6 Best Sudden Windfall and Inheritance Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 11, 2026

Sudden, unearned wealth is a wild fantasy with plenty of unexpected chaos. Brewster’s Millions has a minor-league player having to spend thirty million in thirty days, Mr. Deeds has a greeting card poet inheriting a fortune, and Lottery Ticket has a winning ticket making a young man a neighborhood target. Lucky Numbers, Waking Ned Devine and It Could Happen to You round out the six.

Brewster's Millions (1985)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A minor-league baseball player must spend thirty million dollars in thirty days to inherit a far bigger fortune.

Directed by Walter Hill · 1h 37m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Lottery Ticket (2010)

TMDB ★ 5.5

A young man's winning lottery ticket makes him a target for his whole neighbourhood over a long holiday weekend.

Directed by Erik White · 1h 39m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mr. Deeds (2002)

TMDB ★ 5.7

A small-town greeting card poet inherits a massive fortune and must navigate the corrupt world of big business.

Directed by Steven Brill · 1h 37m · Rated PG-13

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

Lucky Numbers (2000)

TMDB ★ 5.2

A local weatherman and a lottery show hostess scheme to rig their state's lottery draw.

Directed by Nora Ephron · 1h 45m · Rated R

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Waking Ned Devine (1998)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A small Irish village conspires to claim a deceased neighbour's winning lottery ticket.

Directed by Kirk Jones · 1h 31m · Rated PG

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

It Could Happen to You (1994)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A cop shares his lottery winnings with the waitress he couldn't afford to tip.

Directed by Andrew Bergman · 1h 41m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Philo, Starz Apple TV channel, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · 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 Sudden Windfall and Inheritance Movies

Brewster's Millions (1985)

Lottery Ticket (2010)

Mr. Deeds (2002)

Lucky Numbers (2000)

Waking Ned Devine (1998)

It Could Happen to You (1994)

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