5 movies similar to Netflix’s The Six Triple Eight
The Six Triple Eight is a 2024 American war drama written and directed by Tyler Perry, focusing on an all-Black, all-female regiment during World War II. The film, which features Kerry Washington, Susan Sarandon, and Oprah Winfrey, premiered on December 6, 2024.
Lena, a grieving Black woman, joins the Women’s Army Corps and is sent to Europe with the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The group faces racism, tough conditions, and overwhelming odds as they clear a massive mail backlog to boost soldiers' morale.
If viewers enjoyed watching The Six Triple Eight, here are five similar movies that honor unheralded heroes who made history by defying social norms. They serve as a reminder of the strength of willpower and the pursuit of justice, whether viewed through the prisms of athletics, combat, or civil rights.
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The Long Walk Home and 4 other movies similar to Netflix’s The Six Triple Eight
1) The Long Walk Home
The Long Walk Home is a 1990 American historical drama starring Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg. Directed by Richard Pearce, the film is set in Alabama and based on a 1988 short film and a screenplay by John Cork about the Montgomery bus boycott (1955–1956).
The movie depicts the boycott, where Black people protested sitting at the back of the bus. Whoopi Goldberg plays Odessa Carter, a cleaner for the Thompsons, who walks to work despite being late and exhausted.
Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek) decides to give Odessa a ride to work every day, despite the conflict it causes in her community and home. Their growing relationship shows humanity amid discrimination.
Both The Six Triple Eight and The Long Walk Home highlight the strength and determination of African American women who, by defying social expectations and supporting each other, played a key role in advancing equality and civil rights.
Where to watch: Prime Video
2) Hidden Figures
Theodore Melfi directed and Allison Schroeder co-wrote the 2016 American biographical drama Hidden Figures. The 2016 nonfiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, which is about three female African-American mathematicians, serves as a loose basis for it.
Early in the Space Race between America and Russia, NASA would find for itself a peculiar group of genius-level African-American female mathematicians who contributed to turning one of the most pivotal moments in American history.
The film tells the story of "human computers," focusing on three women—Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Gobels Johnson—who rise through NASA’s ranks. They help calculate astronaut John Glenn’s historic launch into orbit. These American heroines overcame gender, racial, and occupational barriers.
Like The Six Triple Eight, the movie celebrates the unsung women of color who broke boundaries and made history at a crucial time.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+
3) A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American sports comedy-drama directed by Penny Marshall, based on the real All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The film was both a box office and critical success, grossing $132.4 million worldwide. Marshall received praise for her direction, and the all-star cast’s performances were widely acclaimed.
During World War II, with many men away, women filled jobs left vacant, including playing baseball. Scouts were sent across the country to find female players, as baseball team owners didn’t want the sport to remain inactive.
A talent scout in Oregon discovers Dottie Hinson, a skilled player, and invites her to try out for a baseball team. Though uninterested, her sister Kit persuades her to join, and both are selected for the same team. Their manager, former baseball star Jimmy Dugan, dismisses the job and drinks heavily, leaving Dottie to step up as a leader.
The Six Triple Eight probably adopts a more somber tone to celebrate the accomplishments of the trailblazing women, whereas A League of Their Own use comedy and drama to tell the tale.
Nonetheless, both movies excite and inform viewers about the vital roles that women played in influencing World War II history.
Where to watch: Prime Video
4) Selma
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spearheaded a valiant fight for voting rights in 1965, which resulted in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Selma by Ava DuVernay depicts this crucial period in civil rights history in a stunning way.
At the 87th Academy Awards, Selma won Best Original Song and was nominated for Best Picture. It also won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song and received four Golden Globe nominations, including Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Motion Picture – Drama.
The film highlights Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s campaign for voting rights, leading to the Selma-to-Montgomery march and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Both The Six Triple Eight and Selma shine a light on historical contributions that are often overlooked. The Six Triple Eight celebrates the unsung role of Black women in the military, while Selma honors the sacrifices made by civil rights advocates.
Where to watch: Netflix, Paramount+
5) The Help
Based on Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name, Tate Taylor wrote and directed the 2011 historical drama The Help. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, and Sissy Spacek are among the ensemble cast members of the movie.
The tale of Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a young white woman who aspires to be a journalist, is told in both the book and the movie. Her interactions with two Black maids, Aibileen Clark, and Minny Jackson, during the Civil Rights Movement in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963, are the main subject of the narrative.
Skeeter, a southern society girl, returns from college in the 1960s determined to become a writer. She decides to interview Black women who work for wealthy southern families, upsetting her friends and the town. Aibileen, her best friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up, despite the risks. As Skeeter and Aibileen work together, other women join in to share their stories. Their growing sisterhood leads to unlikely friendships, but the town is shaken as everyone confronts change.
The intricacies of race, cultural norms, and the tenacity of African American women in the face of institutionalized prejudice are all explored in both The Six Triple Eight and The Help.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Disney+
Viewers can watch The Six Triple Eight on Netflix.
