts his own investigation, despite he and his girlfriend being targeted by the killer.
Why watch: If you want an older mystery thriller with a killer on the loose and a personal investigation, this should suit you. The combination of drama, horror, mystery, and thriller makes it appealing for viewers who like a more classic, uneasy tone.
Directed by Dario ArgentoCast Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto RahoAmazon Prime VideoTubiFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
09
All the Old Knives
mystery · thriller
When the CIA discovers one of its agents leaked information that cost more than 100 people their lives, veteran operative Henry Pelham is assigned to root out the mole with his former lover and colleague Celia Harrison.
Why watch: If you enjoy spy-driven mystery thrillers, this is the clearest match in the group. A CIA mole hunt and the involvement of a former lover and colleague make it a good choice for fans of secrecy and suspicion.
Directed by Janus MetzCast Goksin Erdemli, Kasia Madera, Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Laurence FishburneFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
10
Trespass
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Kyle and Sarah Miller have it all: a huge gated house on the water, fancy cars, and the potential for romance in their relationship. He's just back from a business trip and their teen daughter Avery is sneaking out to a party, when four thugs in security uniforms and ski masks stage a home invasion. They want what's in the safe: cash and diamonds. As Kyle stalls them, trying to negotiate for Sarah's freedom, the fault lines in Kyle and Sarah's marriage and the pasts of the four robbers come into play. Is there room here for heroism?
Why watch: If you want a crime thriller built around a home invasion and shifting loyalties, this may work for you. The wealthy family setup and the pressure-cooker scenario keep the focus on suspense rather than procedural investigation.
Directed by Joel SchumacherCast Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Ben Mendelsohn, Liana Liberato, Cam GigandetAmazon Prime VideoTubiFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
11
Beyond the Pale
crime · drama · mystery & thriller
Mr. Whicher is hired by former Home Secretary Sir Edward Shore to investigate the violent threats made against his son Charles, who has recently returned from India with his family.
Why watch: If you like historical mystery and crime drama, this is a solid pick. The investigation into violent threats, handled by Mr. Whicher, should appeal to viewers who want a more formal detective angle.
Peacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
12
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House
biography · drama · history · thriller
The story of Mark Felt, who under the name "Deep Throat" helped journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the Watergate scandal in 1974.
Why watch: If you enjoy political thrillers tied to real events, this one is a natural fit. The story of Mark Felt helping expose the Watergate scandal leans into biography, history, and thriller elements rather than pure fiction.
Directed by Peter LandesmanCast Liam Neeson, Diane Lane, Marton Csokas, Tony Goldwyn, Ike BarinholtzAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
These picks are a good match if you want stories driven by investigation, secrets, and uneasy tension rather than straightforward action. Whether you prefer journalism, cold cases, or crime stories with a mystery edge, this page gives you several ways to keep exploring the same mood. Bookmark it and check back whenever you want another shortlist, because it is updated regularly. If your taste leans toward sharp, suspenseful storytelling, there is plenty here to work through.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?
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.