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10 Movies Based On Olympic Moments And Athletes

By Nancy Brooks // Country Writer, Beasley Media Group

Many of the Olympic stories we know and love come from movies based on moments in Olympics history.

We take a look at ten movies based on Olympic athletes and their stories.

  • Cool Runnings (1993)

    This movie, starring John Candy, about Jamaican bobsledders who go for the gold even though they’ve never seen snow is a classic. Over the years, the movie has become a cult hit.

  • I, Tonya (2017)

    Margot Robbie stars as disgraced figure skater and Olympic hopeful Tonya Harding. Though Harding was the first American woman in history to complete a triple axel in competition, her legacy has since been defined by her association with the infamously botched attack on her fellow Olympic competitor Nancy Kerrigan. Allison Janney won an Oscar for playing her abusive mother.

  • Miracle (2004)

    A Disney classic starring Kurt Russell. A film is based on the triumph of the U.S. men’s hockey team over the Soviet team at the 1980 Olympics during the Cold War.

  • Blades of Glory (2007)

    Will Ferrell and Jon Heder star in a wacky film about figure skating. Fun fact: This is one of few major movies about the Games that didn’t secure rights to the Olympics name.

  • The Cutting Edge (1992)

    An early favorite for fans starring Moira Kelly and D.B. Sweeney about a spoiled figure skater and a sidelined hockey player who are paired to face off against Soviet competitors.

  • Eddie the Eagle (2016)

    Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton star in this movie inspired by the life of spirited British ski-jumper Michael “Eddie” Edwards.

  • Without Limits (1996)

    This was the movie about long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine. The movie stars Billy Crudup as Prefontaine.

  • Downhill Racer (1969)

    Robert Redford and Gene Hackman star in a sports drama about a skiing prodigy who joins the U.S. team to compete internationally. Sylvester Stallone made his film debut in this movie as an extra.

  • Chariots of Fire (1981)

    An Oscar winner for Best Picture, “Chariots of Fire” tells the true story of British athletes Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, from different faiths, who ran in the 1924 games.

  • Munich (2005)

    This Steven Spielberg thriller depicts the aftermath of the 1972 Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The film stars Eric Bana and Daniel Craig.

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