15 Movie Rip-Offs That Actually Turned Out Better Than the Original

We are in the era of reboots and remakes. Entertainment brands and production companies are trying to tap into the nostalgia and fanfare older films generated and repackage them for new audiences. Consumers understand this and thus expect there to be plenty of similarities to the original work, even if it’s simply a reboot rather than a direct remake or adaptation. However, other films don’t outright state they were influenced by previous movies — but it’s quite clear.

There’s a thin line between paying “homage to” or “taking inspiration from” and downright plagiarizing or ripping off. Most of the time, these rip-offs are clearly of lesser quality and never come close to matching the original film they’re emulating. Yet, on rare occasions, these ripoffs are not just good, but they’re actually better than the original. Ideas are a dime a dozen; it’s all about execution. And sometimes the knock-offs execute the seed of the idea better than the first go ‘round. Here are 15 movie rip-offs that actually turned out better than the original.

15 Nosferatu (1922)

Nosferatu is a 1922 silent German film about the titular vampire who poses as a client looking to buy a home to hunt down his prey. Thomas Hutter works for a real estate agency and is sent to Transylvania to work his magic on a new client. Alarm bells go off when the mention of his client’s name, Count Orlok, sets locals’ nerves on edge. His suspicion only furthers when he meets Orlok and they have a few uncomfortable instances. Even after signing the paperwork, Orlok won’t go away, because the mysterious man has taken a liking to Hutter’s wife.

Rip-Off of Bram Stoker’s Dracula

When most people think of vampires, Dracula is the name that comes to mind. However, Nosferatu is also a popular figure in the vampiric world, with several films dedicated to the character and a random reference to him in a SpongeBob SquarePants episode. While the first Dracula film didn’t come out until a few years after Nosferatu, it appears filmmakers took inspiration from the Dracula books. The estate of Bram Stoker, author of the original Dracula, sued the filmmakers and won. Despite this, Nosferatu nails the atmosphere and, thanks to it being a silent film versus Dracula (1931), has a much more sinister feel. Stream on Tubi

14 Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir Dogs is a crime thriller best known for being filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s debut project. It follows a group of thieves set to carry out a diamond heist. However, the robbery doesn’t go as planned. Taking stock of the chaotic aftermath, people from the team ended up injured, dead, and missing, and a few innocent people lost their lives. One of the men, Mr. Pink, believes it was a setup. Now, the remaining criminals have to figure out what happened and identify whoever was behind the entire mess.

Rip-Off of City on Fire

A divisive movie director, Tarantino has received both praise and criticism for his tendency to “pay homage to” other films. He has noted several movies that helped him bring Reservoir Dogs to life, but the most obvious may be City on Fire. It’s a Hong Kong film about jewelry thieves, traitors from the inside, undercover cops, and even has scenes that are quite similar. A film student in 1995, in fact, created a short film highlighting the various elements that are nearly identical in both films. Even with his clear influence, many people still prefer Tarantino’s rendition. Propped up by a stellar cast, a smooth soundtrack, and Tarantino’s signature directorial style, it’s a classic in the film genre. Stream on Paramount+

Related: 9 Iconic Quentin Tarantino Scenes That He Took Directly from Other Movies

13 Captain America: Civil War (2016)

The superheroes that make up the Marvel Cinematic Universe have legions of fans that pack into movie theaters or organize streaming parties each time a new film is released. Captain America: Civil War surrounds Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America after the events of The Winter Soldier. When the Avengers learn that the United Nations plans to govern the team, not everyone agrees on whether it’s the right decision or not. Tony Stark, or Iron Man, supports outside help and oversight, whereas Captain America does not. Thus, two different sides are formed, all the while various threats loom in the background.

Rip-Off of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

A group of superheroes disagreeing on how to operate isn’t exactly a high-concept premise. Many people have pointed out the similarities to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, a DCEU film. The timelines make that comparison a bit tenuous, as both films came out in 2016. However, Batman v. Superman was in development before the Captain America film.

They each feature the “good guys” facing off against one another while a larger, unified antagonist looks to capitalize on the discord. Whether Captain America: Civil War actually ripped off Batman v. Superman, most fans agree that everything from the plot, cinematography, and action were far superior in the MCU movie. Stream on Disney+

12 Saltburn (2023)

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Saltburn is a black comedy with thriller elements set in the early-2000s. Oliver Quick sticks out from his posh, upper-class peers at Oxford University. As a scholarship kid, he is unsure how he can connect with those from a completely different upbringing. He starts to form a friendship with one such person, a guy named Felix Catton, who listens to Oliver’s struggles and is there for him when his dad dies. Oliver accepts an invitation to spend the summer at Felix’s family country home, a place called Saltburn. There, he’s introduced to his peculiar family and learns even more about his new friend.

Rip-Off of The Talented Mr. Ripley

From the trailers, plenty of people saw similarities between Saltburn and the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring Matt Damon. Both protagonists are outsiders of the high society world and are drawn into said world through an odd but enigmatic friend. Both lie about their pasts. Both become obsessed with this shiny life that’s dangling in front of them. There are even certain plot points that mirror each other, including the deaths of particular characters. Lovers of psychological thrillers will enjoy both films, but the unhinged nature of Saltburn and all the characters, especially Oliver, make it a more fun viewing experience. Stream on Prime Video

11 Joker (2019)

The character of the Joker is one of the most adored villains of all time. It’s hard to root for Batman when he’s facing off against such an eccentric and entertaining individual like the Joker, particularly Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of him in 2019’s Joker. It’s a classic villain origin story about a man named Arthur Flick, who hasn’t found success as a stand-up comic or as a clown. He is poor and struggles to afford medication for a disorder that causes him to laugh uncontrollably. After life continues to beat him down literally and metaphorically, Arthur starts to fully embrace his darker side.

Rip-Off of Taxi Driver

Todd Phillips wrote and directed the Academy Award-winning blockbuster and has been upfront about his inspirations. Namely, the 1976 psychological thriller Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro and directed by Martin Scorsese. Both are set in similar locations, Taxi Driver in NYC and Joker in a fictional city reminiscent of NYC. The two films center around a protagonist’s descent into villainy and madness. While there’s a lot to love about Taxi Driver, Joker is on another level. Perhaps due to less realism surrounding the events in Phillips’ film, viewers can disconnect from reality in a way they can’t in Taxi Driver. If viewers seek escapism in their films, Joker is the clear winner. Stream on Netflix

10 A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone helped popularize a subgenre of westerns known as “spaghetti Westerns.” Basically, they are westerns made in Europe, most often by Italians. A Fistful of Dollars is one such film and starred Clint Eastwood in his first role as a leading man. The story surrounds the Man with No Name, who glides into a town on the U.S.-Mexico border. He hears about tensions between two families gunning for control over the town. Seeing a financial opportunity present itself, the mysterious straggler decides to use the already-present conflict to his advantage.

Rip-Off of Yojimbo

Three years before this film was released, there was a Japanese samurai film called Yojimbo. In this story, a man arrives in a town and learns about a rivalry between two groups looking to reign over the town. The man uses this discord in his favor and pits the groups against each other even more. Sound familiar? Yojimbo’s production company thought so, too, and filed a lawsuit, which they eventually won. Despite coming out on top in court, Leone’s version remains the more popular. It’s cheesy in all the way it needs to be and gave the world a glimpse into the star power Eastwood possessed. Stream on Max

9 Rush Hour (1998)

Rush Hour is a buddy cop film starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) works for the Hong Kong Royal Police Force. When a consul’s daughter is kidnapped in Los Angeles, Lee heads there to work the case. But the FBI wants Lee away from their investigation and thus pawns him off to LAPD detective James Carter (Tucker). Carter is already on thin ice after a failed sting operation and believes solving this case could get him back in his team’s good graces. Besides cultural differences, the two couldn’t be more different. But if they want to rescue the daughter, they’ll have to learn to work together.

Rip-Off of 48 Hours

Now, buddy cop films with similar premises are par for the course. But in 1982, when Paramount came out with 48 Hours, starring Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, it wasn’t as overdone. It isn’t a direct copy, since 48 Hours features a cop and a criminal joining forces to solve an investigation, rather than two cops.

Where Rush Hour edges out over 48 Hours is the dynamic between the two leads. Chan and Tucker’s chemistry is perfect for the genre, and makes even the cringiest jokes that haven’t aged well more tolerable. Additionally, since Rush Hour got extended into a franchise, viewers get to spend more time with the characters they’ve grown to love. Rent on Apple TV

8 Coco (2017)

Coco is a heartwarming Pixar film about a young boy named Miguel living in Santa Cecilia, Mexico. He loves music, but it’s banned from his house by his great-great-grandmother, who never got over her musician husband leaving her. So, instead of following his true passion, he’s stuck working for the family’s shoemaking business.

But in private, he manages to eke out time to play guitar. Once his grandmother finds out, she destroys his guitar, leading him to steal the guitar of his vanished relative. However, when Miguel plays the guitar, it takes him into the Land of the Dead, where he must rely on his deceased ancestors to escape.

Rip-Off of The Book of Life

The Book of Life is another children’s animated film, and there are plenty of similarities between the two. Manolo is a bullfighter from a Mexican town with a deep love for music, especially playing the guitar. This one has remnants of Romeo & Juliet since Manolo allows himself to be killed, hoping it’ll reunite him with the love of his life. He is now in a Land of the Dead-esque world reunited with his ancestors.

These are both feel-good stories about family and following your passions. But Pixar has mastered the formula with these kinds of stories, and the emotional weight is greater in Coco. By the end, most viewers are more invested in how Miguel’s life turns out and paints a fuller, richer cultural picture than The Book of Life. Stream on Disney+

Related: Disney Movies that Explore Serious Real-Life Issues

7 House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

House of 1000 Corpses is a horror comedy following a group of teenagers on the lookout for roadside attractions to include in a book they’re writing. They stop at a gas station/horror museum and meet the owner, Captain Spaulding. He tells them about a local legend that piques their curiosity and sends them in search of a tree where a man was killed. Little do they know, not long before their arrival, Captain Spaulding and his assistant murdered criminals trying to rob them. It may seem like it’s a clear-cut case of self-defense, but the deeper the teens dive into the legend and the museum, the more horrors they unearth.

Rip-Off of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The film is set in the late-70s and is said to be inspired by a few different horror films from that decade. One movie horror lovers connect it with is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Both films are set in Texas, have a hitchhiker join the main crew, and involve families with “weird” traditions, to say the least. Even those who prefer straight horror may prefer House of 1000 Corpses, which often feels darker and more disturbed. The comedic elements complement the overall storytelling and are delivered by a more well-rounded cast. Stream on AMC

6 The Hunger Games (2012)

The Hunger Games phenomenon dominated the 2010s at the height of the young adult book-to-screen adaptation boom. In the first film, viewers are introduced to Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a dystopian world, in a country called Panem, which is divided into districts. Each year, two tributes are selected from the 12 districts to participate in the Hunger Games — a fight to the death. Katniss volunteers for her sister and doesn’t believe she has much chance of surviving. But her hatred toward the exploitation of the districts by the hands of the Capitol and Panem’s leader, President Snow, drives her toward starting a revolution.

Rip-Off of Battle Royale

One frequent comparison to The Hunger Games is the Japanese film Battle Royale. It was also adapted from a book and follows a group of teens who are forced to fight to the death by an oppressive government. Perhaps it’s unfair to say the film is a rip-off rather than the book, and the success led to an entire genre of such films, The Hunger Games included.

While many hold up Battle Royale as superior in this category, there are plenty of things the Jennifer Lawrence-led version gets right. While still addressing this brutal regime, it’s not as gory and violent, making it more palatable for a wider audience, and dives deeper into the principal characters. Stream on Starz

5 Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)

Kill Bill is a martial arts action film about a woman seeking revenge. Our protagonist, known as the Bride, is a former assassin with the Deadly Vipers, looking to put that part of her life behind her. But her ex-team won’t make that easy for her. They storm a chapel where the Bride is doing her wedding rehearsal, attacking everyone. The Bride is shot, and when she wakes up from a coma years later, discovers her unborn baby was killed. Seething and hurt, she vows to get into tip-top assassin shape again and get justice against those who irrevocably altered her life.

Rip-Off of Lady Snowblood

Tarantino does it again. Depending on which side of the bandwagon someone falls on, that could be a good or bad thing. Tarantino has admitted he wanted to pay homage to a Japanese film called Lady Snowblood. In that movie, the protagonist also seeks revenge on individuals who harmed her and her loved ones.

Much of Kill Bill feels like what Lady Snowblood could’ve been if it had a bigger budget. While by today’s standards, Kill Bill’s $30 million budget is quite low, it made all the difference here. The cinematography is crisper and more fluid, the set design invites viewers into the world, and they were able to rope in a solid roster of actors. Stream on Starz

4 Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the sequel to Puss in Boots, which itself was a spin-off of the Shrek series. Here, audiences continue their journey following Puss, a suave and adorable sword-wielding cat. Like most cats, Puss has nine lives. Unfortunately for him, he’s down to his last one. But all hope is not lost. If he finds the Wishing Star, he can ask for those lives back and continue his life’s work of hunting down criminals. But even with the help from other four-legged companions, it won’t be a simple journey. Because other creatures are looking for the star and with one life left, Puss must be careful.

Rip-Off of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This animated DreamWorks film is basically a rip-off of the Italian western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. At first glance, that link may seem like a reach at best. Firstly, we follow a bunch of outlaws in both films. Secondly, the protagonists are looking for a treasure and have adversaries on their tails (literally for Puss in Boots).

Since the target audience is children versus adults, the vibe in both films is different. But like the Shrek films it branched off from, Puss in Boots has humor that people of all ages will enjoy. The animation style feels both vintage and modern, and it’s incredibly re-watchable, whereas the Spaghetti Western is more of a one-and-done. Stream on Netflix

3 The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The Fast and the Furious is the first in the Fast & Furious franchise, which has over 10 films. In the installment that started it all, we follow an LAPD officer named Brian O’Connor who must go undercover to find the individuals who hijacked a truck full of electronics. He infiltrates the street racing world, coming into contact with Dominic Toretto. After an altercation between the two, Brian’s cover is almost blown. But he’s not willing to give up yet. Little by little, Brian starts to earn Dom’s respect and loyalty. However, the consequences can be bad if Dom or any of his crew discover Brian’s true identity.

Rip-Off of Point Break

The 1991 Point Break, starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, may not seem like an obvious rip-off source. Point Break, for example, is about surfing. And yet, both films feature main characters who are undercover law enforcement officers investigating crimes and having to grow close to a group’s leader.

While surf culture is less explored in films, there’s something about The Fast and the Furious that’s special despite its strict adherence to a specific formula. Predictable? Yes. But in a way that your favorite meal is. Even stepping into the first one, audiences know what to expect and that’s a fast-paced good time that’ll never fail to entertain. Stream on Prime Video

2 The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King is one of the most beloved Disney films (the original, not the 2019 “live-action”/CGI remake). It centers on a young lion cub, Simba, who is excited about the opportunity to one day be king. He doesn’t expect that to come too soon, as his dad’s unexpected death alters his life. Especially because he’s led to believe it’s his fault. Filled with guilt and shame, he runs away and grows up under the care of a meerkat and warthog. But when Nala, a friend from his past, shows up and encourages Simba to come back to rule, he’s unsure if he has what it takes to lead.

Rip-Off of Kimba and the White Lion

While similarities between a few entries on this list could be chalked up to pure coincidence, here, it’s a little harder to turn a blind eye to. American creators clearly have a thing for original Japanese work, this time with an anime series called Kimba and the White Lion.

Not only are the names of the two leads incredibly close to one another, but there are complete scenes that look like they were early sketches for The Lion King, including some of the most iconic shots. Looking at the blatant similarities may make viewers feel a bit icky, but there’s no denying The Lion King stands the test of time. It’s heartfelt, funny, and has beautiful music. It might be a rip-off, but it’s a great one. Stream on Disney+

1 Black Swan (2010)

Filmmaker Darron Aronofsky’s Black Swan is a psychological horror that goes deep into the ballet world. Nina Sayers is a ballerina with the New York City Ballet Company. Their first performance of the season will be Swan Lake, and the principal dancer will have to portray two characters, an innocent White Swan and the more sinister Black Swan. She auditions, but fails to capture the spirit of the Black Swan. A new dancer named Lily would be a better fit, but Nina doesn’t want to give up her spot that easily. But as a series of strange events unfold, and the pressure mounts, she starts to lose her grip on reality.

Rip-Off of Perfect Blue

Black Swan has a legion of fans who adore the beautiful dance choreography and peek into the ballet world juxtaposed with the darkness taking place in the protagonist’s mind. Not to mention the hot-and-cold chemistry between Nina and Lily being off the charts. Most may not be aware of the resemblance to the Japanese (surprise) anime film, Perfect Blue.

Rather than being about ballerinas, Perfect Blue revolves around a pop star, Mima, turned actress who starts descending into madness as she’s stalked by a fan. Alongside their names being a mere letter apart, the plots parallel one another quite a bit. But the live-action allows for a greater connection to the characters and makes the horrific scenes more visceral. Stream on Hulu