6 Best Oil Drilling and Wildcatter Movies

By Vlad Zakh · August 13, 2026

From Texas gushers to blazing offshore rigs, these are the best movies about the ruthless, high-stakes world of oil drilling and the wildcatters who chase it. In There Will Be Blood (2007): A ruthless turn-of-the-century oilman builds a fortune through greed, deception, and a bitter rivalry with a local preacher. Worth seeking out is Giant (1956): A cattle rancher and an oil-rich upstart clash over decades as Texas transforms around them.

Deepwater Horizon (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Workers on an offshore drilling rig fight to survive after a catastrophic blowout triggers a massive explosion.

Directed by Peter Berg · 1h 47m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

There Will Be Blood (2007)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 91% Metacritic 93

A ruthless turn-of-the-century oilman builds a fortune through greed, deception, and a bitter rivalry with a local preacher.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · 2h 38m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars114 wins & 138 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Hellfighters (1968)

TMDB ★ 6.4

A legendary oil well firefighter risks his life battling blazing rigs around the world.

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen · 2h 01m · Rated G

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Giant (1956)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A cattle rancher and an oil-rich upstart clash over decades as Texas transforms around them.

Directed by George Stevens · 3h 21m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Tulsa (1949)

TMDB ★ 6.4

An oil heiress builds a drilling empire in Oklahoma while ignoring the environmental toll of her ambition.

Directed by Stuart Heisler · 1h 30m

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, MGM+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, MGM Plus, Pure Flix, FlixFling · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Boom Town (1940)

TMDB ★ 6.9

Two rival wildcatters build competing oil fortunes while their friendship is tested by love and betrayal.

Directed by Jack Conway · 1h 59m · Rated NR

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, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Oil Drilling and Wildcatter Movies

Deepwater Horizon (2016)

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Hellfighters (1968)

Giant (1956)

Tulsa (1949)

Boom Town (1940)

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