Movies Like
Movies Like The Mummy for Adventure Horror Fans
By Jordan A. · · 4 min read
Nearly three decades after it hit theaters, The Mummy is back in the conversation, landing at No. 6 on the Netflix Global movie chart for the week of September 28 with 3.1 million views. Not bad for a 1999 adventure that most people can quote by heart. Brendan Fraser swashbuckling through ancient Egypt while Rachel Weisz steals every scene is a very specific kind of fun, and if that is the itch you need scratched, here are the movies that deliver it.
The Mummy nailed a tricky balance. It is an action movie, a horror movie, a romance, and a comedy all at once, and it never tips too far in any one direction. That mix is harder to pull off than it looks, which is why so few films truly feel like it. The ones below come closest, whether through globe-trotting treasure hunts, ancient curses, or a leading duo with real sparks. Several are a couple of taps away on a service you already have.
National Treasure is the closest cousin
If you want the same brainy, breezy adventure energy, start with National Treasure on Disney+. Nicolas Cage plays a historian-adventurer who steals the Declaration of Independence to protect it, following a trail of riddles buried in American history. Like The Mummy, it moves fast, keeps the stakes just serious enough, and surrounds its hero with a bickering crew you actually enjoy spending time with. Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, and a scenery-chewing Sean Bean round out the chase, and the puzzles are just silly enough to be fun without ever losing you. It is pure popcorn in the best sense, the kind of movie that turns a rainy afternoon into a full-on treasure hunt. A sequel, Book of Secrets, and a Disney+ spinoff series followed, so there is a whole trail to chase once you are hooked.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is the blueprint
The Mummy owes its entire DNA to Indiana Jones, and the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, is where it all started. Harrison Ford's whip-cracking archaeologist racing Nazis to a supernatural relic set the template for every adventure that followed, The Mummy included. It is streaming on Disney+ along with the rest of the saga, and it has aged remarkably well, all practical stunts and real locations and that perfect blend of thrills and wit. Steven Spielberg directed, George Lucas produced, and John Williams gave it a theme you have been humming your whole life without realizing where it came from. If you somehow have not seen it, consider this your official assignment.
Uncharted brings the modern treasure hunt
For the contemporary version, Uncharted puts Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg on a globe-spanning hunt for a lost fortune, adapted from the beloved video game series. It is glossier and more stunt-driven than The Mummy, with a few genuinely dizzying set pieces, but the spirit is the same: charming rogues, ancient secrets, and double-crosses around every corner. It leans more heist than horror, so there are no undead priests here, but the sense of adventure translates perfectly for anyone who grew up on Rick O'Connell.
The Lost City is the rom-com-adventure hybrid
If it was the Rick and Evelyn chemistry you loved most, The Lost City is your movie. Sandra Bullock plays a romance novelist dragged into a real jungle adventure, with Channing Tatum as the himbo cover model trying to rescue her. It is a knowing throwback to Romancing the Stone, funny and warm and built entirely around two people who should not work together but absolutely do. The action is secondary to the banter, which is exactly the kind of balance The Mummy understood so well.
Jungle Cruise matches the supernatural streak
For the closest tonal match, try Jungle Cruise on Disney+. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt headline a supernatural river adventure full of ancient curses, cursed conquistadors, and bickering banter, which is just about the exact recipe The Mummy ran on. It is a little more family-friendly and a little more CGI-heavy, but it clearly loves the same old-fashioned adventure movies that inspired Stephen Sommers. If you want ancient magic plus a charming duo plus river rapids, this is the one.
A few more for the expedition
Still want to keep digging? These three round out the map:
- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, for the same adventure-comedy energy with a clever video-game twist and a cast clearly having a blast.
- Tomb Raider, the Alicia Vikander reboot, if you want your ancient curses with a grittier, more grounded action edge.
- The Mummy Returns, the 2001 sequel, because once you have revisited the first one, you are going to want the whole Fraser run anyway.
What ties all of these together is the pure joy of the adventure, a sense that the world is full of hidden wonders and the people chasing them are having the time of their lives. The Mummy bottled that feeling better than almost anyone, which is why it keeps finding new fans decades later. If you are planning a night the whole house can agree on, our guide to what to watch for family movie night is full of crowd-pleasers, and for more big-screen spectacle our list of movies like Top Gun: Maverick delivers. Prefer a creature-feature chaser? Our roundup of movies like Jaws has teeth. Or let BingeNext find the next adventure across all your services. Get movie recommendations and start the expedition.
Topics covered: the mummy, adventure movies, brendan fraser, treasure hunt, action adventure
About the author
Jordan A., Founder, BingeNext
Jordan A. is the founder of BingeNext and is responsible for every guide published on this site. He built the recommendation engine after one too many nights lost to the streaming menu. Dates, season counts and where-to-watch details in these guides are checked against official sources before publishing, and corrections are welcome at Jordan@Bingenext.com.