This is a list of films based on non-fiction articles published in periodicals such as magazines or newspapers. See also List of films based on short fiction.

  • A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – "Can You Say Hero", Esquire, November 1998 – Tom Junod
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street – "Medical Experts Seek Clues to ‘Nightmare Deaths’ That Strike Male Asian Refugees", Los Angeles Times, January 11, 1987 – Larry Doyle
  • Adaptation – "Orchid Fever", The New Yorker, January 23, 1995 – Susan Orlean
  • All the President's Men – "GOP Security Aide Among Five Arrested in Bugging Affair", The Washington Post, 1972 – Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein
  • Biker Boyz – "Biker Boyz", New Times Los Angeles, April 2000 – Michael Gougis
  • The Bling Ring – "The Suspects Wore Louboutins", Vanity Fair, March 2010 – Nancy Jo Sales
  • Deepwater Horizon – “Deepwater Horizon’s Final Hours”, New York Times, December 25, 2010 – David Barstow, David Rohde, and Stephanie Saul
  • Dog Day Afternoon – "The Boys in the Bank", Life, September 22, 1972 – P. F. Kluge & Thomas Moore
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", Rolling Stone, November 11 & November 25, 1971 – Hunter S. Thompson
  • Only the Brave – "No Exit", GQ, September 27, 2013 – Sean Flynn<!-- Not the photojournalist as they are deceased-->
  • Our Friend – "The Friend: Love Is Not a Big Enough Word", Esquire, May 10, 2015 – Matthew Teague
  • Pain and Gain – Series of articles in Miami New Times – Pete Collins
  • Perfect – Series of articles in Rolling Stone – Aaron Latham
  • The Perfect Storm – "The Storm", Outside Magazine, October 1994 – Sebastian Junger
  • A Private War – "Marie Colvin's Private War" Vanity Fair, August 2012 – Marie Brenner
  • Proof of Life – "Adventures in the Ransom Trade" Vanity Fair, May 1998 – William Prochnau
  • Pushing Tin – "Something's Got to Give", The New York Times Magazine, March 24, 1996 – Darcy Frey
  • Radio – "Someone to Lean On", Sports Illustrated, December 16, 1996 – Gary Smith
  • Searching For Bobby Fischer – "Fathering a Chess Prodigy", The New York Times Magazine, July 21, 1985 – Fred Waitzkin
  • Shattered Glass – "Shattered Glass ", Vanity Fair, September 1998 – Buzz Bissinger
  • Spotlight – "Church Allowed Abuse by Priest for Years", Boston Globe, January 6, 2002– Boston Globe Spotlight Team
  • Tower – "96 Minutes", Texas Monthly, 2006 – Pamela Colloff
  • Urban Cowboy – "The Ballad of the Urban Cowboy: America's Search for True Grit", Esquire, September 12, 1978 – Aaron Latham
  • War Dogs – "The Stoner Arms Dealers: How Two American Kids Became Big-Time Weapons Traders", Rolling Stone, March 16, 2011 – Guy Lawson