What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBoardwalk Empire
Terence Winter · Series · 2010
If you loved Boardwalk Empire, start with Once Upon a Time in America (1984) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Boardwalk Empire across media.
You were captivated by Boardwalk Empire because you enjoy watching the complex intersection where political ambition meets the brutal underworld.
Books on the same thread
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Book · 2007
Shares 2 threads with Boardwalk Empire: Political Corruption, Organized Crime.
Just as Boardwalk Empire exposes the rot beneath Atlantic City, this investigative work reveals the pervasive corruption and systemic criminal influence that defines a place under mafia rule.
Billy Bathgate
E.L. Doctorow · Book · 2010
Shares a thread with Boardwalk Empire: Moral ambiguity.
Like the young associates Nucky Thompson mentors in Boardwalk Empire, Billy enters a dangerous criminal inner circle, experiencing the same loss of innocence and the volatility of underworld power.
The Power Broker
Robert A. Caro · Book · 1975
Explores: Power Dynamics, Urban Development, Political Influence.
If you appreciated how Nucky Thompson mastered the levers of government in Boardwalk Empire, you will find this biography of Robert Moses essential for its exploration of absolute power.
City on Fire
Don Winslow · Book
Explores: loyalty and betrayal, intergenerational conflict, criminal empire.
This saga mirrors the intergenerational conflict and empire-building seen in Boardwalk Empire, focusing on the high-stakes power struggles between crime families fighting for control of their respective territories.
Films on the same thread
Once Upon a Time in America
Film · 1984
Explores: Nostalgia, Regret, Betrayal.
This film captures the same sense of historical weight and personal regret that permeates Boardwalk Empire, showing how the ghosts of a criminal past haunt a man decades later.
The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola · Film · 1972
Explores: Power, Family Loyalty, Corruption.
The Corleone family saga provides the same grand scale of corruption and immigration-fueled ambition that made Boardwalk Empire a definitive look at the evolution of organized American crime.
Miller's Crossing
Joel Coen · Film · 1990
Shares a thread with Boardwalk Empire: Moral Ambiguity.
Set in the same era as Boardwalk Empire, this film explores the moral ambiguity of loyalty when a political boss and his advisor are divided by personal interests.
American Gangster
Ridley Scott · Film · 2007
Shares 2 threads with Boardwalk Empire: Moral Ambiguity, American Dream.
Fans of Boardwalk Empire will recognize the familiar tension between law enforcement and organized crime, as this story tracks the rise of a powerful figure through illegal trade.
Podcasts on the same thread
Gangster
Podcast
Explores: prison smuggling, blackmail, manipulation.
This podcast explores the dark realities of manipulation and criminal networks, echoing the way Boardwalk Empire depicts the dangerous consequences of maintaining power through illicit and secret affairs.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Boardwalk Empire: moral ambiguity.
If you were drawn to the moral ambiguity and the high costs of power in Boardwalk Empire, this historical analysis offers a deeper look at similar themes throughout history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Boardwalk Empire set during the Prohibition era?
Yes, Boardwalk Empire is set at the dawn of Prohibition in Atlantic City. The series explores this historical period through the eyes of treasurer Enoch Nucky Thompson as he navigates the complex intersection of local politics and criminal activity.
What is the primary role of Enoch Nucky Thompson in Boardwalk Empire?
In Boardwalk Empire, Enoch Nucky Thompson serves as the treasurer of Atlantic City. He functions as a powerful figure who operates both legally as a politician and illegally as a gangster, effectively running the town during the onset of Prohibition.
Who created the television series Boardwalk Empire?
Boardwalk Empire was created by Terence Winter. The show originally premiered in 2010 and focuses on the power dynamics and illicit operations taking place in Atlantic City during the early years of the Prohibition era.
Where does the story of Boardwalk Empire take place?
The narrative of Boardwalk Empire is centered in Atlantic City. The series depicts the city at the dawn of Prohibition, portraying it as a unique environment where the rules do not apply and local officials exert significant control over criminal affairs.