You found our list of team building movies.
Team building movies are films that showcase incredible leadership or feature the assembling of a team of misfits to achieve a difficult mission. Viewing these movies with your team inspires everyone to work better together and to believe in a common goal. Also, because you and your team are watching movies, the process is a low-pressure method to impart important lessons about teamwork to your colleagues.
These movies are similar to teamwork shows and team building books and showcase the benefits of team building.
Specifically, this list includes:
- movies about teamwork
- the best team movies
- movies about leadership and teamwork
- Disney movies about teamwork
Let’s jump into it!
List of team building movies
Watching movies together is a pastime that unites people and tugs at the emotions like no other. From sports movies to movies about teams coming together, here is our list of the best team building movies to inspire your colleagues.
1. Remember the Titans (2000)
Remember the Titans is about Herman Boone’s efforts to integrate the football team of T.C. Williams School, a racially segregated high school in Alexandria, Virginia. With the members of the team dealing with racial tensions from both outside and within, the Titans must pull together to win the state championship, making Remember the Titans a stirring film about the value of working together as a team.
2. Apollo 13 (1995)
A space survival movie, Apollo 13 tells the story of America’s fifth crewed mission to the moon. During the course of Apollo 13’s journey, an explosion causes the spaceship to lose most of its oxygen supply and electrical power, resulting in NASA aborting the moon landing and beginning the struggle to bring the crew home safely. Despite having a team separated literally by space, Apollo 13 demonstrates the miracles that can occur when everyone collaborates and works toward a shared goal.
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3. Miracle (2004)
Miracle is about the American ice hockey team that triumphs over the Soviet team during the 1980 Winter Olympics. Despite originally suffering from college rivalries, the hockey team eventually bands together. The team begins playing as athletes from the United States, rather than their individual hometowns or college teams. Nominated for being one of the best sports movies of all time, Miracle provides a great example of a team uniting behind a common identity.
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is Peter Jackson’s masterful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. In this first installment, Elrond forms the fellowship by bringing together representatives from Middle Earth’s many races. This team comprises two Men, a Wizard, an Elf, a Dwarf, and four Hobbits. The group must band together to destroy the One Ring, so Sauron cannot use it to take over the world. Watching this unlikely group go off to save the world is greatly satisfying, and reminds your coworkers of the pros of having a variety of characters on your team.
5. Invictus (2009)
Invictus is a movie about Nelson Mandela’s efforts to use the Springboks, South Africa’s rugby team, to unite the country after apartheid. Long a symbol of apartheid to black South Africans, seeing the country come together to support for the rugby team is heartwarming. This film for team building teaches your colleagues the value of a shared vision to get behind and cheer for.
6. Coach Carter (2005)
Coach Carter is based on a true story, and details Ken Carter’s efforts to get the high school basketball players on his team to buckle down and study, and win the State Quarter finals. Though the coach used a controversial method to get the players academically on track, Carter’s story is inspirational because when the whole team commits to his plan, the players are able to get themselves to college and make more of themselves. Your team will learn the importance of great leadership by watching this team building movie.
7. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
With an all-star cast, Ocean’s Eleven is a heist comedy film, where Danny Ocean brings together a team to simultaneously rob three casinos. Every member of Ocean’s team has his own particular skill set and is vital to carrying out the plan. This ethos extends to your team, since a company will also have people fulfilling very different roles, but they are all equally important in achieving the organization’s goals.
8. Hoosiers (1986)
Based loosely on the Milan High School team that won the 1954 state championship, Hoosiers is a film about a coach with a troubled past who manages to get a small-town high school basketball team to win the state championship. This heartfelt portrayal of a determined coach and his team teaches your colleagues that everyone has value to bring to the organization.
9. The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers, Marvel’s massive culmination of its superhero franchise, is a film about assembling a team of super-powered beings with conflicting egos to save the world from an extraterrestrial threat. A fun romp of a movie, The Avengers teaches teams that once you put aside egos, you can achieve truly spectacular feats. Also, in this movie about a team coming together, every person is a valued contributor.
10. The Mighty Ducks (1992)
The Mighty Ducks is a film about a coach who takes a peewee ice hockey team from being chronic losers to winners of the league. This cult classic is a satisfying watch, since it features an underdog story, where the Ducks face off with the team that the coach used to play for. Not only will your team cheer for the Ducks, but they will also learn the value of teamwork.
11. Facing the Giants (2006)
Facing the Giants is a football movie with a Christian angle. In the film, the life of Grant Taylor, coach of Shiloh Christian Academy’s football team, is going on a downward spiral. However, when Grant turns to God for help, his life improves, and he imparts his faith to the team. When the team appeals to God for help winning the game, they are rewarded with victory. This movie about collaboration teaches your team to have faith.
12. Thirteen Days (2000)
Thirteen Days is a dramatization of the days leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis. During this tense time, President John F. Kennedy and his advisors must reach a deal with the Soviet Union to prevent an act of war that could trigger nuclear warfare. Watching this wonderful example of teamwork in movies reminds your team how pivotal it is to collaborate well while under stress.
13. The Great Escape (1963)
Inspired by a historical event, The Great Escape is a fictionalized account of a mass escape by Allied soldiers from a German POW camp. Despite only a few soldiers successfully evading recapture and the film ending in tragedy, The Great Escape shows how essential persistence and adherence to your goals are, even if the ultimate objectives are highly improbable.
14. Take the Lead (2006)
Take the Lead is a dance movie, where Pierre Dulaine teaches a group of high school students in detention ballroom dancing. The film details the process through which Pierre gradually gets the students to trust him, and enter a dance competition. Take the Lead shows how teamwork, respect, and dignity spurs the students to reach for their goals.
15. School of Rock (2003)
School of Rock is a musical comedy film, where Dewey Finn, a down on his luck guitarist, impersonates a substitute teacher to get a fifth grade class ready to compete in Battle of the Bands as part of a scheme to pay his rent. As your team watches this hilarious movie, they will see and be inspired by how the young students come together to form a talented band.
16. The Dirty Dozen (1967)
The Dirty Dozen is a film about a group of twelve convicts who are trained to complete a top secret suicide mission during World World II. This group of misfits use their particular skills to prove their worth and complete their assignment, despite other army officials looking down upon them and the operation’s difficulty. Despite only a few members of the Dirty Dozen surviving, your team can take inspiration from the impressive deeds that these underdogs accomplish.
17. Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters is an acclaimed comedy film, where three ex-scientists at Columbia University team up with a fourth member to combat a supernatural threat in New York City. Despite government officials attempting to shut down the Ghostbusters, the group uses their brains and tech to defeat a demigod of destruction. Your team will have fun watching Ghostbusters, and learning how resourcefulness and persistence can save the day.
18. The Incredibles (2004)
The Incredibles is an animated movie about a family of superheroes who work together to save the world from a former fan turned foe. Taking place in a world where superheroes are banned by the government, The Incredibles is a family-friendly film that teaches your team members to value their special skills, and put aside your differences to accomplish tasks.
19. The Italian Job (2003)
The Italian Job is a heist movie, where a group of thieves plan to steal gold from a former accomplice who double-crossed them. Full of great action sequences, this film’s characters all have their own particular skill set, and cooperate to pull off a highly difficult heist. By watching The Italian Job, your team learns how every individual’s skills matter from one of the best teamwork movies.
20. Harry Potter movies (2001-2011)
Based on the beloved novels, the Harry Potter movies relate the adventures of the eponymous boy wizard, who must save the Wizarding World from the Dark Lord Voldemort. Along the way, Harry receives assistance from his best friends, Ron and Hermione, and crucial allies, such as Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, and Alastor “Mad Eye” Moody. These movies about collaboration show your team the value of teamwork and developing a stellar support system.
21. Seven Samurai (1954) / The Magnificent Seven (1960) / A Bug’s Life (1998)
Whether you know it or not, The Magnificent Seven and A Bug’s Life are both inspired by the iconic Akira Kurosawa movie, Seven Samurai. All three films tell the story of a ragtag band of “warriors” who must save a suffering town from “bandits.” Seeing this group of misfits ready the community against attack is incredibly satisfying, and gives your team hope when faced with an overwhelming situation.
22. Chak De! India (2007)
Chak De! India is an Indian sports film about a shunned former captain of the Indian men’s national field hockey team returns to coach the Indian women’s national team. Notable for its feminist themes, this film shows how the group of sixteen girls overcome their differences to become a cohesive team, which should inspire your team, especially if your colleagues occasionally butt heads.
23. Glory (1989)
Glory is a film about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army’s first African-American regiment that fought in the Civil War. In this movie, the regiment performs heroic actions, despite not having a secure future if the Union wins the war. When watching Glory, your team learns about the power of group identity and effective leadership.
24. Drumline (2002)
Drumline is a movie that follows Devon Miles, a newcomer to the Atlanta A&T University marching band, and his journey leading up to the BET Big Southern Classic. The band in Drumline is notable for its “one band, one sound” concept, and Devon learns how to be less cocky and work hard with the other band members. Watching this film for team building with your colleagues reinforces the significance of team cohesion and integrity.
25. The Sting (1973)
The Sting is about two con men who gather a crack team to trick a mob boss out of his money. Using their wits, the two execute a daring plan with plenty of twists and turns. By watching this film, your team can revel in the two leading men’s teamwork and learn that everyone can achieve incredible feats when they combine their skills.
26. We Were Soldiers (2002)
We Were Soldiers is a film about the Battle of la Drang during the Vietnam War. In this film, Mel Gibson plays Colonel Hal Moore, an army officer who leads a difficult mission, where the American troops are greatly outnumbered. Moore’s resolve to leave no one behind and to be the last one airlifted out is an inspiring example of leadership, where the head of an organization puts his people ahead of himself.
27. The Last Castle (2001)
The Last Castle is a film where a conflict between the warden, Colonel Winter, and new prisoner, Lieutenant General Eugene Irwin, leads to an uprising in a military prison. Abiding by his deference for the military, Irwin earns the respect and trust of the other prisoners, and gets everyone to band together to enact a plan that results in Winter’s removal. Despite mixed reactions from critics, this movie attempts to extol the virtues of great leadership that inspires, a worthy lesson for any team.
28. Glory Road (2006)
Glory Road is a movie about the first all-black lineup in NCAA history. The coach, Don Haskins, recruited players regardless of race, and had to teach his players how to work together, despite their differences. Along the way, the team faces racial incidents that threaten to affect players’ performance. Glory Road is a stirring story about resilience and the power of teamwork.
29. Armageddon (1998)
Armageddon is a film about a group of blue-collar deep sea drillers who train to become astronauts so they can prevent an asteroid from colliding with the earth. This unlikely team must undergo intense NASA training and cooperate to save the world. A fun movie about a team coming together, Armageddon teaches your coworkers the pros of working together and the importance of sacrifice in service of a mission.
30. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Kung Fu Panda is an animated movie about Po, who inadvertently becomes the Dragon Warrior and must defeat the evil Tai Lung. While enduring excruciating training, Po befriends and earns the respect of the Furious Five, a group of kung fu masters. Great for the whole family, Kung Fu Panda teaches your team that everyone has value within themselves.
31. Pitch Perfect (2012)
Pitch Perfect is a musical comedy film about the Barden Bellas, an all-girl acapella group’s ambitions to win Nationals. Anna Kendrick plays Beca Mitchell, who joins this group. She must learn how to work with others, while also accepting the friendship and community she finds with the Bellas. If your team is a fan of musical numbers, then Pitch Perfect is a fantastic choice for your colleagues to learn the value of teamwork and group identity.
32. Cool Runnings (1993)
Cool Runnings is a film loosely based on the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. To be taken seriously as a team, the Jamaican bobsled team trained hard and developed their own style, qualifying for finals. By watching Cool Runnings, your team can learn from the Jamaican bobsled team’s tenacity and mutual respect for each other.
Conclusion
Watching team building movies with your coworkers is a heartwarming experience that also inspires everyone to work better together without feeling like a lecture. The next time you organize a team bonding moment, schedule a movie night and put on one of these movies about collaboration. Your team will not only have a great time, but also may become more productive and engaged with work as a result.
Next, check out our lists of team building board games and employee appreciation quotes.
