If you’re a fan of the heart-pounding action and international intrigue of the Mission: Impossible franchise, you’re in luck. There are plenty of other fantastic spy movies out there that deliver the same thrills, twists and turns. From classic capers to modern blockbusters, these 20 films are packed with daring secret agents, nefarious villains, and jaw-dropping stunts. Get ready for a wild ride as we count down the best movies like Mission: Impossible.
1. Casino Royale (2006)
Casino Royale rebooted the James Bond franchise with a grittier, more realistic take on the iconic spy. Daniel Craig stars as a younger 007 earning his license to kill and squaring off against the ruthless terrorist financier Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) in a high-stakes poker game. With the help of the beguiling Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), Bond must win the tournament to bankrupt Le Chiffre and foil his deadly plans. Packed with brutal action, dazzling locations, and sizzling chemistry between Craig and Green, Casino Royale is a royal flush of a spy thriller.
2. The Bourne Identity (2002)
Matt Damon is Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from amnesia and desperate to uncover his true identity in this propulsive action-thriller. Hunted across Europe by his former employers, Bourne teams up with a fiery German woman named Marie (Franka Potente) to evade his pursuers and piece together the fragments of his past. Directed with gritty intensity by Doug Liman, The Bourne Identity kicks off one of the defining spy franchises of the 21st century. Damon’s vulnerable yet lethal performance makes Bourne a compelling alternative to Ethan Hunt.
3. Bridge of Spies (2015)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies is a masterful Cold War thriller starring Tom Hanks as James B. Donovan, an American lawyer tasked with negotiating a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Soviet Union. When U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers is shot down and captured, Donovan must arrange to swap him for convicted Soviet spy Rudolf Abel, whom Donovan defended in court. With tensions at a boiling point, Donovan risks everything to pull off the precarious exchange in Berlin. Hanks’ understated performance anchors this riveting true story of a regular man thrust into the world of international espionage.
4. Mission: Impossible (1996)
The one that started it all. Mission: Impossible launched Tom Cruise’s superspy franchise with an ingenious CIA mole hunt plot and some of the most memorable action set-pieces of the 90s. Cruise is Ethan Hunt, an IMF agent framed for the murders of his fellow operatives. To clear his name, Hunt assembles a team of disavowed agents to steal a CIA NOC list and expose the real traitor. From the iconic wire-dangling infiltration of CIA headquarters to the bullet train finale, Mission: Impossible established Cruise as the premier action star of his generation.
5. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
The Hunt for Red October is a taut submarine thriller adapted from Tom Clancy’s bestselling novel. Sean Connery stars as Marko Ramius, a Soviet naval captain attempting to defect with his nuclear missile sub, while Alec Baldwin is Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst trying to ascertain Ramius’ true motives. As the U.S. and Soviet fleets play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Ryan races against time to make contact with Ramius and prevent an international catastrophe. Directed by John McTiernan, the film ratchets up the tension as it dives deep into the world of naval espionage.
6. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Kingsman: The Secret Service is a stylish, irreverent take on the spy genre that introduces a street kid named Eggsy (Taron Egerton) into the world of bespoke-suited secret agents. Recruited by Harry Hart (Colin Firth), a debonair operative in the mold of James Bond, Eggsy trains to become a Kingsman while investigating a plot by tech billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) to solve global warming by culling the human population. With gonzo action scenes and a cheeky sense of humor, Kingsman is like Mission: Impossible by way of Kick-Ass.
7. The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965)
Based on John le Carré’s seminal novel, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold is a bleak, morally ambiguous portrait of Cold War-era espionage. Richard Burton stars as Alec Leamas, a burnt-out British intelligence officer sent on one last mission to East Germany. His task: pose as a defector to sow disinformation about a powerful East German official. But as Leamas descends deeper into the shadows, the lines between loyalty and betrayal blur. A far cry from the glamorous escapism of James Bond, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold presents a haunting vision of spycraft as a soul-crushing, ethically fraught profession.
8. The Lives of Others (2006)
The Lives of Others is a gripping drama set in 1984 East Germany, where the Stasi secret police maintain an iron grip on the population. Ulrich Mühe stars as Gerd Wiesler, a Stasi agent assigned to conduct surveillance on a celebrated playwright and his actress lover. As Wiesler eavesdrops on the couple’s private lives, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the oppressive system he serves. A powerful meditation on privacy, conscience and the human cost of authoritarian rule, The Lives of Others is a must-see for fans of cerebral spy cinema.
9. Spy Game (2001)
Spy Game pairs Robert Redford and Brad Pitt as CIA agents from different generations caught in a deadly international crisis. On the eve of his retirement, Nathan Muir (Redford) learns that his protégé Tom Bishop (Pitt) has been captured on an unauthorized mission in China and faces execution. With the CIA unwilling to intervene, Muir must use all his skills and contacts to rescue Bishop before time runs out. Jumping between past and present, Spy Game is a cleverly constructed thriller that explores the mentor-student dynamic between two very different operatives.
10. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Manchurian Candidate is a chilling political thriller that tapped into the anxieties of the Cold War era. Frank Sinatra stars as Bennett Marco, a Korean War veteran plagued by strange nightmares about his platoon being brainwashed by Communist agents. As Marco investigates, he uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy involving a fellow soldier, a McCarthy-esque senator, and a plot to install a puppet leader in the White House. Directed by John Frankenheimer, The Manchurian Candidate is a masterpiece of slow-burn suspense that feels just as relevant today as it did in the 1960s.
11. The Ipcress File (1965)
The Ipcress File is a stylish British spy film that offers a more realistic alternative to the fantastical adventures of James Bond. Michael Caine stars as Harry Palmer, a bespectacled, working-class intelligence officer tasked with investigating the kidnappings of several top scientists. As Palmer navigates a labyrinthine plot involving brainwashing, double crosses, and Cold War tensions, he relies on his wits and cynical charm to stay one step ahead. With its swinging 60s vibe and twisty plot, The Ipcress File established Caine as a major star and spawned several sequels.
12. Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Robert Redford stars as Joe Turner, a bookish CIA researcher who stumbles into a deadly conspiracy in Three Days of the Condor. When Turner returns from lunch to find all his colleagues murdered, he goes on the run, unsure of who to trust. With a mysterious hitman (Max von Sydow) on his trail, Turner seeks help from a stranger (Faye Dunaway) as he tries to unravel the plot and stay alive. Directed by Sydney Pollack, Three Days of the Condor is a paranoid thriller that taps into post-Watergate disillusionment with government institutions.
13. Ronin (1998)
Ronin is a gritty action-thriller about a team of mercenaries hired to steal a mysterious briefcase. Robert De Niro leads an international cast as Sam, an American ex-CIA agent who joins forces with other elite operatives, including a French agent played by Jean Reno. As the team crisscrosses France in pursuit of their objective, they are dogged by competing factions and double-crosses at every turn. Directed by John Frankenheimer, Ronin features some of the most spectacular car chases ever filmed and a tough, no-nonsense approach to its subject matter.
14. The Russia House (1990)
Based on a novel by John le Carré, The Russia House stars Sean Connery as Barley Blair, a hard-drinking British publisher recruited by MI6 to verify the contents of a manuscript smuggled out of the Soviet Union. The document contains explosive nuclear secrets provided by a Soviet scientist codenamed “Dante” (Klaus Maria Brandauer), but Blair’s real interest is in Dante’s go-between, a beautiful Soviet woman named Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer). As Blair and Katya fall in love, they become caught between the machinations of the British, American and Soviet intelligence services. Directed by Fred Schepisi, The Russia House is a romantic thriller that captures the uncertainty and paranoia of the Cold War’s final days.
15. The Fourth Protocol (1987)
The Fourth Protocol is a taut Cold War thriller starring Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan. Caine plays John Preston, a British MI5 agent investigating a plot by Soviet hardliners to detonate a nuclear device on British soil and disrupt an upcoming election. Brosnan is Valeri Petrofsky, a ruthless KGB agent tasked with assembling the bomb. As Preston races to uncover the conspiracy and identify the bombers, he faces resistance from his own government, who fear a diplomatic incident. Based on a novel by Frederick Forsyth, The Fourth Protocol is a smart, suspenseful thriller that builds to an explosive climax.
16. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The Bourne Supremacy is the second installment in the Jason Bourne franchise and a worthy successor to The Bourne Identity. Matt Damon returns as the amnesiac assassin, now living off the grid with his girlfriend Marie (Franka Potente). When a botched CIA operation frames Bourne for murder, he is forced out of hiding and back into the deadly world of international espionage. With the help of a skeptical CIA agent (Joan Allen), Bourne sets out to clear his name and expose a shadowy Russian oligarch. Directed by Paul Greengrass, The Bourne Supremacy features gritty, realistic action and a complex web of geopolitical intrigue.
17. Sneakers (1992)
Sneakers is a lighthearted caper movie about a team of misfit hackers and security experts hired to steal a top-secret black box. Robert Redford leads an all-star cast as Martin Bishop, a former 1960s radical who now runs a firm that tests clients’ security systems. When two NSA agents blackmail Bishop and his team into stealing the box, they find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. With a witty script by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and an ensemble that includes Sidney Poitier, Ben Kingsley, and River Phoenix, Sneakers is a fun, breezy thriller that celebrates the power of technology and the thrill of the con.
18. Spy (2015)
Spy is a hilarious send-up of the espionage genre that showcases Melissa McCarthy’s comedic talents. McCarthy stars as Susan Cooper, a desk-bound CIA analyst who volunteers to go undercover when the identities of the agency’s top field agents are compromised. Despite her lack of experience, Cooper proves to be a resourceful and capable operative as she infiltrates the inner circle of a dangerous arms dealer (Rose Byrne). With a sharp script by director Paul Feig and a stellar supporting cast that includes Jason Statham and Jude Law, Spy is a riotous action-comedy that subverts expectations at every turn.
19. Body of Lies (2008)
Directed by Ridley Scott, Body of Lies is a complex thriller about the CIA’s efforts to combat terrorism in the Middle East. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Roger Ferris, a CIA operative working to infiltrate a terrorist network in Jordan. Russell Crowe plays Ed Hoffman, Ferris’ manipulative handler back in Washington. As Ferris navigates the treacherous world of Middle Eastern politics and espionage, he finds himself caught between his loyalty to Hoffman and his growing respect for the head of Jordanian intelligence (Mark Strong). With its intricate plot and exploration of the moral ambiguities of the War on Terror, Body of Lies is a thought-provoking entry in the spy genre.
20. The American (2010)
The American is a moody, minimalist thriller starring George Clooney as Jack, a master assassin and gunsmith hiding out in a small Italian town. When a mysterious woman named Mathilde (Thekla Reuten) contracts Jack to build a custom rifle, he sees it as one last job before retirement. But as Jack becomes involved with a local prostitute (Violante Placido) and faces threats from his criminal past, he realizes that escaping the life of a hitman is easier said than done. Directed by Anton Corbijn, The American is a slow-burn character study that subverts the conventions of the spy thriller, focusing more on atmosphere and emotion than action and intrigue.
From pulse-pounding action to slow-burn suspense, these 20 movies offer something for every fan of the spy genre. Whether you prefer the glamour of James Bond, the grit of Jason Bourne, or the satirical bite of Kingsman and Spy, there’s no shortage of thrilling espionage adventures to choose from. So the next time you’re in the mood for some Mission: Impossible-style excitement, give one of these films a shot. You might just discover a new favorite.
