Heads of State is now streaming on Prime Video, and the success of the new film has many audiences looking for what to watch next. A charming action comedy with two incredibly likable leads, the ending of Heads of State sets up a warm future for President Will Derringer and Prime Minister Sam Clarke.

Heads of State is not the most original movie of the year, but its charm and action have gone a long way in making it one of the best movies to stream this weekend. With charismatic leads and a great deal of both humor and heart, the film provides a couple of strong hours of sharp and funny entertainment.

The new film has already become a streaming hit for Prime Video, and by the time the credits roll, appeтιтes have been whetted for more films in the same vein. With Heads of State drawing influence from so many other great action movies and comedies over the years, there are so many excellent options for what to watch next.

10

White House Down

Another POTUS Thriller With Heart

Roland Emmerich’s White House Down is a fun thriller that sees Channing Tatum’s John Cale resisting a terrorist attack on the White House. Featuring Jamie Foxx as the President of the United States, the film draws obvious comparisons to Heads of State.

Where White House Down excels is in its action. Helmed by Emmerich, who also made another great Fourth of July thriller in Independence Day, this movie makes an action hero out of the president. While not as full of humor as Heads of State, the film will tickle many of the same fancies as the Cena and Elba movie.

9

The Nice Guys

A Genuinely Funny Two-Hander

Considered to be one of the most underseen and underrated movies of the last decade, Shane Black’s The Nice Guys uses neo-noir vibes to tell a hilarious detective story. Russell Crowe is at his best, and Ryan Gosling gives a hilarious performance that he would later seem to tap into as a foundation for his Ken character in Barbie.

The Nice Guys has great action, but it also has one of the funniest scripts in recent years. There are so many excellent jokes that keep the audience laughing between a handful of strong thrills. Anyone who hasn’t seen The Nice Guys needs to change that as soon as they can.

8

Olympus Has Fallen

The Other Presidential Thriller Of 2013 Spawned A Franchise

Both Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down were released in the same year, in 2013. Each takes a slightly different lens to political thrillers, but only Olympus Has Fallen went on to have several sequels and a TV series. Olympus is a strong action film that sees Gerard Butler at his best, and the sequels help to create more ties to Heads of State.

Following the first film, the sequel moves the action to England in London Has Fallen. Political leaders from both nations are seen, and the franchise expands its world in a way that connects to the new Prime Video action comedy. This whole franchise is worth exploring after Heads of State.

7

Air Force One

Harrison Ford’s First Turn As POTUS

Before Harrison Ford became the president in Captain America: Brave New World, he played President James Marshall in Wolfgang Petersen’s Air Force One. The film makes an action star out of the American leader in a way that would inspire characters like Will Derringer in Heads of State.

With a strong villain played by Gary Oldman, the film is a tense and exciting action thriller, largely set on the тιтular plane. Ford gives a great performance as an aspirational leader with strong charisma, and the film makes for a perfect watch over any patriotic holiday.

6

Spy

A Globetrotting Comedy With High Stakes

Melissa McCarthy is an unusual hero in Spy, and her fish-out-of-water story draws some parallels with the new Heads of State. Both see heroes born of necessity, and both see their actions weighed against enormous odds that could impact the entire world in tremendous and terrifying ways.

Blending action and comedy, Spy is one of the best collaborations between Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy. The action is bolstered by great humor and a strong heart, with interesting and compelling characters. Like Heads of State, the film finds a good balance of violence and jokes across its runtime.

5

21 Jump Street

Another Strong Pairing Of Two Great Talents

Based on the television series of the same name, 21 Jump Street is one of the funniest spy comedies ever made, and much of this comes from the charisma of the leads. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill have great chemistry in the film, just like Elba and Cena, and the great action is always complemented by a hilarious script.

Directly by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who recently had a spoiler-filled trailer from their next film Project Hail Mary released, 21 Jump Street is a great film with tonal similarities to Heads of State. Balancing great fights against strong jokes, and with two excellent leads, it’s a great choice to watch after the new Prime Video thriller.

4

Lethal Weapon

Director Ilya Naishuller Credited The Film As An Influence

One of the many notable inspirations for Heads of State was Lethal Weapon, and that film’s DNA is all over it. Another movie with great leads and incredible action, Lethal Weapon sees the strong pairing of Riggs and Murtaugh experiencing the same tension described by Ilya Naishuller in Empire‘s print issue about Heads of State:

The real story is not will they survive, because we know they will… but will they become friends?

The first installment has a lot of darkness, especially in the way that it portrays Riggs’ depression and madness, but this mania becomes lighter and more textured in the sequels. Even as they become more accessible, all the Lethal Weapon movies feel like a must-watch after the excellent action of Heads of State.

3

Patriot Games

Another Political Thriller With Harrison Ford At Its Center

All the Jack Ryan movies and shows are worth watching, but Patriot Games is the one with the most in common with Heads of State. A political thriller that is character-focused, with Harrison Ford playing the iconic role, the thriller is a strong look at patriotism as the country changes through the years.

The movie makes many changes to the Tom Clancy novel, but its look at America as Jack Ryan is forced to fight against Sean Bean’s Sean Miller is strong and thrilling. With a great cast, clear direction, and strong action, the film is an excellent choice to watch after Heads of State.

2

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Some Of The Best Action Is Shown Alongside Irreverent Humor

A fun take on the spy genre with violent action and some raunchy humor, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a look at British Intelligence through the eyes of comics creator Mark Millar. The film sees an unconventional hero thrown into a world of intrigue and espionage, fighting back against outsized, twisted threats to the whole world.

Like Heads of State, Kingsman does a great job of integrating comedy into its heated story. While the other Kingsman movies failed to live up to the strength of this first installment, this film is a must-watch after Heads of State. With a charismatic lead actor, there is a lot to enjoy in the movie.

1

The Suicide Squad

John Cena And Idris Elba Collaborate On Another Action Comedy

John Cena and Idris Elba built a strong dynamic in The Suicide Squad that is on display in their excellent chemistry in Heads of State. The James Gunn film is a witty and irreverent look at the world of superheroes and sees Elba’s Bloodsport clashing heads with Cena’s Peacemaker repeatedly. Their chemistry is clear, and the movie contains spectacular action.

The Suicide Squad clearly laid the foundation for Heads of State and is a must-watch. Despite having an almost identical тιтle, the movie is much stronger than 2016’s Suicide Squad, but was missed by many audiences upon release. After Heads of State, it is the best way to spend some more time with Elba and Cena.