What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPublic Enemies
Michael Mann · Film · 2009
If you loved Public Enemies, start with Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Sam Liu, 2009) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Public Enemies across media.
You were drawn into Public Enemies by the relentless, high-stakes cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and those who define themselves against it.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Sam Liu · Film · 2009
Books on the same thread
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck · Book · 1994
Explores: The American Dream, Friendship, Loneliness.
Like the Great Depression backdrop of Public Enemies, this classic captures the profound loneliness and social instability that defined an era of struggle for the American working class.
Hannibal
Thomas Harris · Book · 2009
Explores: Obsession, Good vs Evil, Moral Ambiguity.
The obsessive, psychological tension between agent and criminal that defined Public Enemies finds a darker, more cerebral evolution in this high-stakes game of cat and mouse.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
David Grann · Book · 2018
Explores: Racial injustice, Corruption, Greed.
If you enjoyed the historical FBI narrative in Public Enemies, this true-crime account offers a deeper look at the systemic corruption and institutional violence of American history.
American Prometheus
Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin · Book
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Scientific ethics, Genius and hubris.
The moral ambiguity and historical weight that anchored Public Enemies are present here, focusing on how personal choices shape the trajectory of a changing, complex American landscape.
Series on the same thread
The Untouchables
Quinn Martin · Series · 1959
Explores: Good vs Evil, Corruption, Law Enforcement.
This series mirrors the law-and-order struggle of Public Enemies, pitting incorruptible agents against powerful organized crime figures in the same gritty, Prohibition-era American criminal underworld.
Peaky Blinders
Steven Knight · Series · 2013
Explores: Post-WWI Trauma, Ambition, Class Conflict.
The magnetic, dangerous charisma of John Dillinger in Public Enemies is echoed in the ambitious, violent rise of the Shelby family within their own criminal empire.
MINDHUNTER
Joe Penhall · Series · 2017
Explores: Serial Killers, FBI Investigation, Criminal Profiling.
The meticulous FBI investigative process showcased in Public Enemies is expanded here, focusing on the psychological profiling that changes how agents track and catch elusive, violent criminals.
Crime Story
Gustave Reininger · Series · 1986
Shares a thread with Public Enemies: Cat and mouse game.
This series captures the same obsessive, destructive rivalry between a dedicated cop and a brilliant gangster that propelled the central conflict of the film Public Enemies.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
Much like the complex human stories behind the crimes in Public Enemies, this podcast explores the gray areas of morality and the people caught between law and illegality.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The historical intensity of Public Enemies is matched by this deep dive into human nature, exploring the consequences of power and the collapse of civilizations throughout history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Public Enemies based on a true story about John Dillinger?
Public Enemies depicts the Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger and his conflict with the fledgling FBI. The film follows the historical pursuit led by agent Melvin Purvis after J. Edgar Hoover identifies Dillinger as Public Enemy Number One during his crime spree across the United States.
Are there other movies titled Public Enemies I should know about?
Yes, there is an animated film titled Superman/Batman: Public Enemies released in 2009. It shares the same release year as the Michael Mann film about John Dillinger, but the two titles are unrelated in subject matter, plot, and production style.
Who is the main antagonist pursuing John Dillinger in Public Enemies?
In Public Enemies, the main antagonist is Melvin Purvis. He is the top FBI agent assigned by J. Edgar Hoover to capture John Dillinger. Hoover tasks Purvis with bringing the outlaw in dead or alive to solidify the authority of the fledgling FBI during the Depression era.
Does Public Enemies feature a specific conflict with J. Edgar Hoover?
Yes, Public Enemies centers on the tension between John Dillinger and J. Edgar Hoover. Because Dillinger is popular with the public, Hoover views him as a significant threat to the FBI and makes him his first Public Enemy Number One to demonstrate the agency's effectiveness.