Movies like Once Upon a Time in the Middle East (2026)

Name: Once Upon a Time in the Middle East
Released: 2026

9 films to watch after Once Upon a Time in the Middle East, ranked by how well they match its tone — not just its genre.

Seeking a fresh start, chef Xu Fu travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts. Alongside restaurant manager Ma Junsheng, he transforms the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business. But when war engulfs the city, their hard-won success is shattered and the restaurant becomes a refuge for those caught in the conflict. As danger closes in, Xu Fu must risk everything to protect his newfound community and preserve a small beacon of hope amid the devastation.

1

Schindler's List (1993)

Fit 75%

Shares Drama and War with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
2

The English Patient (1996)

Fit 67%

Shares Drama and War with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

In the 1930s, Count Almásy is a Hungarian map maker employed by the Royal Geographical Society to chart the vast expanses of the Sahara Desert along with several other prominent explorers. As World War II unfolds, Almásy enters into a world of love, betrayal, and politics.
3

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016)

Fit 66%

Shares Drama and War with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

19-year-old Billy Lynn is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing Iraq battle. Through flashbacks the film shows what really happened to his squad – contrasting the realities of war with America's perceptions.
4

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Fit 65%

Shares Drama and War with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
5

Stop-Loss (2008)

Fit 63%

Shares Drama and War with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

A veteran soldier returns from his completed tour of duty in Iraq, only to find his life turned upside down when he is arbitrarily ordered to return to field duty by the Army.
6

Jacknife (1989)

Fit 59%

Shares Drama and War with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

A conflict develops between a troubled Vietnam veteran and the sister he lives with when she becomes involved romantically with the army buddy who reminds him of the tragic battle they both survived.
7

Seven Samurai (1954)

Fit 54%

Shares Drama with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
8

The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Fit 52%

Shares Drama with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor.
9

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

Fit 42%

Shares Drama with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East.

The year is 1893 and India is under British occupation. In a small village, the tyrannical Captain Russell has imposed an unprecedented land tax on its citizens. Outraged, Bhuvan, a rebellious farmer, rallies the villagers to publicly oppose the tax. Russell offers a novel way to settle the dispute: he challenges Bhuvan and his men to a game of cricket, a sport completely foreign to India. If Bhuvan and his men can defeat Russell's team, the tax will be repealed.