Twin films are films with the same, or very similar, plot produced or released at the same time in two different film studios. The phenomenon can result from two or more production companies investing in similar scripts around the same time, resulting in a race to distribute the films to audiences. Some attribute twin films to industrial espionage, the movement of staff between studios, or that the same screenplays are sent to several film studios before being accepted. Another possible explanation is if the films deal with topical issues, such as volcanic eruptions, reality television, terrorist attacks or significant anniversaries, resulting in multiple discovery of the concept.
While twin films usually are big budget films, a mockbuster can be made with a low budget, with similar titles, aesthetics and/or theme as blockbuster films. Mockbusters are usually given more limited release and marketing, intending to piggy-back on the public interest in the topic driven by the major film.
Examples[]
| First film | Release date | Second film | Release date | Further info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Great Mouse Detective | July 2, 1986 | An American Tail | November 21, 1986 | Also Life of Mice (1997). All three are animated feature films featuring mice. |
| The Little Mermaid | November 17, 1989 | Liche's Wish | November 16, 1990 | Both are animated films about a young mermaid from the ocean who dreams of seeing the human world. |
| Antz | October 2, 1998 | A Bug's Life | November 25, 1998 | Both are computer animated films about insects, starring a non-conformist ant who falls in love with an ant princess, leaves the mound, and eventually returns and is hailed as a hero. |
| The Road to El Dorado | March 31, 2000 | The Emperor's New Groove | December 15, 2000 | Both are historical animated comedies set in what is now Latin America. |
| Shrek | May 18, 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | November 2, 2001 | Both are computer-animated films that tell stories about monsters (the two movies were even nominated for an Academy Award). |
| Treasure Planet | November 27, 2002 | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | July 2, 2003 | Both are traditionally-animated films about pirates that set sail. However, they're both box office failures. |
| Finding Nemo | May 30, 2003 | Shark Tale | October 1, 2004 | Both are computer animated films that take place in the ocean and center around anthropomorphic fish characters. |
| Madagascar | May 27, 2005 | The Wild | April 14, 2006 | Both are computer-animated films involving similar animal characters from New York's Central Park Zoo being introduced to the wild. See The Wild#Madagascar similarities. |
| Over the Hedge | May 19, 2006 | Open Season | September 29, 2006 | Both are computer-animated films about wild animals who are at war with humans. |
| Happy Feet | November 17, 2006 | Surf's Up | June 8, 2007 | Both are Computer-animated family comedy films about penguins. |
| Despicable Me | July 9, 2010 | Megamind | November 5, 2010 | Both are computer-animated films about super-villains who turned evil because of bad upbringings, finding themselves seduced to the good side to defeat an even worse villain. |
| Wreck-It Ralph | November 2, 2012 | Luna & Zak | December 13, 2013 | Also The Pixelators (2016). All three are computer-animated films that take place in a video game world, though Luna & Zak features virtual reality. |
| Zootopia | March 4, 2016 | Sing | December 21, 2016 | All are animated movies set in modern cities populated by anthropomorphic animals. |
| Storks | September 23, 2016 | The Boss Baby | March 31, 2017 | Both films explain the origin, delivery, and business of newborn babies. |
| Computeropolis: The Deep Web | June 1, 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | November 21, 2018 |
Both are computer-animated films that take place in the internet. Ironically, some of the voice cast from Computeropolis: The Deep Web (most notably Sarah Silverman) also worked on Ralph Breaks the Internet. |
| Smallfoot | September 28, 2018 | Abominable | September 27, 2019 | Both are computer-animated films about abominable snowmen making first contact with humans and are both set in the Himalayas. |
| Paradoria 2 | November 8, 2019 | Frozen II | November 22, 2019 | Both are computer-animated sequels which center on the main protagonists embarking on a journey to discover their origins. |