What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSmall Soldiers
Joe Dante · Film · 1998
If you loved Small Soldiers, start with Beast Wars: Transformers (Bob Forward, 1996) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Small Soldiers across media.
What hooked you in Small Soldiers was the way everyday objects and small-scale figures transform into epic, high-stakes battlegrounds for survival.
Books on the same thread
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
If you enjoyed the high-stakes tactical combat in Small Soldiers, you will appreciate how this story forces young people to command massive military conflicts to ensure humanity's survival.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling · Book · 1997
Explores: Good vs. Evil, Orphanhood, Friendship.
Just as Small Soldiers balances a sense of wonder with an encroaching threat, this story follows a young boy discovering a hidden, dangerous world existing alongside his mundane reality.
Pinocchio
Carlo Collodi · Book · 1996
Explores: Transformation, Redemption, Consequences.
The core of Small Soldiers is the blurring line between toy and living creature, a theme perfectly mirrored here as a wooden puppet struggles with sentience and morality.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Mark Twain · Book · 1994
Explores: Childhood Adventures, Mississippi River Life, Rebellion.
Small Soldiers captures the chaotic energy of childhood imagination, a spirit that drives these classic adventures as young boys navigate the rebellions and dangers of their own world.
Series on the same thread
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Joel Hodgson · Series · 1989
Explores: Friendship, Coping with Boredom, Satire.
If the campy, over-the-top action of Small Soldiers resonated with you, this show captures that same irreverent spirit by poking fun at the absurdity of low-budget cinematic storytelling.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
George Lucas · Series · 2008
Shares a thread with Small Soldiers: Good vs Evil.
Small Soldiers pits two factions against one another in a war of toys, much like this series depicts the intense, large-scale struggle between opposing droid and clone armies.
Dragon Ball Z
Series · 1989
Shares a thread with Small Soldiers: Good vs Evil.
The relentless, high-energy battles in Small Soldiers find a spiritual successor here, where powerful beings must constantly transform and fight to protect their world from extraterrestrial forces.
Beast Wars: Transformers
Bob Forward · Series · 1996
Shares a thread with Small Soldiers: Good vs Evil.
Like the sentient action figures in Small Soldiers, this series features mechanical beings struggling for survival as they navigate a dangerous world while undergoing constant, complex transformations.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Adventure Zone
The McElroys · Podcast · 2026
Explores: improvised storytelling, group dynamics, high fantasy satire.
Small Soldiers thrives on the chaotic, unpredictable energy of a toy-based conflict, which you will find mirrored in this improvised journey through a high-stakes fantasy world of combat.
The Joe Rogan Experience
Podcast
Explores: current events, social commentary, science communication.
If you appreciated the cynical look at corporate greed and pop culture found in Small Soldiers, you will find similar social commentary and offbeat discussions in this long-form series.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Small Soldiers a movie about military technology?
Yes, Small Soldiers is a 1998 film directed by Joe Dante that explores what happens when advanced missile technology is integrated into toy action figures. The story follows these toys as they begin to take their original battle programming far too seriously.
What is the primary conflict in Small Soldiers?
The central conflict in Small Soldiers arises when toy action figures are enhanced with sophisticated missile technology. This upgrade causes the toys to behave as if they are in a real war, leading them to take their internal battle programming to dangerous extremes.
Who directed the 1998 film Small Soldiers?
The film Small Soldiers was directed by Joe Dante. It focuses on the chaotic consequences that occur after missile technology is used to enhance toy action figures, resulting in the toys acting out their combat programming in the real world.
Does Small Soldiers feature real action figures?
Small Soldiers features toy action figures that are enhanced with missile technology. The plot centers on these toys taking their programmed battle directives seriously, which drives the action throughout the 1998 movie directed by Joe Dante.