Sports movies have been an important part of art and culture since the day that moving pictures were first developed. In fact, the very first set of images in motion, developed all the way back in 1878, depicted a black man riding a horse in a stunning display of sportsmanship. Today, our major motion pictures are much longer, more emotionally resonant, and narrative focused than ever before, allowing filmmakers the ability to tap in and create movies that speak to the resilience and community garnered through professional sport. At their most casual, sports movies offer compelling narratives that blend competition with triumph, while the best sports movies seek to say something unflinching about the human condition.
Whether you’re searching for the best training montage, the electrifying chants of a hyped-up crowd, or a few unforgettable half-time speeches to inspire the team to achieve greatness, you can be sure that the following films offer some of the greatest moments in cinematic sports history. So get ready to grab some popcorn, pump your fists, and strap in for 10 of the best sports movies of all time.
10. King Richard (2021)
Kicking off our list we have the 2021 Will Smith-led film that was unfortunately overshadowed by the infamous Oscars slap incident. In 2021’s King Richard, Smith takes on the eponymous role as the Williams family patriarch, who taught his daughters Serena and Venus to become warriors on the tennis court. The two sisters, who have since gone on to become champions on the court, served as executive producers on King Richard, and praised the film for accurately depicting their relationship to their father, while not shying away from his tough love which pushed them to strive for greatness.
Will Smith won an Oscar Award for Best Actor for the terrific sports movie, and it’s easy to see why. The 55-year-old actor truly gave everything to this role, and managed to make the Williams sisters proud. Unfortunately, King Richard was released during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it a box office bomb, so it’s unlikely that we’ll ever get a follow-up on the later years of Richard Williams’ life. Still, this modern classic can be streamed on Netflix today, for those interested in catching the tennis drama.
9. 42 (2013)
Like King Richard, 42 showcases just how hard young black athletes needed to work to break into the world of segregated sports in the mid 20th century. This film stars Chadwick Boseman in one of his finest roles ever committed to film, portraying legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson. The movie has been criticized by some for playing it a little safe, and minimizing the sheer scope of racism and hardship that Robinson faced in his life as he pioneered the desegregation of the MLB. Still, the film managed to please critics and audiences alike, racking up an 81 percent certified fresh critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
While the late Chadwick Boseman’s legacy will forever be tied to his breaking down barriers in the world of superhero films with 2018’s Black Panther, his appearance in this 2013 sports movie is widely considered one of his best. Boseman even met with Jackie Robinson’s widow in order to get closer to the prolific baseball star, and learned some genuine mannerisms that the #42 player displayed in his day to day life, in order to make his performance pop on the big screen. Today, 42 can be streamed on Max.
8. Remember The Titans (2000)
Those seeking out the best sports movies of all time are all but guaranteed to stumble across the classic 2000 movie Remember The Titans, as it’s one of the most popular films in the entire genre. The film, which stars Denzel Washington as Coach Herman Boone, sees the segregated town of Alexandria, Virginia coming together to embrace a newly integrated high school football team, but not without some serious pushback. In 2024, this film may seem a bit dated and a little corny, but Remember The Titans will always be one of the best examples of sports bringing communities together and crossing cultural barriers. While some people may see high school football as nothing more than a simple game, it can be a way of life for some people, and this classic movie offers some insight into that corner of Americana.
If you’ve never seen Remember The Titans, or you’re just long overdue for a rewatch, be sure to stream the iconic film today on Disney+. It may not offer the most unpredictable plot, but it does come complete with a rousing training montage, some powerful speeches, and it won Denzel Washington numerous accolades, including an NAACP award and a BET award.
7. Happy Gilmore (1996)
Adam Sandler may not seem like an obvious choice for an ultra-athletic movie star, though he has taken the lead on a number of great sports movies. In addition to starring in 2005’s The Longest Yard and 2022’s Hustle, Sandler portrayed the eponymous hockey player turned golfer in 1996’s Happy Gilmore. Happy Gilmore serves as a classic Adam Sandler comedy, complete with over-the-top humor, crass jokes, and some hilarious set-pieces that take physical comedy to the next level. Most of the best sports movies are highly melodramatic tearjerkers, so it only seems right to include this silly outing on the list somewhere. After all, everybody needs a good laugh from time to time.
Still, Happy Gilmore is not without its serious moments, as the driving force behind the narrative sees Sandler’s character joining a major golf tournament to save his grandmother’s home from foreclosure. This film is pretty far from what you’d call Oscar bait, though it did take home a few accolades in its day, including an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight. The fight in question saw Sandler squaring up and throwing down against Bob Barker, who played a fictionalized version of himself in the screwball comedy. If you’re interested in a sports movie that also provides some side-splitting laughter, be sure to check out Happy Gilmore on Hulu today.
6. Field Of Dreams (1989)
Even if you’ve never seen Field of Dreams before, you’ve no doubt seen a few parodies of this classic sports film. Despite being a bit corny, and super dated by modern standards, the film is best known for spawning the famed line “If you build it, they will come.” Field of Dreams stars a stacked cast of A-listers, including Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta, James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster, and Amy Madigan, and centers on a farmer who converts part of his land into a baseball diamond, in order to attract the ghosts of some of the sport’s greatest players of all time.
If it’s hard for you to take that premise seriously on paper, we won’t hold it against you, though there’s something to be said for the cinematic spark the film captures in moments where Shoeless Joe Jackson and Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham appear to play ball one last time on the farmland. This is a film that just demands to be seen by baseball lovers young and old, and it’s currently streaming for free on a service called Philo.
5. The Karate Kid (1984)
You’d have to be living under a rock to not know about The Karate Kid by now, especially because the original 1984 film has gone on to inspire a number of sequels, a reboot, and even a Netflix original sequel series titled Cobra Kai. While each installment in the growing franchise has highlights, sometimes you just can’t beat the original, as nothing compares to the classic 1984 Karate Kid. The film, which stars Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, centers on a young boy named Daniel who finds himself targeted by bullies after moving to a new neighborhood. Over the course of the film, he is taken under the wing of a humble martial arts master known as Mr. Miyagi, who teaches him discipline, skills, and some powerful sweeping kicks.
Most of Daniel’s training is provided under the guise of basic hard work, which teaches him how to master his life on and off the karate mat. Today, The Karate Kid is known as one of the best sports movies of all time, and has inspired generations of young viewers to take responsibility in their lives and seek the fulfillment of hard work. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen the classic film and you need to catch up on your “wax on, wax off” technique, be sure to stream the original 1984 Karate Kid on Starz today.
4. I, Tonya (2017)
While most of the movies on this list are uplifting, joyous, and loaded with inspirational speeches, I, Tonya is dour, depressing, and downright harrowing. The film, which stars Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan, centers on famed figure skater Tonya Harding, after she becomes the first woman in the history of the sport to complete a triple axel maneuver during a skating competition. Shortly thereafter, Tonya becomes the subject of one of the greatest scandals in sports history, as she allegedly conspires with her ex husband to attack and injure her fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan before the 1994 Olympics.
I, Tonya delivers on the untold story of Harding in her own words, and reaches into some incredibly emotional places along the way. The film resulted in Margot Robbie taking home her very first Oscar nomination, and catapulted the Barbie actress to global stardom. Those interested in catching I, Tonya today can pull up the film on Max.
3. Rocky (1976)
Remember a few entries ago when we said you just couldn’t beat the classics? Well, when it comes to the best sports movies of all time, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more classic outing than thew 1976 Sylvester Stallone vehicle Rocky. The film kicked off one of the biggest boxing movie franchises of all time, resulting in a myriad of Oscar wins and nominations, complete with a few highly-rated spinoffs. Truthfully, nearly any of the Rocky outings could top this list, though we figured it would be best to restrict ourselves to just one. The first film in the franchise sees Stallone’s eponymous bouncer turned boxer fighting against Carl Weathers’ heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed, and knocking out plenty of foes along the way.
Today, the fictional character of Rocky Balboa has become something of a legend in the world of boxing, and has even had a bronze statue erected at the Independence Visitors Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original Rocky contains one of the greatest and most iconic training montages in the history of cinema, complete with a “rags to riches” story for the ages. This sports movie has become so important to culture that the Library of Congress even selected it for preservation back in 2006, making it one of under 1,000 films to receive the honor. Today, the original Rocky can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
2. Coach Carter (2005)
Even on a list of the best sports movies of all time, 2005’s Coach Carter is the gold standard. This classic film stars Samuel L. Jackson in the title role, as a no nonsense basketball coach determined to whip the ne’er-do-well children into shape at his former Richmond, California high school. Despite facing some serious backlash from the students, Coach Carter’s strict rules and disciplined guidelines help to break these students into healthy routines, ultimately putting them on pace for major success. As the film carries on, Carter comes to be a mentor to his students both on and off the court, assisting them in their academic goals and instilling them with important virtues to help carry them through life.
Coach Carter demonstrates exactly what a coach is supposed to be, and elevates the material from a standard sports movie to a certifiable classic, by showcasing the impact that routines and fitness can have in a young person’s life. The movie is based on the true story of the Richmond Oilers’ Ken Carter, who shut down his team during a championship season in 1998 to force his students to take their academic goals seriously. If you’ve never seen this movie, you need to do yourself a massive favor and pull it up on Amazon Prime Video today.
1. Creed (2015)
Topping this list we have the 2015 Rocky reboot film Creed, starring Michael B. Jordan. As the title would suggest, the film follows the adult son of Apollo Creed, as he navigates the world of boxing with dreams of living up to his father’s title. Unlike most bog-standard reboots, Creed stands entirely on its own, and does the Rocky franchise justice by carving out its own cinematic identity. The film has since spawned a pair of sequels which are both impressive in their own right, though neither is quite as stunning as the 2015 original.
This film, which was written and directed by visionary filmmaker Ryan Coogler, completely shattered expectations upon release, earning a staggering 95 percent certified fresh critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. If you haven’t seen Creed yet, that is a grave injustice which must be rectified as soon as possible. Luckily, the film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, in all its glory. For my money, this is the greatest sports movie of all time, showcasing undeniable strength, resilience, and the power that athleticism can wield in one’s life.
