Venus and Serena Williams are two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Their success stems from the confidence and sacrifice of their father, Richard Williams, narrated in the newest sports biopic, King Richard. It has received universal acclaim from critics and audiences for its beautiful and moving storytelling and Will Smith's phenomenal performance in the titular role, earning Oscar buzz.
King Richard is more than just a sports biopic about two tennis players rising to success. It is much more nuanced, as it discusses social issues and highlights the importance of family and humility. Many other sports biopics focus on similar themes like social issues and family as a motivating factor for many athletes to excel and challenge the status quo.
Battle Of The Sexes (2017) - Available To Rent On AppleTV
Like any sport, tennis is not without challenges, particularly when female athletes are belittled for their skills compared to men. Female tennis player Billie Jean King proved the naysayers wrong when she played a 1973 match against Bobby Riggs, as depicted in Battle of the Sexes.
Battle of the Sexes pays tribute to a legendary tennis star King and dives into the social commentary of tennis' most intense match. Like King Richard, the film resonates with the issues of social prejudice, and it becomes the catalyst for King to do something more. Emma Stone delivered a brilliant performance as King, from her physique and her attitude to her spirit.
Coach Carter (2005) - Available On Peacock Premium
This 2005 film biopic, Coach Carter, follows Ken Carter, who becomes the basketball coach at Richmond High School. As a coach, he emphasizes the importance of education and suspends his players from playing until their grades improve.
Ken Carter echoes the philosophy of high academics and education like Richard Williams in King Richard. Such mentality is inspirational to showcase that life is not just about sports, but also presents an important message of working hard. Coach Carter is an entertaining and insightful story about excellence in the game. Samuel L. Jackson also showcases a spectacular performance, bringing one of the best sports movie coaches to life.
Warrior (2011) - Available On Peacock
Warrior follows a dysfunctional family with a boxing history. An ex-Marine reunites with his father to compete at the latest MMA tournament. The unexpected happens when his brother, a school teacher, enters the ring, and they eventually fight each other in the final round.
Warrior is more than just a sports film about boxing. The driving factor of the film is family, sharing the importance of this theme with King Richard. Of course, the film showcases an incredible story of redemption and forgiveness, enhanced by powerful and touching performances from Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, and Joel Edgerton.
The Fighter (2010) - Available On Hulu & Paramount+
Directed by David O. Russell, The Fighter follows Micky Ward, who comes from a boxing family, with his mother as his manager and his half-brother as his trainer. Everything turns into a dysfunctional family affair when he fractures his relationship with them, as it becomes the only way to strive for greatness.
Like King Richard, The Fighter is also a sports biopic that focuses on family dynamics. While the film has the typical cliques of a boxing movie, the conventional story thrives from the craftiness of its story executed by Russell and the exceptional Oscar-worthy performances within the chaos of the Ward family. Christian Bale (in one of his top movies as per Rotten Tomatoes) and Melissa Leo won Oscars for their supporting roles, while Amy Adams was nominated in the supporting actress category.
Fighting With My Family (2019) - Available On IMDb TV
Fighting with My Family follows two siblings, Zak and Paige, who try out for a spot in the WWE. Things turn complicated when Paige is the only one who receives a callback, which starts a conflict with her brother. But, it only gives her determination to prove herself a star.
Stephen Merchant's sports biopic parallels the premise about family support and identity, like King Richard. It even exudes the same energy and dynamic of siblings competing to be the best in the WWE, similar to the Williams' sister in tennis. The story is touching and funny, with incredibly charming characters that present quite an entertaining wrestling film. Florence Pugh delivers an incredible performance as Paige, and the supporting cast is just as amusing as their respective real-life characters.
Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) - Available On Showtime
One of the best sports moments is the intense sports rivalries, and tennis is no exception. Borg vs. McEnroe follows the biggest tennis rivalry between Björn Borg and John McEnroe that unfolded on and off the court at the 1980 Wimbledon Championship.
Borg vs. McEnroe presents the psychological toll of the high stakes in tennis, which is an issue that Richard Williams cautions about in King Richard. Director Janus Metz portrays the biographical story to highlight the antithesis of both legendary tennis players that leads to cinematic brilliance.
Right On Track (2003) - Available On Disney+
Even though women's sports is growing, it does not come without social obstacles. This Disney Channel original movie, Right on Track, follows the true story of sisters Erica Enders and Courtney Enders, portrayed by Beverley Mitchell and Brie Larson, respectively, who challenge the idea of drag racing being an only boy sport.
Like King Richard, Right on Track focuses on the gender inequality of sports like drag racing. And like the Williams sisters, the Enders challenge public perception with their determination to prove everyone wrong. This Disney sports biopic showcases a feminist message for sports, in general, so it is a definite must-watch for young kids to learn and enjoy.
42 (2013) - Available On HBO Max
In the mid-1940s, Jackie Robinson became the first Black American to join Major League Baseball. The racism he faced didn't stop him from excelling in the game and he displayed incredible courage and talent, as depicted in the 2013 film 42.
This sports biopic showcases an inspiring journey of a historical icon, still spoken about to this day. Like the Williams' sisters in King Richard, Jackie Robinson had to defy racial prejudice in baseball by working twice as hard to showcase his immense skills and sportsmanship. The late Chadwick Boseman delivers a flawless and breakthrough performance as one of his most impressive roles as the baseball icon.
Dangal (2016) - Available On Netflix
Perhaps the one film that resonates with the same energy and premise of King Richard is the 2016 Bollywood film, Dangal, one of the best sports movies of the 2010s. This sports biopic follows a former wrestler, Mahavir Phogat, who trains his two daughters to become India's top female wrestlers.
Like King Richard, Dangal defies the social prejudice of women in male-dominated sports. Furthermore, the dedication, family support, and confidence by Phogat for his daughters to succeed with his training and practices echo the dynamics of Richard Williams in King Richard. Phogat (Aamir Khan) and Williams undeniably share an uncannily similar biographical sports story. It makes Dangal - which also broke numerous box-office records in India - one of the perfect movies for viewers to watch for a parallel story, inspirational message, and pleasing experience.
A League Of Their Own (1992) - Available To Rent On AppleTV
A League of Their Own is a fictionalized story based on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. When the men went to war and Major League Baseball was put on hold, a women's league was created to fill in the absence of America's favorite pastime. Some of the recruits include sisters Dottie and Kit, coached under a grumpy Jimmy Dugan to bring a new life to baseball.
Penny Marshall's sports comedy-drama is one of the more feel-good movies that even non-sports fans will enjoy. The story revives and pays tribute to a forgotten part of history that would change women's sports forever. Like King Richard, the film showcases a friendly but intense sibling rivalry between Dottie and Kit and a different look at rising league that is inspirational and fun.