The 2026 Winter Olympics are well underway at this point. If you can’t get enough of the actual sports taking place right now, movies depicting previous games offer another opportunity to experience these events, whether they’re based on true stories or feature fictional characters in real history.

Hollywood has a tradition of turning these global sporting events into films, providing a long list of potential titles to watch during the 2026 Winter Olympics. However, one film truly deserves your attention right now. It stars Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton in an inspiring true story that took place 38 years ago.

Eddie The Eagle Is A True Story Winter Olympics Movie Starring Hugh Jackman & Taron Egerton

Released in 2016 by 20th Century Fox, Eddie the Eagle takes viewers back to the 1988 Winter Olympics. It follows Michael “Eddie” Edwards, an aspiring skier who aims to represent the United Kingdom at the upcoming event. The movie chronicles his journey to qualify for the Olympics as a ski jumper, where he became Britain’s first participant in 60 years. It’s through his celebrations that he earns his nickname of Eddie the Eagle.

Egerton takes on the lead role of Eddie in the film, which is directed by Dexter Fletcher. Jackman portrays Bronson Peary, a former American ski jumper who reluctantly agrees to coach Eddie so he can qualify. The movie then focuses on the bond that develops between mentor and mentee as they strive to defy all expectations regarding Eddie’s performance on the biggest stage.

Eddie the Eagle was well-received upon its release, achieving an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (ScreenRant‘s Ben Kendrick rated it 7/10), but it was largely overlooked by audiences. It only grossed $46.2 million at the box office and remains underseen a decade later due to its limited presence on streaming platforms.

Why Eddie The Eagle Is Worth Watching

If you’ve never seen Eddie the Eagle (and even if you have), it’s absolutely worth checking out now. The timing feels perfect with the Winter Olympics currently happening, especially with ski jumping events still underway. However, Great Britain does not have any representatives this year.

This arguably makes it an even better time to revisit a truly endearing story about the country’s history in this event. Eddie the Eagle is a genuine feel-good sports dramedy featuring excellent performances by Egerton and Jackman. You’ll laugh, smile, and possibly even cry as Eddie’s inspiring journey unfolds in one of the best Olympic films ever made.

The only “bad news” for anyone wanting to watch Eddie the Eagle is that it is not currently streaming anywhere. You can rent it on Amazon, Apple, and Fandango for $3.99, though.

So if you’re in the Winter Olympics mood and want to see a great story tied to a previous year at the event, Eddie the Eagle is worth seeking out and watching, especially if you’ve overlooked it previously.

Here you can find the original article; the photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors; they have been used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[/nospin]

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