Let's be real: most people who look for films similar to 50 shades of grey aren't actually looking for a lecture on the technical nuances of BDSM. They want that specific, heady mix of high-end lifestyle porn, "broken" billionaires, and a romance that feels just a little bit dangerous.
It’s been over a decade since Christian Grey first handed Ana Steele that nondisclosure agreement, and the genre has mutated. We’ve moved past the initial shock. Now, in 2026, the "steamy drama" is a staple of every streaming algorithm. But honestly? Most of them are terrible. For every Secretary, there are five low-budget clones that forget to include a plot.
If you’re hunting for something that captures that specific "Fifty Shades" energy—the power dynamics, the luxury, and the intense physical chemistry—you've got to look in some unexpected places.
The New Wave: 2025 and 2026 Erotic Thrillers
The landscape has shifted. We aren't just getting "romance" anymore; we're getting psychological power plays.
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Take the recent buzz around Pillion, released in early 2026 in the US by A24. It stars Alexander Skarsgård as an enigmatic biker and Harry Melling as the man who becomes his submissive. It’s a far cry from the sparkling penthouses of Seattle, but it captures that raw, uncomfortable power imbalance better than almost anything since the original Fifty Shades. Critics at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival actually gave it the Best Screenplay prize in the Un Certain Regard section because it treats the "sub/dom" dynamic with actual psychological depth rather than just as a spicy gimmick.
Then there’s Sydney Sweeney’s The Housemaid (late 2025). While it leans more into the "thriller" side of the erotic thriller coin, it hits those notes of class disparity and forbidden desire. It set records on Rotten Tomatoes for its audience score because it feels like a throwback to those 90s movies that weren't afraid to be pulpy and provocative.
The Netflix "Saga" Successors
You can't talk about this without mentioning the Polish juggernaut 365 Days. If we're being blunt, these movies make Fifty Shades look like a G-rated Disney flick. The trilogy—365 Days, This Day, and The Next 365 Days—basically ditched the "contract" for a full-on kidnapping plot. It’s polarizing, sure. Some find it problematic; others helped it dominate the global Top 10 for months.
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If you want that same "I can't believe they're showing this" feeling, Netflix’s Fall For Me (2025) is the latest attempt to capture lightning in a bottle. Set in Mallorca, it follows a woman named Lilli who gets tangled in a web of deceit involving a luxury bed-and-breakfast and a mysterious club manager. It’s basically a cross between a travel brochure and a soap opera, but with much higher production values.
The Classics That Did It First (And Better)
Sometimes the best films similar to 50 shades of grey are the ones that inspired the book in the first place.
- Secretary (2002): This is the gold standard. Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader have more chemistry in a scene about typos than most actors have in a full bed scene. It’s weird, it’s sweet, and it actually understands the emotional core of BDSM.
- 9 1/2 Weeks (1986): Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger. The refrigerator scene. The blindfolds. This is the blueprint for the "wealthy man introduces a woman to a new world" trope.
- Indecent Proposal (1993): It asks the question: Would you sleep with a billionaire for a million dollars? Robert Redford plays the "Grey" figure here—charming, rich, and slightly manipulative.
Why the Genre Still Matters in 2026
People often dismiss these movies as "trashy," but there’s a reason they keep getting made. They explore the stuff we’re usually too polite to talk about at dinner—power, control, and the thin line between love and obsession.
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The 2026 adaptation of Wuthering Heights by Emerald Fennell (starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi) is a perfect example of how this is evolving. It’s a classic literary romance, but Fennell is leaning into the "toxic" and "obsessive" nature of Heathcliff and Cathy. It’s proving that the "Grey" archetype—the brooding, tortured man who loves too hard—is a character we’ve been obsessed with for centuries, not just since 2011.
What to Watch Depending on Your Mood
- For the "Billionaire" Vibe: 365 Days or Addicted (2014).
- For Actual Psychological Depth: Secretary or Pillion (2026).
- For the Thrill of the Forbidden: The Housemaid (2025) or Fatal Attraction.
- For the Slow Burn: In the Name of Blossom (the 2025 breakout C-drama that’s been making waves for its intense leads).
The truth is, "similar" is a broad term. If you just want the steam, the Netflix originals are your best bet. If you want the "fix-it" romance where a girl changes a bad boy, look at the After series. But if you want a film that actually makes you feel something—even if that something is a bit of discomfort—look toward the indie thrillers like Pillion.
To get started, I'd recommend checking out The Housemaid on streaming first; it’s the most accessible "guilty pleasure" of the current year. From there, go back to Secretary to see how the genre looks when it’s handled with a bit more heart.