The Best Movies About Plotting A Murder

Ranker Film
Updated April 25, 2024 98 items
Ranked By
488 votes
32 voters

If you're looking for a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then look no further than these movies about plotting a murder. From classic thrillers to modern-day suspenseful films, these movies are sure to keep you entertained from beginning to end. There's no doubt that the characters in these films are planning a murder or even multiple murders and as dark as that sounds, in most cases, the results are hilarious. Death to Smoochy and Horrible Bosses are great examples of funny plotting a murder movies. Or if you're in the mood for something a bit more serious, look for chilling thrillers like The Quiet and To Die For. With so many great movies about planning a murder, it's hard to pick the best. That's where your votes can help.

Vote up your favorite "plotting a murder" movies on the list so other fans know what to watch next and vote down the ones you think they can skip. You might even find your next favorite movie on the list. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy as we take you through some of the best movies about plotting a murder.

  • Horrible Bosses
    1

    Horrible Bosses

    Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis
    17 votes
    In Horrible Bosses, three friends - Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) - find themselves tormented by their respective superiors. Nick's boss, Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey), is a control freak. Kurt's employer, Bobby Pellitt (Colin Farrell), takes advantage of his father's death to exploit the company for his own gain. Meanwhile, Dale has to fend off unwelcome advances from his dentist boss, Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston). The trio, pushed to their limits, hatch a plan to murder their horrible bosses in this dark comedy that tests the boundaries of friendship and ethics.
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  • Fatal Desire
    2

    Fatal Desire

    Anne Heche, Eric Roberts, Bird York
    18 votes
    Fatal Desire is a made-for-TV film produced by Lifetime Television. It premiered April 3, 2006 on the network and starred Eric Roberts as Joe, an ex-policeman turned casino pit boss in Atlantic City, and Anne Heche as Tanya Sullivan, a bored housewife with very manipulative ways. The movie was based on, or "inspired by," the true crime book Fatal Error by journalists Mark Morris and Paul Janczewski. The book in turn was based on the real life case against Sharee Miller. The film featured two original songs by New Orleans-based singer/songwriter Kristin Diable and marked the cable television premiere of her work.
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  • Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
    3

    Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

    Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
    18 votes
    It's open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big fat target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of narcissistic crime boss Black Mask, his right-hand man, Victor Zsasz, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women -- Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya.
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  • House of Gucci
    4

    House of Gucci

    Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino
    18 votes
    When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge -- and ultimately murder.
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  • A Perfect Murder
    5

    A Perfect Murder

    Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen
    20 votes
    Wall Street baron Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) discovers that his pretty young wife, Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow), is cheating on him. But what concerns him more than her infidelity is the hope of profiting from her untimely death. Emily has millions, and Steve's own financial empire is collapsing before his eyes. He hires her lover, David (Viggo Mortensen), to murder her. The plan -- to stage a break-in that will look like a random murder -- turns out to be far from perfect.
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  • Inglourious Basterds
    6

    Inglourious Basterds

    Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz
    17 votes
    Set against the backdrop of World War II, Inglourious Basterds is a compelling tale about two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany's political leadership. The first plot involves Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who leads a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as the Basterds, on a mission to kill Nazis in gruesome ways. Parallel to this, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent), a French-Jewish cinema proprietor, prepares her own scheme for revenge. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, this film won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz). It's an intriguing blend of history and fiction, filled with Tarantino's signature humor and violence.
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  • Snow White and the Huntsman
    7

    Snow White and the Huntsman

    Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth
    19 votes
    In Snow White and the Huntsman, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is a princess whose beauty incurs the wrath of her wicked stepmother, Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron). The Queen's obsession with immortality drives her to consume the heart of Snow White who escapes into the Dark Forest. A rugged Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), initially on a mission to capture Snow White, becomes her unlikely protector against Queen Ravenna's sinister forces. A dark interpretation of the classic fairy tale, this movie won Costume Designers Guild Awards for Excellence in Fantasy Film. It's a story of survival, betrayal, and an unexpected alliance.
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  • Throw Momma from the Train
    8

    Throw Momma from the Train

    Danny DeVito, Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey
    14 votes
    Larry (Billy Crystal), an author with a cruel ex-wife, Margaret (Kate Mulgrew), teaches a writing workshop where Owen (Danny DeVito), one of his students, is fed up with his domineering mother (Anne Ramsey). When Owen watches a Hitchcock classic that seems to mirror his own life, he decides to put the movie's plot into action and offers to kill Margaret, if Larry promises to murder his mom. Before Larry gets a chance to react to the plan, it seems that Owen has already sealed Margaret's fate.
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  • Body Heat
    9

    Body Heat

    William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna
    21 votes
    In the sizzling world of Body Heat, Ned Racine (William Hurt) is a seedy Florida lawyer, trapped in an uneventful existence. His life takes a drastic turn when he crosses paths with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), a seductive married woman. Their steamy affair quickly spirals into a dangerous game of deceit and murder, as they conspire to kill Matty's wealthy husband. This neo-noir thriller, directed by Lawrence Kasdan, is known for its intense performances and atmospheric setting. The movie unfolds in an escalating crescendo of suspense that keeps viewers on the edge until the very end.
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  • To Die For
    10

    To Die For

    Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, Joaquin Phoenix
    22 votes
    Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) is a weather reporter at her small-town cable station, but she dreams of being a big-time news anchor. However, she feels that her middle-class husband (Matt Dillon) is holding her back, so she decides to have him murdered. For this, she enlists Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), a high school boy who is enamored with her. The plan doesn't work exactly as she intended, though, and her husband's family starts to suspect that she was involved in his death.
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  • Deathtrap
    11

    Deathtrap

    Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon
    16 votes
    When once-successful playwright Sidney Bruhl (Michael Caine) sees his latest Broadway effort bomb on its opening night, he tumbles into despair -- until he receives a package from his former student Clifford Anderson (Christopher Reeve). Inside is an unproduced script that's better than anything Sidney has written in years. At the urging of his wife, Myra (Dyan Cannon), Sidney undertakes a plan to lure Clifford to his country home, murder him and then announce the script as his own work.
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  • Bully
    12

    Bully

    Brad Renfro, Rachel Miner, Nick Stahl
    13 votes
    In the unflinching drama Bully, teenage life takes a dark turn. Marty Puccio (Brad Renfro) and Bobby Kent (Nick Stahl) are lifelong friends in South Florida, but their relationship is marred by Bobby's abusive behavior. As the torment escalates, Marty, along with his girlfriend Lisa Connelly (Rachel Miner), concoct a grim plan to end the bullying once and for all. Directed by Larry Clark, this disturbing film presents a stark exploration of teen violence and desperation, based on real-life events. Despite its controversial nature, Bully was praised for its raw performances and relentless storytelling.
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  • The Postman Always Rings Twice
    13

    The Postman Always Rings Twice

    Jack Nicholson, Jessica Lange, John Colicos
    13 votes
    Itinerant troublemaker Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) has a meal at a roadside restaurant and meets devastating femme fatale Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange). As it turns out, Cora is married to the restaurant's owner, Nick (John Colicos). Happy to have a visitor, Papadakis offers Chambers a job. Chambers stays on and begins to help himself to whatever he likes -- including Cora. The two dive headlong into a torrid romance and begin to plot the perfect murder.
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  • Snow White
    14

    Snow White

    12 votes
    Originally released directly to video in 1995, Snow White is a 46-minute animated film based on the classic story, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by the Brothers Grimm. The movie was produced by Jetlag Productions and was distributed to DVD in 2002 by GoodTimes Entertainment as part of their "Collectible Classics" line.
  • Murderous Intent
    15

    Murderous Intent

    Lesley Ann Warren
    12 votes
    Murderous Intent is a 1995 drama thriller film written and directed by Gregory Goodell.
  • A Shock to the System
    16

    A Shock to the System

    Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert
    9 votes
    When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall (Michael Caine) loses out on a promotion to a younger man, the situation inadvertently leads him to cause a subway accident in which a homeless man is killed. Discovering that there are no consequences to this incident, Marshall begins plotting revenge on anyone who has wronged him, and even his longtime wife, Leslie (Swoosie Kurtz), isn't safe. How far will Marshall travel down this path of vengeance?
  • Timestalkers
    17

    Timestalkers

    William Devane, Lauren Hutton, Klaus Kinski
    13 votes
    Recently widowed college professor and Wild West history buff Scott McKenzie (William Devane) and his friend Joe Brodsky (John Ratzenberger) win two 19th-century steamer trunks and their contents at an auction. But when McKenzie closely examines a photograph from inside one of the trunks, he suspects that the man in the photo (Klaus Kinski) is a time traveler. Despite the obvious risks, McKenzie then agrees to help the enigmatic Georgia (Lauren Hutton) find the time traveler.
  • Poison Ivy: The New Seduction
    18

    Poison Ivy: The New Seduction

    Jaime Pressly, Susan Ward, Shanna Moakler
    13 votes
    Poison Ivy: The New Seduction is a 1997 American erotic thriller drama film starring Jaime Pressly, and the third installment of the Poison Ivy series, which consists of Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy II: Lily and Poison Ivy: The Secret Society. It was directed by Kurt Voss and written by Karen Kelly. The original music score is composed by Reg Powell.
  • Chapter 27
    19

    Chapter 27

    Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan, Judah Friedlander
    13 votes
    In this dramatization, mentally disturbed Mark David Chapman (Jared Leto) arrives in 1980 New York City to stalk his idol, John Lennon (Mark Lindsay Chapman). Standing outside Lennon's apartment building every day, Chapman encounters fan Jude Hanson (Lindsay Lohan) and photographer Paul Goresh (Judah Friedlander), as well as the famous musician's son, Sean (Yuuki Hosokawa). While waiting for an autograph, Chapman grows increasingly unbalanced, leading to his infamous assassination of Lennon.
  • The Man Who Cried Wolf
    20

    The Man Who Cried Wolf

    Lewis Stone, Tom Brown, Barbara Read
    15 votes
    Though actor Lawrence Fontaine (Lewis Stone) periodically confesses to homicides that he couldn't have committed, the police chalk it up to an artist's eccentricity. He really has, however, been plotting the murder of the man he thinks killed his ex-wife. Young troupers Nan (Barbara Read) and Tommy (Tom Brown) beg him to reconsider, but he carries out the crime. After the youngsters are all incriminated, Fontaine confesses, but no one will believe him, so he must prove his own guilt.
  • The Black Candle
    21

    The Black Candle

    Samantha Bond, Cathy Sandford, Nathaniel Parker
    14 votes
    In 1880s England, Lily Whitmore (Cathy Sandford) is the heir to a crumbling factory, and she's determined to restore the business to its former glory. Unfortunately, the industrious Lily must instead turn her attention to the conniving Lionel Filmore (Nathaniel Parker), a young member of the upper class who's facing poverty because of his father's foolish spending. Hoping to marry into the Whitmore wealth, Lionel resolves to wed Lily's sister, even if he has to murder his way into the family.
  • Omen III: The Final Conflict
    22

    Omen III: The Final Conflict

    Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi, Don Gordon
    14 votes
    In this second sequel to "The Omen," Antichrist Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) is now a successful 32-year-old businessman ready to fulfill his destiny. As Damien is appointed United States ambassador to Britain, priests led by Father DeCarlo (Rossano Brazzi) try to kill him. While Damien prepares for the return of Jesus Christ, he takes advantage of his relationship with Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow) to recruit her son, Peter (Barnaby Holm), as his follower.
  • Vantage Point
    23

    Vantage Point

    Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker
    10 votes
    Witnesses with different points of view try to unravel an assassination attempt on the U.S. president. Special Agents Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox) are assigned to protect President Ashton during a summit in Spain on the war on terror. Moments after the leader's arrival, shots ring out, and Ashton is down. In the resulting chaos, an American tourist (Forest Whitaker) comes forward with his camcorder, which he believes contains an image of the shooter.
  • Double Indemnity
    24

    Double Indemnity

    Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson
    8 votes
    Double Indemnity is a 1944 film noir crime drama directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, based on James M. Cain's 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eight-part serial in Liberty magazine, beginning in February 1936. Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) is a provocative housewife who, perhaps plotting her husband's deaths, buys life insurance in his name from salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray).
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  • Deadly Relations
    25

    Deadly Relations

    Gwyneth Paltrow, Matthew Perry, Shelley Fabares
    11 votes
    Deadly Relations is a 1993 American television film directed by Bill Condon. It stars Robert Urich, Shelley Fabares and Gwyneth Paltrow. The film originally aired on ABC on May 22, 1993. Deadly Relations is based on the true crime book Deadly Relations: A True Story of Murder In a Suburban Family by Carol Donahue and Shirley Hall. Donahue and Hall are the daughters of Leonard Fagot, a New Orleans attorney whose obsession with controlling his daughters led to him murdering their husbands for hefty insurance pay outs.
  • Raw Deal
    26

    Raw Deal

    Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt
    9 votes
    An escaped convict (Dennis O'Keefe) flees with his moll (Claire Trevor) and a social worker (Marsha Hunt) he loves.
  • Diary of a Hitman
    27

    Diary of a Hitman

    Forest Whitaker, Sherilyn Fenn, John Bedford Lloyd
    9 votes
    A veteran hit man, Dekker (Forest Whitaker) is ready to call it quits and leave the profession. Dekker's final job, however, proves to be trickier than expected when the sadistic Zidzyck (Lewis Smith) recruits the assassin to kill his wife, Jain (Sherilyn Fenn), along with the couple's baby. While Dekker has a change of heart and resolves not to shoot Jain and her child, his decision places all their lives in danger, since Zidzyck has dispatched another killer to perform the task.
  • Law of the Pampas
    28

    Law of the Pampas

    William Boyd, Sidney Toler
    9 votes
    Law of the Pampas is a 1939 film directed by Nate Watt.
  • Cruel Doubt
    29

    Cruel Doubt

    Gwyneth Paltrow, Ed Asner, David Arquette
    9 votes
    Cruel Doubt is a 1992 miniseries starring Blythe Danner and Matt McGrath, as well as Danner's daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow. The film was broadcast in two parts on NBC in the United States and on CTV in Canada on May 17 and May 19, 1992. The miniseries is based on the 1991 true crime book Cruel Doubt by Joe McGinniss, which documents the 1988 murder of Lieth Von Stein by his stepson, Chris Pritchard, and two friends, James Upchurch and Gerald Neal Henderson.
  • Deadline
    30

    Deadline

    Christopher Walken, Hywel Bennett, Sasson Gabai
    9 votes
    Deadline is a 1987 war/drama film about a journalist amidst the Lebanese civil war who is set up and fed false information. The film was directed by Nathaniel Gutman. Christopher Walken stars as main role, "ace reporter" Don Stevens. It was shot in Israel and Christopher Walken won the Magnolia Award for "Best Actor" in Shanghai International TV Festival. It was released in some countries under the title Witness in the War Zone.