10 Incredible Movies Like White House Down | Jaw-Dropping Action Thrillers!

The Die Hard series and police officer John McClane have inspired a lot of Hollywood movies. Among those are the “Die-Hard in the White House” type movies like White House Down (2013) and Olympus Has Fallen (2013). They all follow the same storyline of one man, one true hero, braving the bullets and saving the day. But they aren’t just blatant copycats.

Movies like White House Down differ in terms of action sequences, tone of the story, and other technicalities. We love seeing these movies mainly as they are intriguing. What if the president of the United States was taken hostage? So the more unlikely the scenario, the more it tickles our fancy. The hero of our movie will do whatever it takes to save the day against an army of bad guys with heart-pumping action sequences! If that’s not exciting, we don’t know what is!

7 Incredible Movies Like White House Down | Stream These Movies Today!

White House Dawn packs a lot of star power. It stars Channing Tatum as police officer John Cale, posted in the Capitol building. A rogue military unit takes control over the white house, threatening the life of the president of the US (played by Jamie Foxx). Officer Cale has more on the line, though, as his daughter is also held hostage by the military unit. 

White House Down was released to a quiet response by the audience as it shared lots of similarities with Olympus Has Fallen. Although the thriller enjoyed a better acting roster and a much bigger production budget than Olympus, the movie couldn’t evoke the desired emotions. White House Down wasn’t bad; it just came at the wrong time, I suppose. 

So if you (like me) liked the movie, check out the list of movies like White House Down. These movies pack a lot of action and drama and are sure to give you an adrenaline rush!

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1# Air Force One (1997)

One of my best childhood memories is watching Air Force One on TV and thinking Harrison Ford was the US president. Imagine Air Force One as a Die Hard movie but on a plane. The movie’s star power stands strong, with Gary Oldman starring opposite the POTUS. The acting and a decent script make it one of the best hostage movies ever made by Hollywood!

Air Force One – the official name of the airplane that carries the US President is hijacked by Russian thugs. While the vice president of the United States negotiates for the release of hostages from the ground, the President takes matters into his own hands. In physical confrontations with thugs with guns, does the POTUS come out as the winner? You will need to watch Air Force One and find out!

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2# Skyscraper (2018)

If you liked Sylvester Stallon as John Rambo, you are sure to like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as William Sawyer. The Skyscraper features a retired FBI HRT specialist, William Sawyer as a security consultant. On his assignment to check the security of one of the tallest buildings in Hong King, his family, and his new employer end up in a hostage situation.

One of the building’s ex-contractor wants to take over the building. He starts a fire on the 90th floor making the top floors inaccessible for the police to come through. Sawyer scales the 225-floor tall building with the help of a crane to save his family. Alone, Sawyer takes down all the thugs and saves the day. Skyscraper is one of the best movies like White House Down that you can stream right now!

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3# 2 Guns (2013)

2 Guns is based on the Boom! Studios graphic novel which is written by Steven Grant. It is one of those movies like White House Down that relies more on the chemistry between the actors. In White Hosue Down, we see Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, while 2 Guns has Denzel Washington and Mark Walhberg in the lead roles.

The two buddy cops come in the crosshairs of the US border patrol after a bank robbery goes awry. Both of them are working undercover – one is a DEA agent and the other, a naval Intelligence agent. With their missions on the line, they become criminals and now must find a way out of this situation. With no one but themselves, they can rely on, 2 Guns is a fantastic movie you can watch.

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4# The Sum Of All Fears (2002)

The Sum Of All Fears is a movie based on a book of the same name written by legendary spy novelist Tom Clancy. Set in the Jack Ryan universe, The Sum Of All Fears stars Ben Affleck as a younger version of Jack. It also stars Morgan Freeman in the role of CIA director William Cabot. Jack is an analyst working with the CIA who discovers a sinister plan.

He discovers a plan by Neo-Nazis that involves blowing up a massive bomb at a football game. As the event will be pinned down on the Russians, they know it will push the two countries to a nuclear war. The Sum Of All Fears sees an acting masterclass by Freeman and Affleck. With inspiration from real-world conflicts that have some political truth, The Sum Of All Fears is an interesting watch.

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5# The Siege (1998)

One of the most underrated Denzel Washington movies ever, The Siege, is an interesting one on our list. While it’s not a one-man overpowering all the antagonists through sheer muscle and firepower, it is still packed with adrenaline. The Siege sees New York city attacked by a wave of bomb attacks. The city is put under martial law as things escalate out of control.

The city now remains under Major General William Devereaux (played by Bruce Willis). New York’s finest detective Agent Anthony Hubbard (played by Washington), must find a simpler way to negotiate with the threat. While The Siege and its depictions of “threats” were deemed stereotypical and unimaginative by critics, the movie saw a decent response from the fans. 

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6# The Rock (1996)

When counting movies like White House Down, The Rock has to be mentioned. The Rock is one of the best thriller movies to grace our screens in the last 3 decades. With Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, and Ed Harris in lead roles, it is an action movie fans’ treat! It is a high-octane, action-packed thriller that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats till the literal end. 

The Rock follows a prison inmate (Sean Connery) sent back to an impenetrable prison – known as Alcatraz, which he had previously escaped from. Paired up with a shy and nerdy chemist, the two of them face off against a group of mercenaries. The rogue group plans to attack San Francisco with a nerve gas attack, and the odd pair is the only hope for people to save the day. 

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7# Final Score (2018)

With the unlikeliest of protagonists in a lone hero movie, we have Dave Bautista (yes, from the WWE), who stars in Final Score. Those movies like White House Down share a similar plot with small differences in locations and characters. What Final Score does differently than the other movies in the genre is adding an element of humor to it.

Final Score sees Knox, an ex-soldier deal with the kidnapping of his niece. The terrorists who kidnapped her have also laid siege in a football stadium belonging to West Ham. With the life of countless civilians and his family members, Knox takes up the fight against the deadly group. He employs the skills from his military past to save the day and prevent mass destruction. 

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8# Executive Decision (1996)

Adding a vengeful twist to the Die Hard franchise like White House Down and becoming the greatest spin-off series ever, Executive Decision is worth every minute of your time. If a plane hijack gives you the kick while watching a movie, go for Executive Decision without giving it any second thoughts. Classic action sequences and a thriller formula are what make Executive Decision a top contender on our list of movies like White House Down. 

Revolving around a plane hijack traveling from Greece to Washington DC, Executive Decision weaves the magic with the bravery of David Grant (U.S. Army Specialist) and Lt. Colonel Austin Travis. The terrorists aboard the plane are demanding the release of their leader, while the real cause behind the hijack is later revealed to be something far more dangerous and terrifying. 

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9# Die Hard: With A Vengeance (1995)

Not precisely as good as the original hit Die Hard, but with an intriguing plot, Die Hard: With A Vengeance can be credited to be the best Die Hard prequel ever. From the perfectly timed action sequence to the amazing chemistry and a strong bond between Willis and Jackson, With A Vengeance makes for a good action thriller similar to White House Down. 

Based on the events after Die Hard, With A Vengeance sees Detective John McClane is a raging alcoholic who is now divorced and without a job. However, soon after cryptic terrorist threats the peace in NYC, he is called back into the game. This time, John teams up with Zeus Carver, the local shop owner, to decode the threat and protect everyone. 

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10# Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

A list of movies like White House Down can never be complete without the OG, its twin flame, Olympus Has Fallen. 2013 blockbuster hit Olympus Has Fallen hits too close to home because of its eerie similarity with the White House Down. Revolving around the courageous story of a Secret Service Agent tasked to keep the President safe, Olympus Has Fallen makes for a good source of entertainment. The movie brought name and fame to its leading star Derald Butler and cemented his image as one of the finest action stars in Hollywood. 

Set in the backdrops of a hostage situation where President Benjamin Asher’s life is at stake in the White House, this action thriller packs many punches. If you are one like me who enjoys a good action thriller with an equally engaging story, Olympus Has Fallen is the right choice for the coming weekend. 

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Final Words

So this concludes our list of the best movies like White House Down you can watch right now! These movies are somewhat inspired by each other and are connected by a similar theme. The lone warrior against all the odds is a good subgenre too. So if you’re feeling particularly lazy this weekend, start bingeing on these suggestions and let us know how you liked them. We’ll keep an eye open in our comment sections for sure!