20 Spectacular Time Loop Movies

Travel across time – and around the world – with the best time loop movies to watch right now.

In one of the classic movies of our time, many people are familiar with Groundhog Day, where Phil gets trapped reliving the same day over and over again.

In other movies about time loops, we watch as people try to change particular circumstances in their favor – falling in love, fixing past mistakes, and ya know, trying not to die – begging the question: what would you do differently each day if you were trapped in a time loop?

And, is it ethical to try and change the past? What are the repercussions of reliving the same moments, and how the heck does one escape a time loop?

So, if you crave movies like Groundhog Day, we have quite the thought-provoking list of time loop films for you, sure to not only transport you across time but also the world.

Below, uncover movies with time loops where people realize early on what is happening or might not find out closer until the end. We try not to give away spoilers…

Many of these movies have a few twists and turns but all share one thing in common: time loops! Let’s get started.

20 Best Time Loop Movies

Groundhog Day (1993)

For Groundhog Day (the semi-holiday), a miserable weatherman serendipitously named Phil is tasked with going to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to report on whether or not Phil the Groundhog sees his shadow.

While there, it begins to snow heavily and he and his team become trapped, much to his chagrin. However, his torment is only just beginning as when he wakes up he realizes he has to do the whole day over again. And then again and again…

Can Phil get out of this never-ending loop, or is he destined to stay stuck in Punxsutawney on this day for the rest of eternity?

This is the top dog of all time loop movies. And, chances are, if you like movies with time loops or just movies in general, you’ve already seen Groundhog Day. In this case, you’re probably looking for more movies like Groundhog Day, so keep on reading! And, know that this fantasy romance movie list has a few more!

Ha-Roo [A Day] (2017)

Kim Joon-young, a doctor, is about to land in Seoul after a trip, but on the way from the airport to meet his daughter, Joon-young stops to help a taxi driver who has just crashed his car.

He calls his daughter, Eun-jung, a few minutes later, but is unsettled when a man answers instead.

As he asks where his daughter is, he realizes the man across the street is standing over his daughter’s body and that the taxi driver killed her.

Joon-young then reawakens in the airplane. He tries over and over and over again to save his daughter to no avail.

He eventually encounters paramedic Lee Min-chul, whose wife was the taxi’s passenger and also died in the crash.

The men are shocked to learn that they are both repeating the day.

Can the men save their loved ones or will they be stuck watching them die forever?

If you enjoy time loop movies and Korean cinema, you can’t miss this tense thriller that puts an entirely new spin on time loops.

The Infinite Man (2014)

You know how it is when you make plans for the perfect trip but then when you arrive at your holiday destination everything starts falling apart?

Well, that’s what happens to Dean and Lana when they rock up to a deserted, closed-down holiday apartment block on their anniversary.

Dean is especially frustrated – he made an itinerary and everything – but things get even worse when Lana’s ex-boyfriend, Terry, also turns up.

Fortunately, Dean has been working on a little engineering project “at the lab,” which just might help him make things perfect after all.

And Dean NEEDS things to be perfect.

The Infinite Man is something of a hidden gem for movies about time loops.

By turns heartbreaking, mind-boggling, frenetic, and dark, but consistently funny, this Australian low-budget sci-fi film is entertaining for those looking for a time-bending farce.

And it’s rewarding for anyone trying to see if all of the potential paradoxes make sense (and you’re in luck: they do).

Watch even more great Australian movies.

Happy Death Day (2017)

After a night of heavy drinking, Theresa “Tree” Gelbman wakes up in the dorm room of a guy named Carter, whom she met the night before.

We soon learn today is her birthday, and she wishes it was literally any other day.

How ironic, then, that she should be brutally murdered later that day – only to suddenly wake up back in Carter’s bed, and realize, to her horror, that she’s living the day all over again.

Can Tree figure out who is trying to kill her and why, or is she destined to relive this day over and over and over again?

For anyone specifically looking for movies like Groundhog Day, Happy Death Day is possibly the most similar on this list.

This is truly the slasher version of Groundhog Day: a miserable person gets a second chance at life through an inexplicable time loop, but with the added factor that someone is relentlessly trying to kill them.

But, while it might have its similarities, Happy Death Day is still its own film. It’s also a lot of fun and hands down, one of the best time loop movies ever made.

If you enjoy this movie, then you also need to check out the sequel Happy Death Day 2U, in which Tree gets stuck in yet another time loop; the ridiculousness is even more amped up.

Palm Springs (2020)

This dark rom-com is a refreshing addition to the time loop films oeuvre.

Nyles and Sarah meet at Sarah’s sister’s Palm Springs wedding. Nyles is there with his girlfriend, and it turns out she’s cheating on him.

Luckily, he and Sarah hit it off!

And things are going well for the young potential lovers… That is until Nyles is suddenly shot in the chest with an arrow by a mysterious stranger and staggers into a cave (where Sarah follows).

Of course, this is a time loop movie, so you can probably guess that he’s totally fine.

But who shot him? What’s with the cave? Is any of this even relevant to the time loop plot?

Palm Springs brings a lot of its own new ideas to the time loop movies subgenre and manages to stay fun even when it starts to get a little heavier.

Watch even more great movies featuring weddings.

Lola Rennt [Run Lola Run] (1998)

After her boyfriend Manni accidentally loses 100,000 Deutschmarks on a train, Lola has 20 minutes to try and come up with the cash, or else Manni will be killed.

Unfortunately, things don’t go entirely to plan. Luckily for Lola, she’s about to get a second chance.

Run Lola Run is one of the most classic time loop films, but it’s also very different from most other films in the genre.

That’s because it’s neither a causal loop, nor an infinite one, and it’s not even entirely clear if Lola remembers the loops – although there is evidence throughout to indicate that she might.

It’s a fantastic look at random chance and the butterfly effect – as demonstrated through random flash-forward encounters where we see people Lola meets throughout the day, each of which changes in different “loops.”

For a fun, fast-paced time loop movie (with lots and lots of running), Run Lola Run is a great addition to the genre, and you can’t help rooting for Lola.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Chances are that if you’ve only seen one of the time loop movies on this list, it’s either Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow.

Army Major William Cage is forced into battle against ‘Mimics’ – an alien race waging war against planet Earth.

During battle, Cage is mortally wounded after using a Claymore mine to kill a Mimic and suddenly awakens to find himself back at the previous morning.

After multiple deaths and resets, Cage meets war hero Sergeant Rita Vrataski, the “Angel of Verdun,” and they both realize that he is resetting.

If you’re looking for a fun pre-apocalyptic alien movie with lots of explosions, Edge of Tomorrow is a solid time loop film that will fill that void nicely.

Edge of Tomorrow (also known under the title of Live. Die. Repeat.) is based on the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.

The graphic novel adaptation is perfect for anyone looking for time travel books.

Watch even more of the best book-to-movie adaptations.

The Endless (2017)

Justin and Aaron are two brothers who grew up in and eventually escaped from a UFO death cult 10 years ago.

Although they live off of ramen and work long hours, Justin prefers this life versus being in the cult. But Aaron has fond memories of their time there and longs for more.

So when Aaron receives a package in the mail with a videotape of one of the members talking about the “final ascension,” he convinces Justin to return in order to get some closure.

The Endless isn’t like most movies with time loops.

In fact, the time loops don’t even come in until well over halfway through the film, so we can’t say much more to avoid spoilers.

But just know that they are there – and there ARE hints throughout.

Also, this film won’t be for everyone; it’s a slow burn (that arguably runs just a tad too long) and is, at times, fairly abstract.

But it’s also weird and creepy and wonderful. And cult-y, which we always love.

The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2019)

Tunde Johnson died at 9:38 p.m., May 28, 2020, at the hands of LAPD. Or did he?

Tunde Johnson, a gay Black teenager, is the happiest he’s ever been. He’s come out as gay to his Nigerian-American parents with their full support and he is in love with Soren.

Soren is kind of dating Tunde’s best friend, Marley, but has agreed to also come out that night at his birthday party.

Tragically, Tunde is killed on his way to the party for, essentially, driving while Black.

He wakes up the next morning gasping for air. Although remnants of the day feel similar, he writes it off as a bad dream, once again going through the motions, with a few details changed.

But then it happens again. And again. And no matter what Tunde does, he can’t seem to escape his death at the hands of the cops.

This is a powerful film, made all the more impressive when you know that Stanley Kalu wrote it when he was 19.

The Obituary of Tunde Johnson is one of those time loop movies that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Source Code (2011)

Source Code is a unique take on movies about time loops because the character in the loop is being deliberately put into the loop – and both he and the audience know why pretty early on.

Army pilot Colter Stevens has been recruited by a top-secret military organization to help track down the person responsible for bombing a Chicago-bound commuter train.

Except that the train has already blown up, and Stevens is being repeatedly transported into the body of one of the train’s occupants through a program called “Source Code.”

Each time, he only has eight minutes to try and thwart the bomber.

But, there’s something more to this mission. Something he doesn’t know yet.

If you love twisty thrillers, this is one of the best time loop movies for you!

Los Cronocrímenes [Timecrimes] (2007)

One afternoon at their countryside house, Héctor sees a young woman undressing in the forest.

After his wife goes shopping, he heads into the forest to find the woman but is unsettled to find her naked and unconscious.

While figuring out what to do, the woman’s supposed attacker comes from behind and stabs Héctor in the arm causing him to run off in fear.

Still terrified, he comes across a facility and enlists the help of a young man on duty, who hides Héctor in a strange machine.

When Héctor emerges, he discovers that the machine has transported him back in time roughly one hour.

For those who love causal time loop movies, Timecrimes is one of the best there is.

That having been said, Héctor is tragically inept and becomes increasingly unlikeable as the film progresses.

If you need to like your characters, this one will be a struggle.

But if you don’t mind an unlikeable protagonist, and want time loop films that make you think, Timecrimes is definitely the one for you!

Hurok [Loop] (2016)

This Hungarian time loop film follows Ádám, a drug dealer who has just found out his girlfriend Anna is pregnant. And he isn’t happy about it.

The timing couldn’t be worse as he’s in the middle of a drug deal for police officer Dezsõ.

After things don’t go to plan and Ádám witnesses Anna getting run over, he suddenly inexplicably finds himself in a time loop.

As familiar events start repeating, and earlier versions of himself are soon crossing paths, Ádám is in a race to save both himself and Anna from a murderous Dezsõ.

12:01 (1993)

No one seems to talk about this hidden gem, which can only be described as Groundhog Day meets The Net.

But if you enjoy watching movies that repeat on the same day, 12:01 is the perfect blend of 90s action and cheese.

Barry hates his office job in HR at a science lab working on a particle accelerator. The only reason he hasn’t quit yet is that he’s in love with Lisa, one of the scientists at the lab.

But she doesn’t even know he exists.

Then, on the day Barry finally works up the courage to speak to her, Lisa is gunned down in front of him.

After a night of heavy drinking, Barry is confused to find no mention of Lisa’s murder in the news.

However, when he sees Lisa at work, he starts to realize the day is repeating and only he is aware of it.

Can he work out how to save Lisa, stop the time loop, and get the girl?

12:01 is easily one of the most underrated movies about time loops out there and is a must for anyone who loves this genre.

El Increíble Finde Menguante [The Incredible Shrinking Wknd] (2019)

While on a weekend away with friends, Alba finds herself stuck in a time loop in which the entire weekend keeps repeating.

Everything is exactly the same as before, except… each time the weekend gets one hour shorter.

Alba doesn’t know what will happen when she reaches the 48th loop, but she’s terrified to find out.

The Incredible Shrinking Wknd is easily one of the most unique time loop movies with a completely new take on the genre.

The Fare (2018)

Cab driver Harris has just picked up his cab fare, Penny, on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere when a terrible storm starts approaching.

Suddenly, there’s a crash and Harris is alone again in the cab. He tells his dispatcher the fare has seemingly been abducted, but is instructed to carry on to the next job.

As events, such as radio discussions, begin to repeat themselves, it becomes apparent that Harris is stuck in a time loop – and is unaware of it.

The Fare is a really well-shot film – especially for a low-budget Indie – and a fun take on movies with time loops.

Meet Cute (2022)

In many movies about time loops, the person reliving the day has no control over the situation.

But in Meet Cute, we learn very early on that protagonist Sheila is using a time machine to relive and fix her day.

At least that’s what she tells Gary during the seemingly perfect date. Sheila has discovered a time machine in a nail salon, and she is using it to relive the same day over and over again.

And every night, she meets up with Gary and tries to have the perfect night. Some nights go well, while others are a disaster.

Sheila seems to be growing disillusioned and impatient with the whole situation but can’t seem to let Gary go. So instead, she changes him.

Meet Cute is a pretty dark take on a romantic comedy and by the end you won’t know whether to root for the couple or yell at them.

But as far as time loop movies go, Meet Cute is an interesting exploration of mental health and loneliness.

See You Yesterday (2019)

As part of their final project before the last day of school, Black science prodigy C.J. and her best friend Bash are developing backpacks that will supposedly allow them to travel in time.

Against the odds, they succeed and travel back 24 hours, but some badly thought-out decisions mean that they make matters much worse than they were before they traveled.

Attempting to make things better, the pair make a second jump, but this time things take an even more tragic turn.

A third jump might mean even more catastrophe; how much more can they do this?

Produced by Spike Lee, this is one of the more modern time loop films to tackle difficult social issues and high-stakes moral conundrums.

Jango (2021)

Here we find one of the first explorations into the time loop movies genre for Tamil cinema screenwriters.

In Jango, top neurosurgeon Gautham has become distant from his beloved wife Nisha, but he’s determined to win her back.

However, any attempts to rekindle their romance are put on hold when he finds out he’s somehow become stuck in a time loop.

Now reliving the day over and over, Gautham also has to deal with the fact that, on the day he’s repeating, a strange man is trying to kill his wife.

How did he get stuck in time? Why would someone want his wife dead? Can he save her and break the cycle?

Tamil cinema doesn’t often make a sci-fi movie that repeats the same day, so Jango is something of a rarity. There’s more than one twist at play here, so expect to be taken for a ride.

Watch even more Indian films.

Vandits (2022)

It’s time to dive into stoner culture for the next of our best time loop movies!

In Selkirk, Manitoba, Sheldon is the leader of a small-time gang of very high stoners. One day, they hatch a plan to pull off a crime-of-the-century-style heist.

On Christmas Eve, the gang is going to rob the local bingo hall and make off with a huge cash payload. Except, all does not go according to plan… several times.

Sheldon and his minions find themselves stuck in a time loop, and every time they try to pull off the heist, it never works out well for them.

At least each time they fail, it’s for a new and seemingly insane reason!

Fans of movies with time loops and stoner comedy will enjoy Vandits a great deal, and the slapstick, high-energy nature of the plot will propel viewers straight through to the end.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

Teenager Mark is having the perfect day.

He’s managed to sneak a ride into town on a stranger’s pickup truck, and he’s spent time playing video games with his friend Henry.

Against the odds, he’s even saved a cute girl from a mishap at the pool.

Everything is going perfectly – because Mark knows exactly what’s going to happen.

He may be caught up in a time loop, but he doesn’t mind because he’s having a great time. That is until the cute girl at the pool is saved by another person – a girl named Margaret.

Margaret’s caught up in the time loop as well, and Mark thinks that together they may be able to break out of it.

However, Margaret doesn’t want to, but Mark starts hatching a plan – and a map – for success.

The do-over element of time loop movies lends itself well to YA romance, and watching the two leads become friends during the course of the same day over and over again is very charming.

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What movies with time loops do you enjoy?

What are your favorite movies like Groundhog Day, and what other time loop films do you recommend? Let us know in the comments.