10 Memorable Movies That Involve or Hint at Interspecies Romance

With the popularity of films centering on monsters, aliens, and animal-human hybrids, it is inevitable that a genre of interspecies romance would emerge. Films that portray or hint at such relationships have been around since the early days of cinema, such as the obviously unconsumed love story at the heart of King Kong (1933).

Over the years, stories about these couples have taken on new dimensions, becoming more complex and character driven, often portraying interspecies romance in a sympathetic light and showing some of these offbeat relationships to be plausible in the long term like the man-meets-mermaid comedy Splash and of course the vampire-themed Twilight franchise. Here are 10 memorable movies that explore or at least hint at interspecies romance.

Related: The Ten Greatest Television Romances of all Time

10 Earth Girls Are Easy

There is no shortage of movies about humans falling in love with aliens from another planet. While some of these can actually be poignantly dramatic, the wacky 1988 comedy Earth Girls are Easy is clearly at the other end of the spectrum, Valerie (Geena Davis) is a Southern California manicurist who recently discovered the doctor she is engaged to has been cheating on her and then meets three aliens after their spaceship lands in her fiance’s pool.

Once the furry guys get a makeover at the salon where she works, Valerie is instantly attracted to the very human-looking Mac (Jeff Goldblum), and the feeling is mutual. The movie is as campy as its title implies. Though it was not a hit at the time, this flick has achieved cult status, in part because of its star-studded cast, some of whom were little known when the film was originally released, such as Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans. Goldblum and Davis had only recently become A-list stars and were a real-life couple at the time, which could be one reason they have such great onscreen chemistry.^[1]

9 Splash

The 1984 romantic comedy Splash about a man reunited with a mermaid he met in his childhood is definitely one of the more lighthearted examples of interspecies romances in film. Surprisingly, this was not the first movie about a man falling in love with a mermaid. Decades earlier, in 1948, the hit film Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid” starring William Powell and Ann Blyth, was released, and this has become a popular genre.

However, the wacky but heartwarming Ron Howard-directed Splash, which was a star-making vehicle for both Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, still stands out as one of the most memorable. Hannah plays the beautiful and effervescent Madison, a mermaid who seeks out businessman Allen Bauer (Hanks) after saving him from drowning twice over the years.

When the two reconnect and begin a romantic relationship, she tries to keep her amphibian status from him, but he soon finds out and is ultimately faced with the choice of a traditional existence without Madison or joining her for a life at sea. John Candy’s hilarious performance in the role of Allen’s irreverent brother, Freddie, is one of the movie’s biggest highlights.^[2]

8 Tuck Everlasting

Sometimes it’s not obvious that a character is different at the beginning of an interspecies love story, such as the family of immortals from the 2002 adaptation of Natalie Babbitt’s classic coming-of-age fantasy novel Tuck Everlasting. The Tucks seem and look very human, but they have a supernatural secret that keeps them on the run.

Many decades earlier, the family members inadvertently drank some water from a magic spring that caused them to become immortal. Winnie Foster (Alexis Bledel) is a wealthy but lonely fifteen-year-old girl who is restless within her sheltered environment in a rural community during the early 1900s. When she sneaks off to take a walk in the forest one day, she loses her way and meets the attractive and mysterious Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson), who strikes up a friendship with her that turns romantic.

However, when she is taken to the cabin where his family is staying, she learns that, despite his boyish appearance, he is 104 years old. She also discovers the downside of living forever and why the Tucks are so determined to keep the magic spring a secret. The difference between the supernatural Jesse and the very human Winnie presents a real obstacle to the two having a future together. The only practical solution is for her to drink the water from the spring, but Winnie is not sure she wants to be immortal.^[3]

7 Howard the Duck

Many interspecies romances are found in the comic-book world, including the 1986 sci-fi comedy Howard the Duck. A humanoid duck from outer space lands on Earth and is compelled to help prevent an alien invasion. Lea Thompson plays a struggling rock singer, Beverly Switzler, who befriends Howard, leading to a very strange romance.

Instead of leaving the bedroom relations to the imagination, the film features a human-waterfowl love scene in which the flaky Beverly and the sarcastic Howard nearly consummate their relationship before being interrupted. The film, which was executive produced by George Lucas and co-stars Tim Robbins as scientist Phil Blumburtt, is largely remembered as an offbeat box office disaster, but it has since become a cult classic.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter 35 years later, Lea Thompson had positive things to say about the movie’s romantic storyline and being cast as Howard’s love interest: “I loved that I was a girl in love with a duck! I thought that was hilarious; everything about subversive humor and puns.”^[4]

6 King Kong

The iconic monster flick King Kong, which originally came to the screen in 1933, encompassed several different genres: action-adventure, fantasy, comedy, and even Hollywood spoof. However, the thing people remember most is the unrequited love between the gigantic ape and starlet Ann Darrow (Fay Wray).

This first film is really a one-sided romance, resulting in an enamored Kong who spares her from being a sacrifice. Later, Kong kidnaps her and memorably carries a terrified Ann up the side of the Empire State Building.

In the 1976 remake with Jessica Lange, the starlet cares for Kong, and there are hints that she may even feel some sort of attraction toward him. The 2005 version starring Naomi Watts as Ann adds complexity to their relationship, which is much more sensitive than depictions in the previous films.^[5]

5 Twilight

There may be some question as to whether a vampire would actually be considered a different species from a human, but the two are clearly worlds apart. Despite the seeming incompatibility of a regular living person and the undead, there have been many vampire-human romances from the silent days onward.

While the vampire is usually presented as predatory and villainous, some movies, such as the massively popular Twilight Saga, have reimagined the genre and depict vampires in alternative ways, allowing for true romances. In the franchise’s first film based on Stephenie Meyer’s novel, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who has recently moved to a small town in the Pacific Northwest, meets and falls in love with classmate Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), who turns out to be a 108-year-old “vegetarian” vampire.

As the series continues, we see the soulmates face many dangers and challenges, even after they marry in the fourth film and start a family in the fifth installment.^[6]

4 Superman

Comic book adaptations offer some of the most memorable interspecies couples in film. At the top of the list are Superman and Lois Lane. Mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent may seem like an obvious match for his lively, assertive, and desirable colleague, but his hidden identity as the alien hero known as Superman and phenomenal powers set him far apart from the human but impressive Lois Lane. This is part of what makes them such an interesting couple. One thing the two have in common is that they are both extraordinary characters in their own ways.

This was especially obvious in the early years of the comic book and first adaptations when Lois was unusual for being an ambitious career woman. In some Superman movies she is not shown as much more than the superhero’s girlfriend but in other incarnations, like Superman (1978) starring Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder, Lois is a strong, smart, well-defined character who brings a lot to the film beyond her role as a love interest.

While this franchise is usually labeled action-adventure or sci-fi, according to Park Ridge Classic Film, “It’s also a great love story. Even with all the striking set pieces that come to mind, fans equally embrace the film for the romance between Superman and Lois Lane.”^[7]

3 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

There were actually two romances in Peter Jackson’s 2001 adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic novel The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, but only one of the couples is interspecies. Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is a mortal man, while his love interest, Arwen (Liv Tyler), is an elf woman who is immortal.

Instead of adding their story as an epilogue to the film, the way it was in the novel, these two important characters are woven into the entire cinematic trilogy. An article in Collider says: “Besides being a savvy screenwriting choice, this change did provide some genuinely exciting and beautiful moments for each individual film.”

Often, the main focus of love between two species is the differences between them, but in this tale, the sacrifices the characters make for one another are the most compelling part of their relationship. Despite being placed in the appendix of the novel, Aragorn and Arwen are considered crucial to The Lord of the Rings.^[8]

2 Beauty and the Beast

There have been countless adaptations and reinterpretations of the classic fable Beauty and the Beast, which remains a beloved story since it was originally published in the mid-eighteenth century. The most memorable screen version is likely the classic 1991 Disney animated musical Beauty and the Beast, which quickly spawned a hit Broadway adaptation. In 2017, a live-action feature film version was made starring Emma Watson as the lovely, intelligent Belle, held captive by the fearsome Beast, played by Dan Stevens.

Several things about this fairy tale have intrigued readers and audiences over time, including the concept of a beautiful woman choosing to be with a man who resembles a hideous animal, which is seen as proof of true love. The story is also appealing because Belle is able to see past his appearance and menacing demeanor to the soul of this cursed prince. The most touching aspect of Beauty and the Beast may be how The Beast is emotionally and even physically transformed by love.^[9]

1 The Shape of Water

In the 2017 sci-fi fantasy The Shape of Water, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, a compelling though improbable romance unfolds between a mute cleaning woman, Elisa (Sally Hawkins), and a mysterious amphibious man in 1962 Baltimore. One thing the two characters have in common is that they are both isolated misfits in society, suffering from loneliness.

Her emotional connection to this unique scaled creature, who has been transported from South America to the top-secret government lab where she works, brings Elisa to life. However, there is more at stake than the couple’s burgeoning relationship. The mysterious humanoid who is being studied at the lab is at the mercy of the movie’s real monster, the brutish new director of the facility, Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon). There are also uncomfortable sexual undertones in Richard’s interactions with Elisa.

While there is often a third character in this genre who represents a romantic rival for the non-human character, he is more of a predator in this case, mistreating his vulnerable employee, Elisa, who does not appear to return his interest. Doug Jones’s portrayal of the amphibious man is key to helping audiences accept this as a love story. Describing Jones’s performance in a review of the film for The Northerner, Jude Noel says, “The beast moves with a grotesque grace that makes its romance with Esposito believable.”

Though the creature can be savage at times, he also has the capacity to be startlingly human, even deeply soulful, which helps audiences to understand Elisa’s feelings for him.^[10]