15. Uncharted (2022)
More and more, the film industry is churning video games into movies.Unchartedis just one of many examples—but while most video-game-to-movie adaptations are lackluster, this one’s actually good!
Famed real-life explorer Ferdinand Magellan never actually set out to find gold. He just wanted to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe, which he achieved back in 1522.
But for the sake ofUncharted’s story, Magellan’s expedition did leave behind untold riches—now lost in uncharted territory.
Tom Holland stars as young Nate (a descendant of a 16th century explorer), who’s recruited by Mark Wahlberg to find those ships.
14. Gold (2016)
Goldisn’t the first time Matthew McConaughey tracked down treasure—he did something similar in 2005’sSaharaand 2008’sFool’s Gold. But whereas those two films weren’t particularly successful,Goldwas proof that the third time’s a charm for McConaughey.
Directed by Stephen Gaghan,Goldfollows McConaughey through the jungle on a quest to find—you guessed it—gold.
The crime-drama is loosely based on the Bre-X mining scandal in 1993, where the gold samples discovered by Bre-X Minerals Ltd. in Indonesia turned out to be a fraud.
When Kenny (Matthew McConaughey) loses the family business, he treks out to the Asian jungle in search of a way out.
13. Armour of God (1986)
Jackie Chan and Eric Tsang’sArmour of Godis deemed a cult classic nowadays, featuring some of Chan’s early stunts and battle heroics.
Chan stars as “Asian Hawk,” a former musician-turned-treasure-hunter. The highest-grossing film in Hong Kong at the time,Armour of Godtracks Asian Hawk and his buddy Alan (Alan Tam) as they set out to save a kidnapped woman.
The kidnapping cultists are after pieces of a legendary armor that was written about in the Bible. ThinkIndiana Jonesmeets kung fu. Chan is known for his amazing stunt work, andArmour of Godis reportedly the closest he’s ever come to death from doing them!
Related:The Funniest Kung Fu Comedy Movies
12. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
Fans of Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsfilms probably won’t appreciate this CGI-heavy prequel. It’s triple the necessary runtime and lacks the heart, precision, and marvel of the director’s previous work.
Still, it’s one of the OG treasure hunting stories in literature! And Martin Freeman is the perfect choice to play Bilbo Baggins, the grumpy little hobbit who’s reluctant to leave his simple, cozy life.
When a wizard and twelve dwarves give him no choice, Bilbo is carted off to help reclaim Erebor from Smaug’s hold. Smaug is a dragon, and what do dragons love to hoard? Gold, of course!
Related:The Best Movies About Dragons
11. Three Kings (1999)
We assume returned soldiers would be relieved to be home and excited to see their loved ones, even if they find it difficult to adjust to everyday life. These guys, however, are just plain bored.
Three Kingsisn’t your usual caper film. George Clooney isn’t robbing a casino and Mark Wahlberg isn’t cracking a safe. Instead, they’re soldiers looking for thrills—in the form of a gold heist.
Ice Cube and Spike Jonze also star in David O. Russell’s black comedy take on war, resulting in one of the most interesting treasure hunt movies we’ve ever seen.
Related:The Best Caper Movies of All Time, Ranked
10. Romancing the Stone (1984)
Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) spends her whole life writing whimsical fantasy novels, lost in a world of adventure and romance.
Although successful, being an author leaves her pretty lonely—that is, until she’s hurled into her own wild exploits.
Joan’s recently murdered brother-in-law leaves her a letter and a map, leading her to the Colombian coastal city of Cartagena. There, she meets the rugged American hunter Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas).
Directed by Robert Zemeckis,Romancing the Stonewas followed by an equally successful sequel calledThe Jewel of the Nilein 1985.
9. The Mummy (1999)
A three-part franchise that began in 1999,The Mummyfeatures your typical tanned American adventurer riding through the sands in search of treasure. Brendan Fraser stars as said-hero Rick O’Connell, who served as captain in the French Foreign Legion.
Set in 1925, Rick guides aspiring Egyptologist Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and her brother across the Sahara desert to the ancient lost city Hamunaptra. En route, the gang accidentally sets free the reincarnation of a 3,000-year-old vengeful Egyptian priest. Good one, guys!
Stephen Sommers directs the first (and best) installment, as well as the second before Rob Cohen took over in 2008.
Related:The Most Rewatchable Movies We Never Get Sick of Watching
8. National Treasure (2004)
Jon Turteltaub’s two-part Disney adventure is a bit of a guilty pleasure. While the kids will enjoy the action-packed trail of clues and boobytraps, adults can tune into the dry sarcastic humor and… well… Nicolas Cage.
Cage stars as Benjamin Franklin Gates: cryptographer, historian, and modern-day treasure hunter. His tech-savvy sidekick Riley (Justin Bartha) helps him to decipher the secret that “lies with Charlotte.”
The duo hope Charlotte will lead to the legendary treasure hidden by the Knights Templar, Founding Fathers, and Freemasons.
Sean Bean stars as the main antagonist in the first movie, followed by Ed Harris in the second. Rumors of a third installment are currently in circulation, but no details or confirmation.
Related:The Best Movies Set in Philadelphia
7. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen have proven their mastery over both comedy and drama. FromNo Country for Old MentoThe Big Lebowski, there’s nothing this auteur duo can’t do!
And inO Brother, Where Art Thou?, they do both! This one’s a sort of satire comedy that’s infused with pathos. Think Homer’s classical poemOdysseyexcept set in 1930s America.
George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson star as three convicts who break free from their chain gang and search for hidden treasure (while being chased by police).
Fun fact:O Brother, Where Art Thou?is a reference toSullivan’s Travels(which was also set during the Great Depression).
Related:The Best Movies About Freedom, Liberty, and Independence
6. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
The Holy Grail is, like, the treasure of all treasures. To Christians, it’s the cup that Jesus Christ drank from during the Last Supper. In Arthurian legend, it has magical powers of healing and youthfulness.
In the real world, it’s generally agreed upon that the Holy Grail is more of a symbol than a literal object to be found. But in cinema? The Holy Grail is an actual treasure—and it’s priceless.
Before Indiana Jones was hunting for it inLast Crusade, the Monty Python comedy troupe were fighting off virgins and rude Frenchmen to find it themselves.
Monty Python and the Holy Grailis the first (and best) of theMonty Pythonfilm series, and it’s 90 minutes of old-school, slapstick British humor.
Related:The Best Movies About the Medieval Times, Ranked
5. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Depending on who you ask,Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arkis the adventure flick to end all adventure flicks.
The 80s dream team of Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg brought usRaiders of the Lost Ark, where archaeologist Indiana Jones seeks out the Ark of the Covenant to defeat the Nazis in 1936. This film was followed byIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doomin 1984.
TheIndiana Jonesseries is perfect for all audiences: families, nerds, film scholars… anyone with a TV screen and sense of adventure! This is another franchise that should probably stop while it’s ahead.
Related:The Best Action Movies of the 80s, Ranked
4. The Goonies (1985)
Who doesn’t loveThe Goonies? Before Sean Astin was voyaging out barefoot to help Frodo destroy the One Ring, he was trying to uncover treasure with his three best friends.
Mikey (Sean Astin), Chunk (Jeff Cohen), Mouth (Corey Feldman), and Data (Jonathan Ke Quan) have all grown up together, but are forced to say goodbye when their town undergoes foreclosure.
Following the discovery of a treasure map in Mikey’s attic, the gang decides to spend their last weekend treasure hunting.
This fun-but-dangerous mission gets them into a whole bunch of trouble, not just from deadly booby-traps but also the involvement of the Fratelli crime family.
Related:The Most Famous Nerd Characters in Movies, Ranked
3. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
When you seeThe Good, The Bad and The Ugly, you immediately think of it as a spaghetti Western—which, of course, is true. But it’s also a treasure-hunting adventure!
The Italian epic was directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood in his prime cowboy days.
Blondie (Eastwood) is a mysterious and talented bounty hunter, who teams up with a Mexican outlaw to uncover $20,000 that a soldier buried in the desert. It might not be a pirate’s chest of jewels, but it still counts as treasure nonetheless.
The Good, The Bad and The Uglyspawned many of the famous Western film trademarks we love today, such as the long shot and eye close-up.
Related:The Best Desert Movies Set in Dry Wastelands
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
We can all agree thatPirates of the Caribbeanshould stop with the sequels now, which haven’t been particularly great since Jack sailed to the edge of the world.
But the first three movies (directed by Gore Verbinski) are swash-buckling classics that deserve to come third place on this list.
Johnny Depp stars as the iconic drunken English pirate, Jack Sparrow. He cares about nothing but himself, his treasure, and his rum, which lands Jack in many dodgy situations.
Whether it’s dealing with the immortal dead or a crew made of murderous fish-people, Jack’s always one step away from death thanks to always having a witty, slurred remark at hand.
Related:The Most Iconic Movie Theme Songs of All Time, Ranked
1. Blood Diamond (2006)
Blood Diamondis a treasure-hunting tale from a different angle, taking place in a war-ravaged Sierra Leone of 1999.
The not-so-family-friendly film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Danny Archer, a Rhodesian smuggler and mercenary who sets out to find a rare pink diamond. But he’s not the only one who wants it…
Directed by Edward Zwick,Blood Diamondis a gritty political thriller that doesn’t shy away from the guts and gore of war. Though DiCaprio’s South African accent has its holes, his performance is spot-on alongside Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly.
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