There is less than a week until the premiere of Rami Malek’s new spy thriller,The Amateur, but before the film comes out, viewers should check out these similar movies first.The Amateuris an action thrillerstarring Malek as Charles Heller, a CIA decoder whose wife is killed in a terrorist attack. Seeking answers and vengeance,Heller sets out to take down his wife’s killers, despite having little experience in espionage.Soon enough, the CIA realizes that Heller may be a bigger threat than he originally seemed.
The Amateuris based on a 1981 novel by Robert Littell, but other than that, it has no franchise ties. It is a completely independent thriller,led by television director, James Hawes. Yet, despite this,there are plenty of movies that have strong ties toThe Amateur,whether it is through plot, actors, or themes. These films are certainly not mandatory watching beforeThe Amateurpremieres on August 06, 2025, but they may get audiences excited about the story they are about to embark on.
To kick off the action thriller atmosphere, a good place to start is withThe Accountant.Released in 2016, this movie centers onChristian Wolff, a mathematics genius who has a cover as a CPA, but in actuality, completes accounting for dangerous criminal enterprises. When a Treasury agent begins to suspect him, Wolff takes on a new client, and discovers a discrepancy that leads to a steadily increasing body count. The film stars Ben Affleck, J.K. Simmons, Anna Kendrick, and Jon Bernthal.
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The Accountantis a solid companion toThe Amateurbecause both movies are action thrillers focused on highly intelligent menwho are plunged into worlds of violence and crime. Using their intellect, they must outmaneuver their bloodthirsty enemies in any way they can. Not to mention, bothThe AmateurandThe Accountantstar Bernthal, who is a fantastic actorin his own right. Thus,The Accountantcan easily set the mood beforeThe Amateur’srelease.
Another movie with a connection toThe Amateur’scast isPatriots Day.Yet another 2016 release,Patriots Daytells the story of the real-life Boston Marathon Bombing, and follows several law enforcement officersas they race to catch the perpetrators. The film boasts a star-studded cast, from Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Bacon to Michelle Monaghan and John Goodman. Additionally, it has a strong 80% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The main tie betweenPatriots DayandThe Amateuris Rachel Brosnahan. InPatriots Day,Brosnahan plays Jessica Kensky, a victim who loses her leg in the bombing. Meanwhile, inThe Amateur,she plays Heller’s wife, who is killed in a terrorist attack.AlthoughThe Amateuris far more fictional thanPatriots Day,the movies shares themes of violence and a sense of urgencyin taking down the bad guys. Ultimately, it is a solid action film that can easily introduce Brosnahan to more viewers.
The most compelling element ofThe Amateuris the fact that Heller is tracking down violent criminals when he has no experience fighting crime himself. A film that follows a similar line of thought is 2021’sNobody.It is abouta man named Hutch Mansell who fails to protect his family in the face of home invaders, leading him to question his own abilities. So, when his wife and son are once again in danger, Hutch steps up with a renewed sense of anger and power.Bob Odenkirk stars.
NobodyandThe Amateurmay have different plots, but at their core, these movies are one and the same. Just like Heller, Mansell is spurred into vengeance after he fails to protect those he cares about. Despite being just a regular guy, he throws caution to the wind and becomes an action star. Of course,Nobodyis arguably more fun and humorous thanThe Amateurpresents itself to be, yet the movie is definitely a good warm-upanyway.
Before starring inThe Amateur,Malek boasted a rather long resume of movie and TV appearances, yet the project that comes closest toThe Amateurin terms of themes, plot, and character is 2021’sNo Time To Die.In this James Bond franchise film,Malek plays Lyutsifer Safin, a hyper-intelligent scientistwho is determined to destroy Spectre, forcing Bond to step in. The movie itself was well-received, but Malek’s performance is particularly captivating. In some ways, Safin is like the evil version of his character inThe Amateur.
By watchingNo Time To Die,audiences will get to see what Malek is really made of as an actor.
Over the years, Malek has played a wide range of roles which have varied in terms of their morals. He has been just as successful playing morally gray heroes as he has been playing deeply flawed and evil villains. By watchingNo Time To Die,audiences will get to see what Malek is really made of as an actor. Plus,they will get a sense of who Heller will be inThe Amateurbased on how Malek plays Safin, since both characters are geniuses pushed to their limits.
Finally, a movie that would be ideal to revisit beforeThe AmateurisDie Hard.This iconic 1988 movie centers on John McClane, a New York City police officer who attends an office holiday party with his estranged wife. However,when a group of terrorists attacks, McClane realizes that he may be the only one capable of taking them down. Bruce Willis takes on the lead role, alongside Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia.
In some ways,Die Hardfeels like the blueprint of movieslikeThe Amateur.Just like McClane, Heller is thrown in the deep end, faced with criminals who are far above his pay grade. Yet, using the skills he does have, he is able to take a stand for those he loves.Die Hardis an absolute classic in the action thriller genre, so there is always a reason to return to it, especially when new, similar movies likeThe Amateurare on the horizon.
