If you loved
Holes
Andrew Davis · Film · 2003
What hooked you in Holes was the way uncovering deep-seated secrets and personal histories transforms a bleak, isolated environment into a labyrinth.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Maximum Security
Robert Muchamore · Book · 2005
Like Holes, this story explores the grit of juvenile detention, mirroring the high-stakes atmosphere where young characters must navigate dangerous institutional systems to prove their worth and survive the experience.
The Maze Runner (Book 1)
James Dashner · Book · 2014
Much like the boys at Camp Green Lake, these characters are trapped in a hostile environment, forced to rely on their wits and teamwork to uncover the truth behind their confinement.
God's Little Acre
Erskine Caldwell · Book · 1933
If the obsessive labor of digging holes in Holes fascinated you, you will appreciate this narrative, which centers on a family driven by the singular, desperate pursuit of hidden treasure.
Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2011
This story captures the same sense of being wrongfully accused as Holes, placing an innocent protagonist in an impossible situation where he must navigate social pressures and unexpected environmental obstacles.
Series on the same thread
Psych
Steve Franks · Series · 2006
Just as Stanley Yelnats navigates his wrongful conviction, this series centers on a protagonist who must deal with the fallout of being falsely accused while navigating complex, strained relationships with authority figures.
IT: Welcome to Derry
Andy Muschietti · Series · 2025
This show echoes the mystery found in Holes, where a group of friends investigates small-town secrets and ancient threats, proving that children are often the only ones capable of uncovering truth.
Prison Break
Paul T. Scheuring · Series · 2005
This drama mirrors the core tension of Holes by focusing on the injustice of wrongful imprisonment and the lengths a character will go to achieve redemption and secure their freedom.
Gravity Falls
Alex Hirsch · Series · 2012
Fans of the summer adventure in Holes will connect with this series, which pairs a mysterious location with a central conspiracy that forces young protagonists to dig into buried family secrets.
Podcasts on the same thread
Up and Vanished
Tenderfoot TV · Podcast · 2026
If the mystery of Camp Green Lake kept you guessing, this investigation will satisfy that same urge to uncover the truth hidden beneath the surface of a small, isolated community.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
This deep dive into a small town's secrets mirrors the way the history of Green Lake is slowly peeled back in Holes, revealing the dark, complicated reality of a forgotten place.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the Holes movie based on a book?
Yes, the 2003 film Holes is an adaptation of the source material. You can read the original book version of Holes, which was published in 2018, to experience the story of Stanley Yelnats and the mystery at Camp Green Lake in a different format.
What is the plot of the movie Holes?
Holes follows Stanley Yelnats, who is wrongfully convicted of stealing shoes and sent to Camp Green Lake. There, boys are forced to dig holes in the desert. Stanley eventually unravels a mystery involving the camp warden that connects to his own family history.
Should I read the book or watch the movie Holes first?
Both the 2018 book and the 2003 movie Holes provide the same core narrative about Stanley Yelnats and the detention facility. The order does not matter, as both versions cover the mystery of the warden and the history of the desert camp effectively.
How long is the movie Holes?
The 2003 film Holes, directed by Andrew Davis, has a runtime of 117 minutes. The story focuses on the experiences of Stanley Yelnats at Camp Green Lake as he uncovers secrets about the warden and his own family while digging holes in the desert sun.