6 Best Inventor and Innovation Movies

By Vlad Zakh · March 11, 2026

Having the idea is one thing, getting credit for it is another. Air has a shoe executive betting everything on a rookie named Michael Jordan, Tetris has a salesman racing Soviet officials for the rights to the game, and The Current War stages Edison versus Westinghouse. The Aeronauts, Joy and Flash of Genius round out the six.

Air (2023)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A Nike executive bets the company's future on an unproven rookie named Michael Jordan.

Directed by Ben Affleck · 1h 52m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Tetris (2023)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A video game salesman races Soviet officials and rival companies to secure the rights to Tetris.

Directed by Jon S. Baird · 1h 58m · Rated R

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Aeronauts (2019)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A daring balloon pilot and a determined scientist risk their lives to break the world altitude record.

Directed by Tom Harper · 1h 40m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Current War (2017)

TMDB ★ 6.4

Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse wage a fierce rivalry over whose electrical system will power America.

Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon · 1h 48m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Joy (2015)

TMDB ★ 6.4

A struggling single mother invents a revolutionary household product and fights to bring it to market.

Directed by David O. Russell · 2h 04m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Starz Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Flash of Genius (2008)

TMDB ★ 6.9

An engineer wages a decades-long legal battle against a major carmaker for stealing his intermittent windscreen wiper.

Directed by Marc Abraham · 1h 59m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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 Inventor and Innovation Movies

Air (2023)

Tetris (2023)

The Aeronauts (2019)

The Current War (2017)

Joy (2015)

Flash of Genius (2008)

You might also like

6 Best Inventor and Entrepreneur Biopic Movies

6 Best Sports Agent and Contract Negotiation Movies

6 Best Explorer and Adventurer Biopic Movies

59 Best Sports Movies Ever Made

Viola Davis – 10 Best Movies

Jennifer Lawrence – 10 Best Movies