6 Best Circus Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · February 12, 2026

The circus is made for the screen, with plenty of spectacle and real drama beneath the big top. Dumbo (2019) follows a circus owner and a family caring for a baby elephant who can fly, The Greatest Showman builds an unconventional circus for society’s outcasts, and Trapeze has an acrobat coming between two rival performers. Water for Elephants, The Greatest Show on Earth and the 1941 Dumbo round it out.

Dumbo (2019)

TMDB ★ 6.2

A circus owner enlists a family to look after a baby elephant with the extraordinary ability to fly.

Directed by Tim Burton · 1h 52m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Greatest Showman (2017)

TMDB ★ 7.5

An ambitious dreamer builds a sensational circus that celebrates society's outcasts and misfits.

Directed by Michael Gracey · 1h 45m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Water for Elephants (2011)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A veterinary student joins a struggling Depression-era circus and falls for its star performer.

Directed by Francis Lawrence · 2h 02m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Trapeze (1956)

TMDB ★ 6.7

An ambitious young acrobat comes between two rival circus performers and their shared act.

Directed by Carol Reed · 1h 45m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ScreenPix Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

TMDB ★ 6.6

Rival performers and management clash behind the scenes of a travelling American circus.

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille · 2h 32m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dumbo (1941)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 95% Metacritic 96

A baby elephant mocked for his oversized ears discovers they let him fly.

Directed by Ben Sharpsteen & Bill Roberts · 1h 04m · Rated G

Won 1 Oscar6 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Circus Movies of All Time

Dumbo (2019)

The Greatest Showman (2017)

Water for Elephants (2011)

Trapeze (1956)

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Dumbo (1941)

You might also like

6 Best Circus Performer Movies

6 Best Sarah Selby Movies

8 Best Movies of 2017

6 Best Oscar Best Picture Winners of the 1950s

6 Best Circus and Carnival Movies

6 Best Carnival Worker and Roadside Attraction Movies