Let’s face it, we all love murder mystery thrillers involving serial killers and stories driven by great journalistic investigations. So if you are also one of us and are looking for thriller movies like Zodiac, you’ve come to the right place!
David Fincher’s Zodiac is a flawless retelling of the infamous Zodiac killer. Stars from Marvel camps such as Robert Downey Jr, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Mark Ruffalo give convincing performances in this crime thriller.
So if you’re searching for more movies like Zodiac, you will want to check out this list!
10 Gripping Thriller Movies Like Zodiac
1. Prisoners (2013)
The Dover family faces the worst nightmare of parents when their young daughter goes missing along with her friend. As incompetencies of police sets the panic bells ringing, Keller Dover takes matters in his own hand.
Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners is one of the most engrossing thrillers of this decade. Hugh Jackman as the angst-ridden father and Jake Gyllenhaal as the desperate detective give amazing performances only to be overshadowed by an incredible Paul Dano.
Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners shares so many similarities in terms of cinematography and style that it’s often mistaken as a Fincher thriller.
2. Nightcrawler (2014)
A down and out thief discovers a new line of work where he makes money by capturing footage of real crime. Soon his obsession regarding the job grows and he blurs his moral compass to get what he wants.
Nightcrawler is a gripping thriller that explores the obsession with the TV culture and duality of man in front of money and morality. Jake Gyllenhaal acts his socks off in this creepy yet intelligent movie.
If you were impressed by Gyllenhaal in the Zodiac, let him channelize the darkest instincts of a sociopath and impress you even more in this shockingly violent movie.
3. Se7en (1995)
A young detective is paired with an older and more wise detective who investigates a serial killer who picks his victims based on the 7 deadly sins.
Se7en was Fincher’s most successful movie in the 90s and deservingly so. Bolstered by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, this disturbing thriller explores the fine construct of sanity and violence.
Zodiac can be called a natural, more subtle evolution of Fincher’s craft which is why it is a must-watch for those who loved Zodiac.
4. Memories of Murder (2003)
In a Korean small town, a series of rape and murder is discovered, but thanks to the incompetent local detectives, the cases go nowhere. When a city cop arrives and finds a connecting thread, things take an ambiguous turn.
Before the world finally took notice of Bong Joon Ho’s brilliance in 2019, he had already churned world-class cinema for almost two decades. Memories of Murder poignantly combines morality and violence in a sleek package of a suspenseful thriller.
Often considered as the ‘Zodiac of the East’, Memories of Murder actually came out before Zodiac. Both the movies share so many similarities in terms of plot and the ending that it’s hard to say which one’s better.
5. Silence of the Lambs (1991)
A list of serial killer movies is incomplete without Silence of the Lambs. When a psychopathic serial killer is targeting unsuspecting females, police take the help of the dangerous serial killer Hannibal Lecter, a move that comes with its own dangers.
Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs as a serial killer thriller is perfect to the T. It’s gruesome, it’s terrifying and it’s immaculately brought to life by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
For fans of movies like Zodiac, Silence of the Lambs should be an obvious choice. If the perfectly constructed plot won’t get you, Anthony Hopkins’ death stare will.
6. I Saw The Devil (2010)
The daughter of a retired chief of police is found murdered and disfigured brutally. When her fiancé fixes on revenge, something snaps inside him but the serial killer soon makes him regret his decision.
Jee-woon Kim’s I Saw The Devil is a crash course on how to make crime thrillers. Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik face each other in this revenge thriller that is gory, full of twists, and brave in its attempt to capture the darkness of human impulses.
If you’re looking for movies like Zodiac, the unsettling nature of the serial killer hunt makes I Saw The Devil a compelling watch.
7. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Two rookie private detectives investigate the sudden disappearance of a four-year-old girl. On their way to find the girl, they come across threats, deaths, and above all, moral dilemmas.
Gone Baby Gone marks a competent debut for director Ben Affleck. Featuring Casey Affleck and Ed Harris in lead roles, this is a dark and gritty thriller that stays faithful to its genre.
The vast majority of Zodiac is spent trailing behind the killer’s whereabouts. Gone Baby Gone features a similar trail of investigation that changes the detectives as they proceed.
8. The Game (1997)
A wealthy middle-aged man finds himself leading a life he’s not very proud of. But when his long lost brother pops up and introduces a weird entertainment service, things go south.
One of Fincher’s underrated works, The Game deserves more attention. Boasting an intelligent script, the movie is a crafty thriller made even more awesome by a solid Michael Douglas.
If you’re looking for thriller movies like Zodiac, Fincher’s own The Game might prove to be a satisfying watch for you.
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
It’s the 70s and the Cold War is raging hot. When a retired British spy is brought back to investigate the infiltration of Soviet elements in British intelligence, it leads to devastating secrets.
Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a solid Cold War thriller led by an impressive Gary Oldman. It deftly balances bureaucratic operation and an invincible lust for power pushing back at it.
The secrecy of the cold war operation in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will remind you of the investigative journalism of Zodiac.
10. Brick (2005)
The last spot is taken by Brick, a movie riding high on young energy. A high school teenager finds his ex-girlfriend dead in a tunnel and decides to unravel the mystery of her death.
Rian Johnson sure knows a thing or two about weaving a perfect crime thriller. The old school detective movie motif is given a new life in raw and violent Brick where a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt acts his heart out.
Movies like Zodiac and Brick heavily relies on the moral superiority of investigators until the very act gradually pushes them towards a numb, amoral perspective of life.