Watch order guide · Heist Movies

How to watch the Heist movies in order

Updated October 21, 2026 · 17 min read · 26 titles · 52 hours

Heist movies share no story, so this marathon runs by release, from The Killing (1956) to Den of Thieves (2018). For a single night, Heat, Ocean's Eleven and Inception cover the genre's three styles: the crew, the con and the impossible job.

Titles
26
Films
26
Watch time
52 hours
Box office
$4.24 billion
Avg IMDb
7.4
Open the interactive timeline

Heist movies in release order

Here is every Heist title in the order it came out, 1956 to 2018: 26 films.

#TitleYearTypeRuntimeIMDb
1The Killing1956Film1h 25m7.9
2Ocean's 111960Film2h 7m6.5
3Topkapi1964Film1h 59m6.9
4The Italian Job1969Film1h 40m7.2
5The Sting1973Film2h 9m8.2
6Dog Day Afternoon1975Film2h 4m8
7Thief1981Film2h 3m7.4
8Reservoir Dogs1992Film1h 39m8.2
9The Usual Suspects1995Film1h 46m8.5
10Heat1995Film2h 50m8.3
11Ronin1998Film2h 2m7.2
12The Thomas Crown Affair1999Film1h 53m6.9
13Ocean's Eleven2001Film1h 56m7.7
14The Italian Job2003Film1h 50m7
15Ocean's Twelve2004Film2h 5m6.5
16Inside Man2006Film2h 9m7.6
17Ocean's Thirteen2007Film2h 2m6.9
18Inception2010Film2h 28m8.8
19The Town2010Film2h 5m7.5
20Now You See Me2013Film1h 56m7.2
21Hell or High Water2016Film1h 42m7.6
22Baby Driver2017Film1h 53m7.5
23Logan Lucky2017Film1h 59m7
24Den of Thieves2018Film2h 20m7
25Ocean's 82018Film1h 51m7.1
26Widows2018Film2h 9m6.8

Heist timeline: movies in chronological order

The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.

#TitleSet inReleased
1The Sting19361973
2The Killing19561956
3Ocean's 1119601960
4Topkapi19641964
5The Italian Job19691969
6Dog Day Afternoon19721975
7Thief19811981
8Reservoir Dogs19921992
9Heat19951995
10The Usual Suspects19951995
11Ronin19981998
12The Thomas Crown Affair19991999
13Ocean's Eleven20012001
14The Italian Job20032003
15Ocean's Twelve20042004
16Inside Man20062006
17Ocean's Thirteen20072007
18InceptionDreams within dreams2010
19The TownBoston2010
20Now You See Me20132013
21Hell or High WaterWest Texas2016
22Baby DriverAtlanta2017
23Logan LuckyCharlotte Motor Speedway2017
24Ocean's 8The Met Gala2018
25WidowsChicago2018
26Den of ThievesLos Angeles2018

Release or chronological: which order is best?

Release order and story order disagree on 10 titles here. In release order you start with The Killing (1956); in story order you start with The Sting, set in 1936, which came out 17 years later.

First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Heist Movies into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.

Where to start

Brand new to it

Start with The Killing and go in release order.

Short on time

The whole thing is 52 hours. At two hours a night that is about 27 evenings.

Only the best

The three highest rated: Inception (8.8), The Usual Suspects (8.5), and Heat (8.3).

Every Heist movie, explained

One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.

The Killing poster

No. 01 · 1956 · Film · 1h 25m · 2nd in story order

The Killing

Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. But when George tells his restless wife about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.

Why it matters: Stanley Kubrick's racetrack robbery.

Scores
IMDb 7.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 96%
Ocean's 11 poster

No. 02 · 1960 · Film · 2h 7m · 3rd in story order

Ocean's 11

Danny Ocean and his gang attempt to rob the five biggest casinos in Las Vegas in one night.

Why it matters: The Rat Pack original.

Director
Lewis Milestone
Box office
$3 million
Scores
IMDb 6.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 47%
Topkapi poster

No. 03 · 1964 · Film · 1h 59m · 4th in story order

Topkapi

Arthur Simon Simpson is a small-time crook biding his time in Greece. One of his potential victims turns out to be a gentleman thief planning to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of the Mehmed II from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum.

Why it matters: A dagger stolen from an Istanbul museum.

Director
Jules Dassin
Scores
IMDb 6.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 95%
The Italian Job poster

No. 04 · 1969 · Film · 1h 40m · 5th in story order

The Italian Job

Charlie's got a 'job' to do. Having just left prison he finds one of his friends has attempted a high-risk job in Torino, Italy, right under the nose of the mafia. Charlie's friend doesn't get very far, so Charlie takes over the 'job'. Using three Mini Coopers, a couple of Jaguars, and a bus, he hopes to bring Torino to a standstill, steal a fortune in gold and escape in the chaos.

Why it matters: Minis through Turin.

Director
Peter Collinson
Scores
IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 72%
The Sting poster

No. 05 · 1973 · Film · 2h 9m · 1st in story order

The Sting

A novice con man teams up with an acknowledged master to avenge the murder of a mutual friend by pulling off the ultimate big con and swindling a fortune from a big-time mobster.

Why it matters: Newman and Redford's long con; Best Picture.

Director
George Roy Hill
Box office
$160 million on a $6 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 93%
Dog Day Afternoon poster

No. 06 · 1975 · Film · 2h 4m

Dog Day Afternoon

Based on the true story of would-be Brooklyn bank robbers John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile. Sonny and Sal attempt a bank heist which quickly turns sour and escalates into a hostage situation and stand-off with the police. As Sonny's motives for the robbery are slowly revealed and things become more complicated, the heist turns into a media circus.

Why it matters: A bank robbery that goes wrong, from a true story.

Director
Sidney Lumet
Box office
$57 million on a $2 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
Thief poster

No. 07 · 1981 · Film · 2h 3m

Thief

Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.

Why it matters: Michael Mann's safecracker.

Director
Michael Mann
Box office
$11 million on a $6 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 80%
Reservoir Dogs poster

No. 08 · 1992 · Film · 1h 39m

Reservoir Dogs

A botched robbery indicates a police informant, and the pressure mounts in the aftermath at a warehouse. Crime begets violence as the survivors -- veteran Mr. White, newcomer Mr. Orange, psychopathic parolee Mr. Blonde, bickering weasel Mr. Pink and Nice Guy Eddie -- unravel.

Why it matters: The aftermath of a heist, never shown.

Box office
$3 million on a $1 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%
The Usual Suspects poster

No. 09 · 1995 · Film · 1h 46m · 10th in story order

The Usual Suspects

Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.

Why it matters: Who is Keyser Söze?

Director
Bryan Singer
Box office
$23 million on a $6 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 87%
Heat poster

No. 10 · 1995 · Film · 2h 50m · 9th in story order

Heat

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

Why it matters: De Niro and Pacino; the standard for crew heists.

Director
Michael Mann
Box office
$187 million on a $60 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
Ronin poster

No. 11 · 1998 · Film · 2h 2m

Ronin

A briefcase with undisclosed contents – sought by Irish terrorists and the Russian mob – makes its way into criminals' hands. An Irish liaison assembles a squad of mercenaries, or 'ronin', and gives them the thorny task of recovering the case.

Why it matters: Mercenaries and the best car chases of the decade.

Director
John Frankenheimer
Box office
$71 million on a $55 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
The Thomas Crown Affair poster

No. 12 · 1999 · Film · 1h 53m

The Thomas Crown Affair

Bored billionaire executive Thomas Crown decides to plan a robbery and assigns a professional agent with the right information to the job. However, Crown is soon betrayed yet cannot blow his cover as he’s fallen in love.

Why it matters: A billionaire art thief.

Box office
$124 million on a $48 million budget
Scores
IMDb 6.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
Ocean's Eleven poster

No. 13 · 2001 · Film · 1h 56m

Ocean's Eleven

Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny's hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess.

Why it matters: Soderbergh's remake; the definitive con.

Box office
$451 million on a $85 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%
The Italian Job poster

No. 14 · 2003 · Film · 1h 50m

The Italian Job

Charlie Croker pulled off the crime of a lifetime. The one thing that he didn't plan on was being double-crossed. Along with a drop-dead gorgeous safecracker, Croker and his team take off to re-steal the loot and end up in a pulse-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal chase that careens up, down, above and below the streets of Los Angeles.

Why it matters: A remake set in Los Angeles.

Director
F. Gary Gray
Box office
$176 million on a $60 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 72%
Ocean's Twelve poster

No. 15 · 2004 · Film · 2h 5m

Ocean's Twelve

Despite pulling off one of the biggest heists in Las Vegas history and splitting the $160 million take, each of the infamous Ocean's crew have tried to go straight, lay low and live a legit life... but that's proven to be a challenge. Casino owner Terry Benedict demands that Danny Ocean return the money, plus millions more in interest. Unable to come up the cash, the crew is forced to come together to pull off another series of heists, this time in Rome, Paris, and Amsterdam – but a Europol agent is hot on their heels.

Why it matters: The crew in Europe.

Box office
$363 million on a $110 million budget
Scores
IMDb 6.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 55%
Inside Man poster

No. 16 · 2006 · Film · 2h 9m

Inside Man

When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.

Why it matters: A bank robbery as a puzzle.

Director
Spike Lee
Box office
$186 million on a $45 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 86%
Ocean's Thirteen poster

No. 17 · 2007 · Film · 2h 2m

Ocean's Thirteen

Danny Ocean's team of criminals are back and composing a plan more personal than ever. When ruthless casino owner Willy Bank doublecrosses Reuben Tishkoff, causing a heart attack, Danny Ocean vows that he and his team will do anything to bring down Willy Bank along with everything he's got. Even if it means asking for help from an enemy.

Why it matters: The crew's revenge on a casino owner.

Box office
$311 million on a $85 million budget
Scores
IMDb 6.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
Inception poster

No. 18 · 2010 · Film · 2h 28m

Inception

Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.

Why it matters: A heist inside dreams.

Box office
$839 million on a $160 million budget
Scores
IMDb 8.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 86%
The Town poster

No. 19 · 2010 · Film · 2h 5m

The Town

A proficient group of thieves rob a bank and hold the manager hostage. Things begin to get complicated when one of the crew members falls in love with her.

Why it matters: Boston bank robbers.

Director
Ben Affleck
Box office
$154 million on a $37 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Now You See Me poster

No. 20 · 2013 · Film · 1h 56m

Now You See Me

An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

Why it matters: Magicians rob banks.

Box office
$352 million on a $75 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 51%
Hell or High Water poster

No. 21 · 2016 · Film · 1h 42m

Hell or High Water

A divorced dad and his ex-con brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family's farm in West Texas.

Why it matters: Brothers robbing the bank that wronged them.

Director
David Mackenzie
Box office
$38 million on a $12 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 97%
Baby Driver poster

No. 22 · 2017 · Film · 1h 53m

Baby Driver

After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

Why it matters: A getaway driver set to music.

Director
Edgar Wright
Box office
$227 million on a $34 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Logan Lucky poster

No. 23 · 2017 · Film · 1h 59m

Logan Lucky

Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy and Clyde Logan set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Why it matters: Soderbergh's redneck Ocean's.

Box office
$48 million on a $29 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%
Den of Thieves poster

No. 24 · 2018 · Film · 2h 20m · 26th in story order

Den of Thieves

A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.

Why it matters: Cops and robbers in Los Angeles.

Director
Christian Gudegast
Box office
$81 million on a $30 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 42%
Ocean's 8 poster

No. 25 · 2018 · Film · 1h 51m · 24th in story order

Ocean's 8

Debbie Ocean, a criminal mastermind, gathers a crew of female thieves to pull off the heist of the century at New York's annual Met Gala.

Why it matters: Debbie Ocean's crew at the Met Gala.

Director
Gary Ross
Box office
$298 million on a $70 million budget
Scores
IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 69%
Widows poster

No. 26 · 2018 · Film · 2h 9m · 25th in story order

Widows

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, they join forces to pull off a heist.

Why it matters: Widows finish their husbands' job.

Director
Steve McQueen
Box office
$76 million on a $42 million budget
Scores
IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 91%

Heist box office and budgets

The 23 Heist films with reported numbers have grossed $4.24 billion worldwide on about $1.06 billion in combined budgets, roughly 4.0 times what they cost. The biggest is Inception at $839 million, 20% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Ocean's Eleven ($451 million) and Ocean's Twelve ($363 million).

Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Dog Day Afternoon, which made 31 times its $2 million budget. The weakest was Ronin at 1.3 times its $55 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.

Worldwide box office and production budget, top 20 filmsBox office Budget
  1. Inception 2010 $839M / $160M
  2. Ocean's Eleven 2001 $451M / $85M
  3. Ocean's Twelve 2004 $363M / $110M
  4. Now You See Me 2013 $352M / $75M
  5. Ocean's Thirteen 2007 $311M / $85M
  6. Ocean's 8 2018 $298M / $70M
  7. Baby Driver 2017 $227M / $34M
  8. Heat 1995 $187M / $60M
  9. Inside Man 2006 $186M / $45M
  10. The Italian Job 2003 $176M / $60M
  11. The Sting 1973 $160M / $6M
  12. The Town 2010 $154M / $37M
  13. The Thomas Crown Affair 1999 $124M / $48M
  14. Den of Thieves 2018 $81M / $30M
  15. Widows 2018 $76M / $42M
  16. Ronin 1998 $71M / $55M
  17. Dog Day Afternoon 1975 $57M / $2M
  18. Logan Lucky 2017 $48M / $29M
  19. Hell or High Water 2016 $38M / $12M
  20. The Usual Suspects 1995 $23M / $6M

The best and worst rated Heist movies

Across 26 rated titles, Heist Movies averages 7.4 on IMDb. The top of the list is Inception at 8.8, then The Usual Suspects (8.5) and Heat (8.3). At the bottom: Ocean's Twelve (6.5) and Ocean's 11 (6.5).

IMDb score of every Heist title, in release order (1956 to 2018)
678910 The Killing (1956): 7.9Ocean's 11 (1960): 6.5Topkapi (1964): 6.9The Italian Job (1969): 7.2The Sting (1973): 8.2Dog Day Afternoon (1975): 8Thief (1981): 7.4Reservoir Dogs (1992): 8.2The Usual Suspects (1995): 8.5Heat (1995): 8.3Ronin (1998): 7.2The Thomas Crown Affair (1999): 6.9Ocean's Eleven (2001): 7.7The Italian Job (2003): 7Ocean's Twelve (2004): 6.5Inside Man (2006): 7.6Ocean's Thirteen (2007): 6.9Inception (2010): 8.8The Town (2010): 7.5Now You See Me (2013): 7.2Hell or High Water (2016): 7.6Baby Driver (2017): 7.5Logan Lucky (2017): 7Den of Thieves (2018): 7Ocean's 8 (2018): 7.1Widows (2018): 6.8 Inception 8.8Ocean's 11 6.5
  1. Inception8.8 · RT 86%
  2. The Usual Suspects8.5 · RT 87%
  3. Heat8.3 · RT 84%
  4. The Sting8.2 · RT 93%
  5. Reservoir Dogs8.2 · RT 90%
  6. Dog Day Afternoon8 · RT 94%
  7. The Killing7.9 · RT 96%
  8. Ocean's Eleven7.7 · RT 83%
  9. Inside Man7.6 · RT 86%
  10. Hell or High Water7.6 · RT 97%

Who appears in the most Heist movies

Michael Caine leads with 3 appearances as Charlie Croker and Stephen Miles, ahead of Al Pacino (3) and Pete Postlethwaite (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.

ActorRoleTitlesFirst and latest
Michael CaineCharlie Croker / Stephen Miles3The Italian Job (1969) to Now You See Me (2013)
Al PacinoSonny / Lt. Vincent Hanna3Dog Day Afternoon (1975) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Pete PostlethwaiteKobayashi / Maurice Fischer3The Usual Suspects (1995) to The Town (2010)
George ClooneyDanny Ocean3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Brad PittRusty Ryan3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Andy GarciaTerry Benedict3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Matt DamonLinus Caldwell3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Casey AffleckVirgil Malloy3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Scott CaanTurk Malloy3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Don CheadleBasher Tarr3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Bernie MacFrank Catton3Ocean's Eleven (2001) to Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Akim TamiroffSpyros Acebos / Gerven the Cook2Ocean's 11 (1960) to Topkapi (1964)

Heist directors and creators

22 filmmakers have directed or created Heist Movies; Steven Soderbergh has the most, with 4.

  • Steven SoderberghOcean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), and Logan Lucky (2017)
  • Michael MannThief (1981) and Heat (1995)
  • Stanley KubrickThe Killing (1956)
  • Lewis MilestoneOcean's 11 (1960)
  • Jules DassinTopkapi (1964)
  • Peter CollinsonThe Italian Job (1969)
  • George Roy HillThe Sting (1973)
  • Sidney LumetDog Day Afternoon (1975)
  • Quentin TarantinoReservoir Dogs (1992)
  • Bryan SingerThe Usual Suspects (1995)
  • John FrankenheimerRonin (1998)
  • John McTiernanThe Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
  • F. Gary GrayThe Italian Job (2003)
  • Spike LeeInside Man (2006)
  • Christopher NolanInception (2010)
  • Ben AffleckThe Town (2010)

How long it takes to watch every Heist movie

All 26 titles add up to 52 hours. That is about 27 two-hour evenings, or 6 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is Heat at 2h 50m.

Watch time by phase
  1. The Classics 13h 27m 7 titles
  2. The 90s 10h 10m 5 titles
  3. The 2000s 10h 2m 5 titles
  4. The 2010s 18h 23m 9 titles
A weekend

The 4 best rated films: Inception, The Usual Suspects, Heat, and The Sting.

An hour a day

Everything takes about 8 weeks.

Before the next one

Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.

Upcoming Heist movies

Common questions

What order should I watch the Heist movies in?

Heist movies share no story, so this marathon runs by release, from The Killing (1956) to Den of Thieves (2018). For a single night, Heat, Ocean's Eleven and Inception cover the genre's three styles: the crew, the con and the impossible job.

How many Heist movies and shows are there?

There are 26 titles in the Heist Movies franchise: 26 films and 0 series, released from 1956 to 2018. 4 more are announced: Heat 2, Untitled The Italian Job Sequel, Now You See Me 4, and Den of Thieves 3.

How long does it take to watch all the Heist movies?

About 52 hours for all 26 titles, counting every episode.

What is the first Heist title in chronological order?

The Sting, set in 1936. In release order the first is The Killing (1956).

What is the next Heist release?

Heat 2, date to be announced.

What is the best Heist movie?

By IMDb score, Inception (2010) at 8.8, followed by The Usual Suspects at 8.5.

What is the highest-grossing Heist movie?

Inception (2010), with $839 million worldwide. Heist Movies films have made $4.24 billion in total.

Who has appeared in the most Heist movies?

Michael Caine, in 3 of them as Charlie Croker.

What is the longest Heist movie?

Heat, at 2h 50m.

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