Few movie genres are as good at making a complicated plan feel irresistible as the heist film.

From Money Heist and Ocean's Eleven to Heat, Inception and The Italian Job, the best heist movies and shows turn robbery, deception and impossible schemes into stories about clever characters, unlikely crews and plans that can unravel at any moment.

And this fall, heist fans can take that idea from the screen to an Orlando attraction.

The Great Wax Heist at Madame Tussauds Orlando runs from October 1 through October 31, 2026, giving visitors a mystery of their own to solve. During this interactive Halloween scavenger hunt, five artifacts connected to the craftsmanship behind Madame Tussauds wax figures have disappeared. Guests can use their smartphones to scan QR codes, follow clues throughout the attraction and track down the missing artifacts. The experience is included with admission.

So before heading to Orlando, why not get into the spirit with a heist-movie marathon?

This list brings together 25 memorable movies and shows spanning classic capers, bank robberies, elaborate cons, car thefts, criminal crews and modern television thrillers. Some are built around meticulous plans. Others are about what happens when those plans fall apart.

The order follows the selection for this guide rather than suggesting there is one objectively greatest heist story. The appeal of the genre is that there are so many different ways to pull off a heist, on screen and, in the case of The Great Wax Heist, as part of an interactive Orlando experience.

The 25 Best Heist Movies and Shows at a Glance

1. Money Heist

If you are searching for shows like Money Heist, start with the original Spanish series La Casa de Papel, known internationally as Money Heist.

The story follows the Professor and a carefully assembled group of criminals as they attempt two enormous operations: one targeting the Royal Mint of Spain and another involving the Bank of Spain. The series turns the planning, execution and consequences of those operations into an expansive crime drama.

It is especially effective for viewers who enjoy heist stories where the crew is almost as important as the target.

Why watch it: Large-scale planning, shifting alliances, memorable characters and cliffhangers.

Good for: Fans searching for the best heist shows or bank heist TV shows.

2. Ocean's Eleven

Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven is one of the defining modern examples of the stylish ensemble heist.

George Clooney leads a crew assembled by Danny Ocean to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. The appeal is less about brute force than preparation, specialized skills and watching the pieces of the plan fall into place.

It is also an excellent starting point for anyone searching for movies like Ocean's Eleven because its combination of celebrity cast, humor, sophistication and elaborate planning became a template for modern caper films.

Why watch it: The crew dynamic and sheer entertainment value.

Good for: Viewers who want a slick, accessible introduction to heist movies.

3. Inception

Christopher Nolan's Inception takes the basic structure of a heist and moves it into dreams.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dom Cobb, a specialist in extracting information from people's subconscious while they sleep. The central mission reverses that concept. Instead of stealing an idea, the team attempts to plant one.

The film layers multiple levels of reality and dream logic on top of the familiar heist structure.

Why watch it: It demonstrates how flexible the heist formula can be.

Good for: Fans of science fiction, elaborate rules and movies that reward repeat viewings.

4. Better Call Saul / Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are not conventional heist series, but they belong in the conversation because both repeatedly use elaborate criminal schemes, cons, thefts and carefully engineered operations.

Breaking Bad follows Walter White's transformation from chemistry teacher to major drug manufacturer, while Better Call Saul explores Jimmy McGill's evolution into Saul Goodman and the criminal world surrounding him.

Their greatest strength for heist fans is the attention paid to preparation. Problems often arise not because a plan was never considered, but because people are unpredictable.

Why watch them: Long-form storytelling where schemes have consequences that can stretch across seasons.

Good for: Viewers who enjoy the planning and character psychology of heist stories more than the robbery itself.

5. Heat

Michael Mann's Heat is essential viewing for fans of professional crime dramas.

Al Pacino plays detective Vincent Hanna, while Robert De Niro plays professional thief Neil McCauley. Their opposing perspectives create the film's central tension as Hanna pursues McCauley's crew.

The film's bank robbery sequence is particularly influential, but Heat is ultimately about the relationship between the people planning the crimes and the people trying to stop them.

Why watch it: Detailed professional-criminal characters and a serious approach to crime.

Good for: Fans of gritty bank robbery movies and realistic crime dramas.

6. Lupin

Netflix's Lupin updates the classic gentleman-thief tradition through Assane Diop, played by Omar Sy.

Inspired by the fictional character Arsène Lupin, Assane uses disguises, deception and elaborate plans while pursuing justice connected to his father's past.

The series is particularly appealing because Assane's intelligence is expressed through improvisation as much as preparation.

Why watch it: Stylish locations, clever disguises and a charismatic central character.

Good for: Viewers searching for heist shows on Netflix or shows like Money Heist.

7. The Italian Job

The 2003 version of The Italian Job combines a traditional gold robbery with cars, technology and revenge.

Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham and Donald Sutherland lead the cast as a crew attempting to recover gold after being betrayed by one of their own.

The result is a heist movie that blends traditional caper mechanics with automotive action.

Why watch it: A strong combination of team-based planning and car action.

Good for: Fans of getaway cars, team-based heists and action movies.

8. Baby Driver

Edgar Wright's Baby Driver makes music part of the heist itself.

Ansel Elgort plays Baby, a getaway driver whose ability behind the wheel helps criminal crews escape after robberies. The movie combines crime, romance, car chases and a carefully synchronized soundtrack.

Why watch it: The soundtrack and driving sequences give the genre a distinctive rhythm.

Good for: Fans of cars, music and stylish action.

9. The Town

Ben Affleck's The Town focuses on a Boston crew of bank robbers and the personal consequences of their crimes.

Doug MacRay, played by Affleck, becomes romantically involved with a bank manager connected to one of his crew's robberies. At the same time, an FBI agent closes in.

That combination makes the movie more than a series of robberies. The central conflict is between the life the characters have built and the possibility of leaving it behind.

Why watch it: Gritty bank robberies combined with character drama.

Good for: Fans of Heat and realistic crime stories.

10. Now You See Me

What if the members of your heist crew were illusionists?

That's the central hook of Now You See Me, which follows four magicians who perform seemingly impossible robberies during their shows. An FBI agent and Interpol detective attempt to understand how the crimes are being accomplished.

The result is a heist movie built around misdirection, performance and the question of what the audience is not seeing.

Why watch it: The magic-meets-heist premise.

Good for: Viewers who enjoy mystery, spectacle and unexpected reveals.

11. Inside Man

Spike Lee's Inside Man begins with a bank robbery but quickly becomes a more complicated mystery.

Denzel Washington plays detective Keith Frazier, who negotiates with Dalton Russell, played by Clive Owen, during a hostage situation. Jodie Foster's character becomes involved because of a separate interest in what is inside the bank's safe deposit boxes.

The film's strength is its layered structure. The audience knows a robbery is taking place, but the real question is what the robbers are actually trying to accomplish.

Why watch it: A clever bank heist with a mystery at its center.

Good for: Fans of bank robbery movies who want more than a straightforward action film.

12. Fast Five

Fast Five effectively turns the Fast & Furious franchise into a full-scale heist movie.

Dom Toretto and Brian O'Conner assemble a team for one enormous job in Rio de Janeiro, targeting a major haul while being pursued by federal agent Luke Hobbs.

It is the kind of movie where the getaway becomes almost as important as the robbery itself.

Why watch it: Massive action, a large crew and an unforgettable vault sequence.

Good for: Fans who want their heist movies with maximum action.

13. Snatch

Guy Ritchie's Snatch is a chaotic criminal puzzle involving a stolen diamond, underground boxing and an assortment of characters who frequently make bad decisions.

Unlike the carefully controlled world of Ocean's Eleven, Snatch thrives on things spiraling out of control.

Why watch it: Fast dialogue, dark humor and intersecting criminal schemes.

Good for: Viewers who prefer their heist movies unpredictable and funny.

14. The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects is more accurately described as a crime mystery built around deception, criminal conspiracies and one of cinema's most famous narrative reveals.

The story centers on a group of criminals brought together after a mysterious incident, with their accounts of events becoming increasingly difficult to separate from reality.

Why watch it: The storytelling and unreliable perspective.

Good for: Fans who care as much about the story surrounding a crime as the crime itself.

15. Logan Lucky

Steven Soderbergh returned to the heist genre with Logan Lucky, a Southern-flavored caper built around an unlikely crew and a NASCAR event.

The movie deliberately plays against the sophisticated image of a typical heist crew. Its characters are working with limited resources, but the plan itself is surprisingly ambitious.

Why watch it: Humor, an unconventional crew and a creative setting.

Good for: Anyone who likes Ocean's Eleven but wants a more comedic and down-to-earth approach.

16. White Collar

White Collar takes the heist genre into procedural television.

Matt Bomer plays Neal Caffrey, a sophisticated con artist, while Tim DeKay plays FBI Special Agent Peter Burke. After Caffrey is captured, he works with Burke to help solve white-collar crimes.

The show is particularly useful for viewers who enjoy the con-artist side of heist storytelling rather than traditional armed robberies.

Why watch it: Cons, forgery, art theft and clever criminal puzzles.

Good for: Fans of episodic television who want a lighter crime series.

17. Leverage

Leverage asks what happens when a group of highly skilled criminals decide to use their abilities against people who exploit others.

The original series follows a five-person team that includes a thief, grifter, hacker and retrieval specialist, led by former insurance investigator Nathan Ford.

It has the structure of a heist show but frequently turns the concept into a modern Robin Hood story.

Why watch it: Each episode brings a new target and a different problem to solve.

Good for: Viewers looking for entertaining heist shows without the darker tone of many crime dramas.

18. Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs is an unusual entry on a heist list because the robbery itself is not the main event.

Instead, the movie concentrates on what happens after a jewelry heist goes disastrously wrong. A group of criminals gathers at a warehouse, and suspicion grows as they try to determine who betrayed them.

Why watch it: The aftermath of a heist can be just as compelling as the planning.

Good for: Fans of dialogue-heavy crime movies and nonlinear storytelling.

19. The Sting

Before modern caper movies perfected the ensemble formula, The Sting demonstrated just how satisfying an elaborate con could be.

Paul Newman and Robert Redford play con artists in 1930s Chicago who attempt to take revenge on a crime boss.

The movie is built around deception on multiple levels, making the audience part of the con.

Why watch it: One of the essential classic con-artist movies.

Good for: Anyone exploring the history of the heist and caper genre.

20. Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom takes a much darker approach.

The Australian crime drama follows a teenager drawn into Melbourne's criminal underworld and a dangerous family environment.

It is less of a traditional "assemble the crew and rob the vault" movie and more of a crime-family thriller.

Why watch it: Intense character relationships and a darker look at organized crime.

Good for: Viewers who prefer serious crime dramas.

21. Hell or High Water

Hell or High Water places bank robberies inside a modern Western.

Two brothers rob branches of Texas Midlands Bank while a Texas Ranger investigates them. The movie uses the robberies as part of a larger story about family, economic pressure and the changing American West.

The result is a thoughtful alternative to the glamorous heist movie.

Why watch it: Strong characters and a grounded setting.

Good for: Fans of Westerns who also enjoy crime movies.

22. Gone in 60 Seconds

Instead of stealing money from a bank, Gone in 60 Seconds makes cars the target.

The 2000 film follows a professional car thief who is forced back into the business and given an almost impossible list of vehicles to steal.

That gives the movie a different kind of heist tension. The question isn't how to get into a vault. It is how to find, steal and deliver a collection of increasingly difficult cars.

Why watch it: Car culture, action and a distinctive take on the heist formula.

Good for: Fans of The Italian Job, Baby Driver and automotive action.

23. Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon is based on the real-life 1972 Brooklyn bank robbery involving John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile.

Al Pacino stars as Sonny Wortzik, whose attempted bank robbery quickly becomes a hostage situation and a media spectacle.

The movie stands out because the robbery becomes secondary to the people caught inside it and the attention surrounding the event.

Why watch it: Character-driven storytelling and an unusual approach to a bank robbery.

Good for: Viewers interested in crime dramas inspired by real events.

24. The Thomas Crown Affair

The 1999 Thomas Crown Affair offers a very different version of the heist movie.

Pierce Brosnan plays wealthy businessman Thomas Crown, who becomes involved in an elaborate art theft. Rene Russo plays the investigator attempting to determine whether Crown is responsible.

The attraction of the movie comes from the cat-and-mouse relationship between thief and investigator, combined with the sophistication of the art world.

Why watch it: Art theft, mystery and a more polished take on the genre.

Good for: Fans of stylish capers who prefer museums and masterpieces to bank vaults.

25. Rififi

To understand the roots of the modern heist movie, go back to 1955's Rififi.

Directed by Jules Dassin, the French crime classic follows a group of criminals planning an elaborate jewelry-store burglary. Its reputation rests heavily on the meticulous construction of the central heist.

It is a useful final entry because so many elements associated with modern heist movies can be traced through films like Rififi: assembling specialists, studying the target, preparing equipment and executing a plan in near silence.

Why watch it: It is a foundational classic for serious heist-film fans.

Good for: Viewers who want to explore the history behind today's top heist films.

What Makes a Great Heist Movie?

The best heist movies are not necessarily the ones with the biggest robbery.

A memorable heist story usually combines several elements.

A Compelling Crew

The audience needs a reason to care about the people carrying out the job. Ocean's Eleven, Money Heist, Leverage and The Italian Job all make the crew part of the attraction.

A Clear Objective

The target might be money, gold, diamonds, artwork, information or even an idea. The more clearly the audience understands the objective, the more satisfying it becomes to watch the plan develop.

A Clever Plan

The central pleasure of a heist movie is often seeing a seemingly impossible problem solved.

Something That Can Go Wrong

A perfect plan does not necessarily make a compelling movie. The tension usually comes from discovering what happens when reality interferes.

A Memorable Twist

Some of the most enduring heist stories make viewers reconsider what they thought they understood.

Characters Worth Following

A complicated robbery can provide the plot, but memorable characters are what make viewers want to see the next movie or episode.

What Are the Best Heist Movies on Netflix?

Netflix availability changes by country and over time, so a title available in the United States may not be available in the United Kingdom or Brazil at the same time.

For Netflix specifically, Money Heist and Lupin are two particularly relevant series for anyone exploring the modern heist genre.

If you are searching for best heist movies on Netflix, check the current Netflix catalog in your location rather than relying on an older streaming list.

Movies Like Ocean's Eleven: Where to Go Next

If what you love about Ocean's Eleven is the combination of a charismatic crew, clever planning and stylish execution, several movies on this list make natural follow-ups.

Try The Italian Job for another team-based caper, Logan Lucky for a more comedic approach, The Sting for a classic con and Now You See Me for a heist built around illusion.

For something darker, move to Heat, The Town or Inside Man.

The key difference is tone. Heist movies can be funny, stylish, tense, cerebral, violent or surprisingly emotional. Choosing your next movie based on that tone can be more useful than simply searching for another film involving a bank.

Shows Like Money Heist

Fans searching for shows like Money Heist have several different directions to explore.

Lupin is the obvious choice if you enjoy clever thieves, disguises and elaborate schemes. Leverage works well if you prefer an ensemble of specialists taking on a new target each episode. White Collar is a good fit for viewers who enjoy con artists, forgery and FBI investigations.

For a much darker, longer-form crime story, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul offer elaborate criminal operations without following the traditional heist-show format.

The important distinction is that "heist show" can mean several things. Some series focus on one enormous operation, while others use individual cons and thefts as recurring story engines.

From Movie Stars to Real-Life Celebrity Experiences in Orlando

For movie fans visiting Orlando, the experience does not have to end when the credits roll.

Madame Tussauds Orlando at ICON Park brings together 90+ lifelike wax figures spanning movies, television, music, sports and popular culture. The attraction combines its wax figures with interactive experiences and photo opportunities, giving visitors a way to engage with famous faces rather than simply viewing them from a distance.

The current attraction includes movie stars and other major pop culture figures, with the lineup changing over time. Visitors should check the official attraction information before visiting for the latest figure lineup.

That creates a natural connection for movie fans. Inception fans can explore the attraction's Hollywood collection, while fans of action franchises can see stars represented among the figures. The attraction does not recreate individual films, but it gives visitors an opportunity to engage with the stars and pop culture behind the screen.

Planning a Movie-Focused Orlando Visit

Madame Tussauds Orlando is located at ICON Park on International Drive, placing it within a broader concentration of Orlando entertainment.

Because the attraction is indoors, it can also fit naturally into an itinerary that includes outdoor activities elsewhere in the day. It can be useful when planning a flexible Orlando schedule around Florida weather.

Visitors can also combine Madame Tussauds Orlando with other ICON Park attractions. Current ticket products include a 2 Attraction option allowing visitors to choose from Madame Tussauds Orlando, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and The Orlando Eye.

For visitors planning multiple Merlin attractions during a Florida trip, current Annual Pass options can also provide access to Madame Tussauds Orlando, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and The Orlando Eye, alongside benefits associated with participating Merlin attractions. Pass products and benefits can change, so check the current official terms before purchasing.

More Than Just Looking at Wax Figures

The attraction also offers experiences that extend beyond seeing the figures.

Wax Hands gives visitors the opportunity to create a custom wax mold of their own hand as a take-home souvenir. Current official information lists the experience as a daily offering with age and reach requirements, so visitors should check the current requirements before planning to participate.

For visitors who want more context about the attraction, the Madame Tussauds Orlando VIP Tour provides a guided experience focused on celebrity stories, wax figure artistry, behind-the-scenes information and photo opportunities.

These experiences offer different ways to approach the attraction. A movie fan might simply want photographs with famous stars, while a visitor interested in the craft behind wax figures may prefer a more guided experience.

From Heist Movies to The Great Wax Heist in Orlando

A great heist story leaves you wondering how the characters are going to pull it off.

That might mean watching the Professor coordinate an enormous operation in Money Heist, trying to work out the rules of Inception, following Danny Ocean's carefully assembled crew, or watching a classic caper like The Sting reveal its plan one layer at a time.

The common thread is the same: follow the clues, figure out the plan and see what happens next.

That makes October an especially fitting time for movie and pop culture fans to visit Madame Tussauds Orlando.

From October 1 through October 31, 2026, The Great Wax Heist turns a visit to Madame Tussauds Orlando into an interactive Halloween mystery. Five artifacts connected to the artistry and craftsmanship behind the attraction's wax figures have gone missing, and guests are invited to help recover them.

Using a smartphone, participants scan QR codes, follow clues and search throughout the attraction for the five hidden artifacts. The experience also provides an opportunity to learn more about the craftsmanship behind Madame Tussauds figures. The Great Wax Heist is included with admission.

It is a different kind of heist experience from the ones on this list. There is no casino vault like Ocean's Eleven, no elaborate dream architecture like Inception and no getaway-car sequence like Baby Driver. Instead, the challenge is to explore the attraction, uncover clues and solve a mystery connected to the making of the wax figures.

For an October Orlando trip, that gives movie fans a way to extend the heist theme beyond the screen. Watch a few classics before your vacation, then bring your detective mindset to Madame Tussauds Orlando and see whether you can solve The Great Wax Heist yourself.

The case is open from October 1 through October 31, 2026.