12 Best Movies Like Thor: Love And Thunder

Filmmaker Taika Waititi first took over the "Thor" movies with the franchise's third installment "Thor: Ragnarok." By injecting more humor and taking Thor across space, he turned this adequate series within the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe into a must-see, grandiose experience. Similarly to the approach in James Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy," Thor was now allowed to be hilarious, as his world became more colorful and his adventures became grander.

Waititi returns to the MCU with 2022's "Thor: Love and Thunder," which will be sure to be as fun and unique as "Thor: Ragnarok." If you're still craving that special mix of comedy, drama, and action after watching "Thor: Love and Thunder," you're in luck, as we've gathered a list of other films that offer similar vibes. Not every movie listed below is intentionally funny. A few are failed attempts at creating the next big sci-fi fantasy epic, while others have gone on to become classics. What they each have in common, however, is the same spirit of fun and creativity that will be sure to delight any fan of "Thor: Love and Thunder."

Even though the "Thor" movies are blockbusters with enormous budgets, there is something of a "handmade" quality to them. Aside from battle scenes — where everything looks like a heavy metal album cover — there are also quieter scenes on actual sets with great costumes that appear slightly cheap. It's not so low-budget that it takes you out of the movie, but there is a falseness to some of these moments that makes the comedy even funnier.

That's exactly what you get with the work of visionary filmmaker Terry Gilliam. Despite many of his films featuring dazzling visuals on a grand scale, much of that was achieved through ingenuity rather than through copious amounts of money. His fourth film as a solo director "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" is an excellent example of this. The sets and costumes look incredible, the adventure is unlike anything else you've ever seen, and yet the seams are visible. 

While not the most talked-about of Gilliam's filmography, "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" offers pure imagination in every frame. The meta film follows a theater troupe, who is telling the tale of the fabled Baron Munchausen (John Neville). However, when the real Baron Munchausen shows up to correct the inaccuracies of this play, the actors and audience discover that his adventures were far greater and stranger than anyone could have imagined.

This film is like a storybook come to life through the eyes of "Monty Python." Funny, bewildering, and consistently fun, "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" would make an excellent companion piece to "Thor: Love and Thunder."

With "Thor: Love and Thunder," the MCU dives into Greek mythology. Although Zeus and his son Hercules already exist in the Marvel comics, this is the first time we get to see an Avenger meet up with a Greek god on the big screen. There are plenty of movies featuring heroic Greek figures, but if you're looking for one that fits into the "Thor: Love and Thunder" mold, check out the early Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle "Hercules in New York." 

Tired of life among the gods, Hercules (Arnold Schwarzenegger) begs his father Zeus (Ernest Graves) to let him visit Earth. Infuriated by the request, Zeus blasts his son out of paradise. He falls into the ocean, is picked up by fishermen, and taken to New York City. While there, he becomes a famous wrestler, falls in love, and gets in trouble with the mob. All the while, his angry father tries to punish him for his insolence. 

"Hercules in New York" suffers from a lack of funding, although seeing Zeus' wire-rigged lightning bolt is actually fun and almost resembles that used by Russell Crowe in "Thor: Love and Thunder." This 1970 film is a silly fish-out-of-water premise with a few good jokes, and it could have been a classic if it had the budget to improve its production value. Despite these issues, "Hercules in New York" is a fun, unintentionally campy Greek hero film, which is made even better by the hysterical version of it that has Arnold's voice dubbed over.

When it comes to epic action movies stuffed with ideas and a cast of characters that are both hilarious and dramatically compelling, you can't do much better than John Carpenter's classic "Big Trouble in Little China." This movie never stops. From Kurt Russell running his mouth over a CB radio while chomping on a sandwich during the opening credits to an all-out war beneath the streets of San Francisco — it is a wild ride.

Jack Burton (Russell) gets unexpectedly involved in an ancient battle between good and evil, when the fiancée of his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) gets kidnapped by a street gang. As Jack goes deeper into the underground criminal world, he discovers that there are much bigger forces at play in this kidnapping.

"Big Trouble in Little China" has got all the exciting action you could want from an '80s fantasy film: There's complex mythology, monsters, and just enough romance to tug on the heartstrings. There's never a dull moment and it benefits from repeat viewings because the dialogue and action cruise by so quickly that you're bound to miss an important detail or joke. Plus, it fits in perfectly with the tone of some of the more rambunctious MCU offerings like Waititi's "Thor: Ragnarok" or "Thor: Love and Thunder." This fan-made trailer (using an extended "Guardians of the Galaxy" trailer as a template) proves it. Plus, it has one thing Marvel movies don't: a deliciously cheesy theme song.

Erik (Tim Robbins) is a viking, who has little interest in the Viking activities of pillaging and taking women, so he sets out to discover what else there is in life. This journey brings him on an adventure to the land of the Norse gods, where Erik finds love, death, and some surprising truths.

"Erik the Viking" was written and directed by Terry Jones. Jones was a member of the iconic comedy team "Monty Python's Flying Circus," who co-directed "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" with Terry Gilliam. Given Jones' Python legacy, you might imagine "Erik the Viking" to be a comedy riot, but the film defies those expectations, which explains its negative critical reactions at the time. 

Ultimately, this is more of an authentic adventure film with comedic moments rather than a comedy with some adventure. When it wants to be (like fighting the sea dragon) "Erik the Viking" can be laugh-out-loud funny. When it doesn't, it is a serviceable and even gripping fantasy film.

Luckily, we've grown accustomed to films that tell an epic story with great characters while not taking themselves too seriously. Otherwise, Marvel never would have hired Taika Waititi. Not only is "Erik the Viking" similar in tone to later "Thor" movies, but it also features a conniving antagonist named Loki, who works as an apprentice to a very buff, blonde, and bearded man, who is lovable but dopey. If you love "Thor: Love and Thunder," you will definitely want to follow Erik the Viking to Asgard.

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, "Stardust" tells the story of Tristan (Charlie Cox), who enters the land of Faerie to retrieve a fallen star to impress the woman he loves. What he doesn't know is that this star Yvaine (Claire Danes) has taken a human form, now that she's fallen to Earth in this magical realm. Still, he tries to bring her back to his village. On their journey, they get caught up in a mess involving three witches and flying pirates — and, of course, they fall in love.

"Stardust" doesn't have as many laughs as some of the other entries on this list, but it has plenty to offer for fans of "Thor: Love and Thunder." The film has an astonishing cast of heavy hitters like Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter O'Toole, Claire Danes, and Charlie Cox. "Stardust" stands out thanks to its Gaiman brand of fantasy, action, and emotion, which makes this film timeless and romantic. In all honesty, this movie deserves to come up in conversation more often, so if you're a fan of Taika Waititi's approach to fantasy and epic tales in "Thor," you'll love "Stardust."

Terry Gilliam's "Time Bandits" is about a group of little people, who steal a map from God, and then travel through time with a young boy, stealing historical artifacts. Believe it or not, that is something of a simplification. The plot is really that simple, but the details are what really make this film to enjoyable and infinitely re-watchable.

Out of all of Gilliam's films, this one is probably the closest to his work with "Monty Python." The laughs are almost non-stop and come from blending the extraordinary with the mundane. For instance, John Cleese appears as a posh Robin Hood and Ian Holm plays a drunk and bitter Napoleon, who is obsessed with pointing out how short other world conquerors were, all of which set this film apart as something entirely its own.

It's a fantastic journey that culminates in a final standoff between good and evil unlike any other. Instead of devolving simply into explosions and death (although there's plenty of that), the climax of "Time Bandits" has a message, which elevates it slightly above typical family adventures. Need more proof that it's a solid companion piece to "Thor: Love and Thunder?" According to Deadline in 2019, Taika Waititi is attached to write and direct a remake.

Writers Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery adapted the Old English epic poem "Beowulf" into an animated film directed by Robert Zemeckis in 2007. Filmed using motion capture technology, the film is an odd hybrid of live-action and animation. While films like "Avatar" and "The Jungle Book" would make this photo-realistic animation style more pleasing to the eye, "Beowulf" does suffer somewhat by having characters look like uncanny action figures.

Still, this strange style doesn't take away from the raw power of this story. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) sets out to fight the troll Grendel (Crispin Glover), but soon finds himself facing the wrath of Grendel's enraged mother (Angelina Jolie). Beowulf is not a particularly complicated or even likable character. He lives solely for adventure and satisfying his impulses. He is the kind of hero Thor considers himself to be. Luckily, Thor has enough self-awareness to acknowledge his shortcomings. That's why he's never had to face the consequences of his monstrous actions the way Beowulf does.

There isn't a ton of humor in "Beowulf," but the Nordic influence and similarities in the titular hero makes this a suitable pairing for "Thor: Love and Thunder."

Terry Jones brings his epic imagination to the page as the screenwriter of Jim Henson's classic fantasy film "Labyrinth," which was executive produced by George Lucas.

Teenager Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is annoyed that she has to babysit her infant brother, and wishes that goblins would just take him away. When her wish actually comes true, Sarah makes a deal with the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie): She will solve his labyrinth, or else her brother will be turned into a goblin forever.

"Labyrinth" is everything a movie should be: funny, exciting, a little scary, and heartfelt. Like "The Wizard of Oz," it's the story of a young girl navigating a strange world she barely understands with the help of some locals she picks up along the way. The characters are multi-dimensional, quirky, and so much fun in the brilliant hands of Jim Henson. By the end of the adventure, you're heartbroken it's over — but thrilled when Sarah is able to bring her friends back again thanks to her imagination.

Ultimately, this is what this film (and every film on this list) is all about: the power of the imagination. Every frame in "Labyrinth" is packed with creativity. No matter how many times you've seen it, chances are that you'll notice something new with every rewatch. "Labyrinth" is a gorgeous film that can make you laugh and fill you with wonder, regardless of your age, and it will be sure to delight any fan of "Thor: Love and Thunder," who enjoys that mix of lightness and darkness that accompanies an epic quest.

Gary Goddard's 1987 "Masters of the Universe" may not be a great movie. In fact, it may not even be a good movie, but it is all kinds of fun. Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren plays He-Man and looks like Thor with his action-figure physique, red cape, and blonde hair. The film follows He-Man, as he tries to save his home world of Eternia from the evil schemes of his arch-nemesis Skeletor (Frank Langella), who has discovered a way to open portals to other worlds.

Unlike most of the other films listed here, there isn't much intentional comedy in "Masters of the Universe." Gwildor is a comic relief character and there are a few fish-out-of-water jokes, but most of the laughs come from how ridiculous the movie is. These heroic characters that have been dazzling kids with epic adventures for years are suddenly walking around back alleys and stores on Earth, rather than fighting a war on a mythical world. The sets and props are serviceable, but far from impressive. The final battle takes place in a perfectly dark room. 

Still, the charm comes through. This live-action depiction of Eternia even somewhat resembles a lower-budget Sakaar with its dangerous landscape and technology. In fact, if Taika Waititi weren't influenced by this film in some way, it would be a shock. Despite its shortcomings, it at least feels like everyone involved with "Masters of the Universe" is trying to make something great. Ultimately, that energy goes a long way in making this film so enjoyable, and one that could easily follow a viewing of "Thor: Love and Thunder."

For many, "The Princess Bride" is the gold standard of romantic, swashbuckling adventure films with a sense of humor. If what you want is a classic adventure tale with good guys fighting bad guys, "The Princess Bride" gives you that. If you want the kind of love story that makes you believe in the kind of romance that only exists in storybooks, "The Princess Bride" has got you covered. Then again, if all you care about is watching a funny movie, look no further than "The Princess Bride."

Chances are you've seen this movie but if you haven't, the film follows the fairytale of Westley (Cary Elwes), who embarks on an adventure to save Buttercup (Robin Wright), the woman he loves, after she gets kidnapped.

The sheer quality (and quotability) of William Goldman's script, Rob Reiner's directing, and the phenomenal cast have all made "The Princess Bride" endlessly re-watchable. Like "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Thor: Love and Thunder," this is a movie that works because it is a genuine adventure film that makes you care about the characters, while poking gentle fun at them at the same time. Make no mistake: "The Princess Bride" is a perfect movie and a must-see for any lover of adventure movies with heart.

By 1981, the world had already witnessed "Star Wars." It had already made contact with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." So, there had been a seismic shift in the way films were being made, and as the '80s continued, the technology and storytelling styles would only continue to evolve. With that in mind, 1981's "Clash of the Titans" feels like something of a throwback to the 1950s, when the effects of stop motion animator Ray Harryhausen reigned supreme.

"Clash of the Titans" follows the adventures of Perseus (Harry Hamlin), as he mingles with the gods, and fights monsters like Medusa and the Kraken. Not only are the creatures old-fashioned (by the standards of the time), but the simplistic storytelling also feels like something of a relic. This really is just a story about a traditional hero off on an adventure. There is no tongue-in-cheek humor or winking at the camera. "Clash of the Titans" is an honest-to-goodness attempt to make a classic epic film about Greek mythology.

In that way, it has nothing in common with "Thor: Love and Thunder." But if you find yourself leaving "Thor" interested in watching more standard mythological fare, you can't go wrong with this dated but highly enjoyable classic.

Similarly to "Clash of the Titans," Mike Hodge's 1980 film "Flash Gordon" is a bit of a throwback. Arriving in the theaters in the wake of "Star Wars," this is a stripped-down, superficial space opera based on the classic comic book hero. Flash Gordon (Sam. J Jones) faces off against Emperor Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow) of the planet Mongo after Ming decides to destroy Earth with natural disasters ... because he's bored.

The plot of "Flash Gordon" never tries to elevate this material into the philosophical. There is zero attempt to make Ming the Merciless anything other than someone who is evil for evil's sake, or Flash Gordon good for reasons beyond just being a good dude. There is likewise no interest in making Mongo a believable world.

All that being said, the film is big enough, bonkers enough, and campy enough to be a clear ancestor of "Thor: Love and Thunder." The sets are enormous and colorful. The costumes are all over the place, but always visually arresting. Strange satire boils just below the surface of everything. Had this film been allowed to really lean into its comedic elements rather than having them be subtext (thinly veiled as they may be), then it could have been the equivalent of a Taika Waititi "Thor" film decades ago.