Movies Like Red Ape: Saving the Orangutan

If you liked Red Ape: Saving the Orangutan (2018), a documentary and tv movie movie directed by Rowan Musgrave, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Born to Be Wild (2011)
★ 7/10Also documentary
Born to Be Wild observes various orphaned jungle animals and their day-to-day behavioural interactions with the individuals who rescue them and raise them to adulthood. The film unfurls in two separate geographic…
2
Ghost Elephants (2026)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary
In Angola's mist-shrouded highlands, three KhoiSan master trackers embark on a spiritual quest to rediscover the legendary "ghost elephants" of Lisima, creatures presumed lost but remembered in ancestral trance…
3
Chimpanzee (2012)
★ 7/10Also documentary
A nature documentary centered on a family of chimps living in the Ivory Coast and Ugandan rain forests. Through Oscar, a little chimpanzee, we discover learning about life in the heart of the African tropical forest…
4
Pandas (2018)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
In the mountains of Sichuan, China, a researcher forms a bond with Qian Qian, a panda who is about to experience nature for the first time.
5
Earth (2007)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary
An epic story of adventure, starring some of the most magnificent and courageous creatures alive, awaits you in EARTH. Disneynature brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet…
6
Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and tv movie
Roddy McDowall takes you, film by film, from production meetings to make-up sessions, then right onto the movie set to see the actual filming of the science fiction masterpiece. The most comprehensive history of Planet…
7
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean at the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her den and tracking her movements for…
8
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026)
★ 8/10Also documentary
Veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough tells the story of a remarkable group of gorillas, from his first encounter in the '70s to the present day.
9
The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos (2008)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary
In the remote and forgotten wilderness of Lake Natron, in northern Tanzania, one of nature's last great mysteries unfolds: the birth, life and death of a million crimson-winged flamingos.
10
African Cats (2011)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
African Cats captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and…
11
The Godfather Family: A Look Inside (1990)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary and tv movie
A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather"…
12
Elephant (2020)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary
Disneynature’s Elephant follows African elephant Shani and her spirited son Jomo as their herd make an epic journey hundreds of miles across the vast Kalahari Desert. Led by their great matriarch, Gaia, the family…
13
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)
★ 7/10Also documentary and tv movie
Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass…
14
Penguins (2019)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
The story of Steve, an Adélie penguin, on a quest to find a life partner and start a family. When Steve meets with Wuzzo the emperor penguin they become friends. But nothing comes easy in the icy Antarctic.
15
The Year Earth Changed (2021)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
Never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas, skies, and lands, Earth found its rhythm when we came to a stop.
16
Grizzly Man (2005)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary
Follows the story of "Grizzly Man" Timothy Treadwell and what the thirteen summers in a National Park in Alaska were like in his attempt to protect the grizzly bears. The film is full of unique images and a look into…
17
Monkey Kingdom (2015)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
A newborn monkey and its mother struggle to survive within the competitive social hierarchy of the Temple Troop, a dynamic group of monkeys who live in ancient ruins found deep in the storied jungles of South Asia.
18
Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
Lupita Nyong'o narrates a documentary about Peanuts and its creator, Charles M. Schulz. Famous fans—including Drew Barrymore, Kevin Smith, and Al Roker—share its influence on them, and a new animated story finds…
19
Val (2021)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors, has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm…
20
Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary
This documentary starring climber Alex Honnold and famous biologist Bruce Means document their expedition to the South American sky islands in search of new species and discoveries. Follows elite climber Alex Honnold…