21 Post-Apocalyptic Movies For Fans Of HBO's "The Last Of Us"

    Fans of HBO's latest hit series should seek out these memorable end-of-the-world films...

    Ken W. Hanley
    by Ken W. Hanley

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Video game adaptations rarely strike a chord on the big or small screen, but The Last of Us has become the latest HBO sensation, bringing forth the popular game's emotional core story with enough differences to keep things unpredictable.

    HBO

    But The Last of Us has had good company over the years, as the post-apocalyptic thriller genre has produced many compelling films. With this in mind, I've assembled more than 20 post-apocalyptic thrillers that fans of The Last of Us will absolutely appreciate.

    1. The Road

    A haggard man and a young boy stand on a beach near a cart with all of their belongings
    Dimension Films / 2929 Productions / Maximum Film / Alamy

    Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, and Robert Duvall
    Director: John Hillcoat
    Runtime: 110 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Adapted from the notoriously bleak Cormac McCarthy novel, The Road follows an ailing father who must raise and defend his son against the dangerous, post-apocalyptic world around them, including roaming gangs of cannibals and desperate scavengers. A haunting and very intense film at times, The Road remains one of the most respected and mature end-of-the-world films ever produced, with Mortensen and Smit-McPhee's performances particularly praised for their raw depiction of hope amid unyielding hopelessness.

    2. The Day

    A small militia walks down an remote road leading into the woods
    Anchor Bay Films / Cinematic Collection / Alamy

    Cast: Shawn Ashmore, Ashley Bell, Dominic Monaghan, and Michael Eklund
    Director: Douglas Aarniokoski
    Runtime: 90 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A rare blend of post-apocalyptic thriller and hard-hitting siege film, The Day surrounds a band of five survivors who attempt to find food and shelter, only to be trapped by a cannibal gang, whose attacks uncover secrets and sew distrust among the group. The film prioritizes action over emotion, but the film is definitely an entertaining watch that introduces interpersonal dynamics and narrative turns that keep things relatively unpredictable.

    3. The Girl with All the Gifts

    An elderly woman crouches next to a young girl covered in dried blood wearing a transparent mask
    Saban Films / Atlaspix / Alamy

    Cast: Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Sennia Nanua, and Glenn Close
    Director: Colm McCarthy
    Runtime: 111 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Based on the sci-fi horror novel from M.R. Carey (who wrote the screenplay as well), The Girl with All the Gifts bares many similarities to The Last of Us, as it centers on a future in which a parasitic fungus has turned most of humanity into voracious, mindless zombies. However, the story goes even further, diving into the next generation of children, who crave flesh but can think and learn, and the bond between a group of those children and a group of researchers hoping to find a cure to save mankind.

    4. Children of Men

    A beaten man and a young woman with her baby walk past a line of soldiers
    Universal Pictures / AJ Pics / Alamy

    Cast: Clive Owen, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Julianne Moore
    Director: Alfonso Cuarón
    Runtime: 109 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Voted as the 13th best film of the 21st Century in 2016, Alfonso Cuarón's post-apocalyptic drama is a masterpiece of tense and gripping storytelling, showcasing the treacherous journey of a former activist tasked with protecting the first pregnant woman in nearly 20 years. Technically astounding and brilliantly written, Children of Men notably helped popularized single-shot action sequences and set forth a visual palette for almost every post-apocalyptic film released since.

    5. The Book of Eli

    A man in a dirty coat with sunglasses walks down a long, colorless road
    Alcon Entertainment / Cinematic Collection / Alamy

    Cast: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, and Tom Waits
    Directors: Albert and Allen Hughes
    Runtime: 112 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Directed by the Hughes brothers of Dead Presidents' fame, The Book of Eli is an entertaining post-apocalyptic road movie that draws from westerns, samurai films, and shoot-'em-up action fare in its tale of a man possessing a highly-coveted book after America falls into a nuclear winter. Anchored by Denzel Washington as the titular character, The Book of Eli is dark and demented at times yet undoubtedly fun throughout, especially once the largely obvious twist is revealed.

    6. Snowpiercer

    A group of haggard citizens assemble in a confined space
    RadiusTWC / Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy

    Cast: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, and Ed Harris
    Director: Bong Joon-ho
    Runtime: 125 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Before he claimed a wealth of Oscar gold with Parasite, director Bong Joon-ho crafted this truly riveting action epic that takes place on a train that hosts the last vestiges of mankind and the class revolution that violently spreads from car to car. Starring Chris Evans in a role I'm sure must have pleased the Marvel brass, Snowpiercer shares a similar tone and visual scheme to The Last of Us while the film's innovative set pieces keep a tight grip on the audience.

    7. I Am Legend

    A man and his dog stare incredulously in an abandoned city street
    Warner Bros. / Cinematic Collection / Alamy

    Cast: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok, and Charlie Tahan
    Director: Francis Lawrence
    Runtime: 101 Minutes
    Rating: PG-13
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Adapted from Richard Matheson's seminal novel, I Am Legend follows the last living human in New York who hopes to develop a cure to a virus that has turned most of humanity into aggressive nocturnal mutants. Perhaps the most successful post-apocalyptic thriller of all time, earning more than three times its $150 million budget worldwide, the journey of Will Smith's Robert Neville will absolutely ring familiar for fans of The Last of Us, even if it may be more sanitized for a PG-13 rating. 

    8. The Domestics

    A woman attached to a barbaric trap angrily points a gun at her captors
    Hollywood Gang Productions / Album / Alamy

    Cast: Kate Bosworth, Tyler Hoechlin, Sonoya Mizuno, and Lance Reddick
    Director: Mike P. Nelson
    Runtime: 95 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A bloody and somewhat bizarre hybrid of action and horror, The Domestics takes place in an America divided into gang warfare following a chemical weapons attack on the populace and a nearly estranged couple that must navigate through a terrifying new reality. It may not be the most subtle and original take on the genre, pulling much inspiration from the likes of The Purge and Mad Max, but there's a free-for-all element of The Domestics that feels oddly akin to the atmosphere of The Last of Us.

    9. 28 Days Later

    Three people with handheld weapons await something concerning while in a tunnel
    20th Century Fox / AJ Pics / Alamy

    Cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, and Christopher Eccleston
    Director: Danny Boyle
    Runtime: 112 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A groundbreaking zombie film from celebrated filmmaker Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, 28 Days Later follows a young man who wakes from a coma to discover a “rage virus” ravaged society, putting him on a path of desperation and survival alongside a ragtag group of like-minded individuals. Garnering more than 10 times its budget, 28 Days Later essentially relaunched and redefined the genre in the early ‘00s, directly inspiring the subsequent Dawn of the Dead remake and popularizing the depiction of the “fast zombie.”

    10. 10 Cloverfield Lane

    A terrified woman stares out of a vestibule with a man behind a steel door peering over her shoulder
    Paramount Pictures / Entertainment Pictures / Alamy

    Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr., and Suzanne Cryer
    Director: Dan Trachtenberg
    Runtime: 103 Minutes
    Rating: PG-13
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A post-apocalyptic thriller that trades bleak survivalism for tangible paranoia, 10 Cloverfield Lane follows a young woman on the run from a bad relationship who wakes up from a car accident in a bunker with a strange man claiming there has been an alien invasion on the surface. Putting Prey director Dan Trachtenberg on the map, 10 Cloverfield Lane offers top-tier performances, brilliant limited-location storytelling, and stylistic flourishes that make it stand out among its peers.

    11. Army of the Dead

    A young woman with a gun walks carefully through a hallway of zombies
    The Stone Quarry / Album / Alamy

    Cast: Dave Bautista, Omari Hardwick, Ella Purnell, and Ana de la Reguera
    Director: Zack Snyder
    Runtime: 148 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A sprawling spectacle that brought Zack Snyder back to the world of the undead after 15 years, Army of the Dead follows a group of mercenaries hired to recover $200 million from a casino in zombie-infested Las Vegas while a family issue raises the stakes for the team’s leader. Bringing in sentient and uber-powerful zombies into the equation, the carnage and outstanding digital effects are sure to grab the attention of fans of The Last of Us.

    12. It Comes at Night

    A makeshift family gathers around for dinner in a dimly lit room illuminated by a lantern
    A24 / Lifestyle Pictures / Alamy

    Cast: Joel Edgerton, Riley Keough, Carmen Ejogo, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
    Director: Trey Edward Shults
    Runtime: 97 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A divisive post-apocalyptic thriller from the director of Krisha, It Comes at Night follows a reclusive and paranoid family in a remote cabin during a deadly viral outbreak who reluctantly allow a desperate family into their home. Though It Comes at Night isn’t the most exciting or even scary film in the genre, it does explore the disquieting moments and questions that one often does not consider about an end-of-the-world scenario, including the invisible threats within your own home.

    13. Stake Land

    A young man removes a stake from the chest of a vampire’s corpse near a dirt road
    Dark Sky Films / Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy

    Cast: Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, Danielle Harris, and Kelly McGillis
    Director: Jim Mickle
    Runtime: 96 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Doing for the vampire genre what The Walking Dead did for the zombie genre, Stake Land also has the older mentor/young companion dynamic of The Last of Us with a similar bleakness and shock factor. Moreover, Stake Land is bolstered by astounding cinematography, inspired direction, and extraordinary performances, especially by the dynamic duo of Connor Paolo and Nick Damici.

    14. A Quiet Place

    A woman attempts to hush her daughter near radio equipment in a basement
    Paramount Pictures / Lifestyle Pictures / Alamy

    Cast: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe
    Director: John Krasinski
    Runtime: 90 Minutes
    Rating: PG-13
    Rotten Tomatoes

    In many ways, one could say that A Quiet Place could have been inspired by The Last of Us, at least in terms of visual aesthetic, but the film’s inventive sci-fi/horror concept and presentation was a massive hit at the box office, especially for an original property. As such, A Quiet Place has become an unlikely franchise for Paramount Pictures, ensuring new entries to hit in the coming years, which should be interesting to see how it plays against future seasons and games in The Last of Us franchise.

    15. A Boy and His Dog

    A young man in a filthy chair stares in the distance next to his shaggy dog
    LQ/Jaf Productions / United Archives GmbH / Alamy / Impress

    Cast: Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Alvy Moore, and Jason Robards
    Director: L.Q. Jones
    Runtime: 91 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    One of the first major post-apocalyptic survival stories to hit the big screen, this adaptation of Harlan Ellison's 1969 novella follows a teenage boy (played by a young Don Johnson) who attempts to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland alongside his telepathic dog. An eccentric and often humorous take on the post-apocalyptic thriller, this cult classic is also renowned for having inspired the Fallout game series.

    16. The Battery

    Two men sit patiently by an empty home on the edge of a forest
    FilmBuff / Via youtube.com

    Cast: Jeremy Gardner, Adam Cronheim, Alana O’Brien, and Larry Fessenden
    Director: Jeremy Gardner
    Runtime: 101 Minutes
    Rating: Not Rated
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A slow-burn, introspective take on the zombie apocalypse film, The Battery was the directorial debut of visionary genre director Jeremy Gardner, who co-stars as one of two young men who find themselves as unlikely companions searching for any salvation from their dangerous, nomadic lifestyle. The Battery may test your patience at times, but for those who were drawn in by the kinship between Ellie and Joel in such dire straits, you may see many of the same emotional hallmarks between the central characters of this indie darling.

    17. Night of the Comet

    Two teenage girls hold machine guns in an empty city street
    Thomas Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt Productions / United Archives GmbH / Alamy

    Cast: Kelli Maroney, Catherine Mary Stewart, Mary Woronov, and Geoffrey Lewis
    Director: Thom Eberhardt
    Runtime: 93 Minutes
    Rating: PG-13
    Rotten Tomatoes

    Three SoCal teenagers take on zombies, ruthless raiders, and mad scientists in this ‘80s post-apocalyptic cult classic. Though it may be more colorful and less gruesome than other films on this list, Night of the Comet is a hell of a good time, and its focus on the sisterhood between the leads within a post-apocalyptic urban landscape occasionally evokes some similar themes from The Last of Us.

    18. Carriers

    Three strangers holding various household objects stand near the open trunk of an extermination van
    Magnolia Pictures / Cinematic Collection / Alamy

    Cast: Chris Pine, Lou Taylor Pucci, Piper Perabo, and Emily VanCamp
    Directors: Alex Pastor and David Pastor
    Runtime: 84 Minutes
    Rating: PG-13
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A critically acclaimed road thriller that has largely flown under the radar, Carriers is a post-apocalyptic horror thriller that follows a pair of brothers and their two friends who struggle to abide by strict survival rules while traveling to a childhood vacation home during a world-ravaging viral outbreak. Bleak and intense, this film doesn’t rewrite the rulebook of post-apocalyptic thrillers but is frequently engaging and accentuates the predictable action with exceptional performances.

    19. The Signal (2007)

    Four young people with bleach, a gas canister, a gun and surgical masks stand in the middle of a desert road
    Paramount Vantage / AJ Pics / Alamy

    Cast: Justin Welborn, Anessa Ramsey, AJ Bowen, and Scott Poythress
    Directors: David Bruckner, Jacob Gentry, and Dan Bush
    Runtime: 101 Minutes
    Rating: R
    Rotten Tomatoes

    A three-headed post-apocalyptic anthology film, The Signal follows two lovers who must reunite after society falls apart upon the broadcast of a mysterious signal that turns people into murderous and delusional maniacs. Anchored by a unique visual style and the unusual yet effective balance of tones between each segment, The Signal is one of the most impressive low-budget apocalypse thrillers and helped launch the careers of both director David Bruckner (The Ritual, The Night House) and AJ Bowen (You’re Next, The House of the Devil).

    20. Z for Zachariah

    A woman with a rifle kneels near a bush with her spotted dog
    Lucky Hat Entertainment / Album / Alamy

    Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, and Chris Pine
    Director: Craig Zobel
    Runtime: 97 Minutes
    Rating: PG-13
    Rotten Tomatoes

    From the director of the disturbing thriller masterpiece Compliance, Z for Zachariah is adapted from the book by Robert C. O’Brien, which surrounds a young apocalypse survivor (Margot Robbie) who finds herself in a tense and volatile love triangle between a science-minded engineer (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and a spiritually devout stranger (Chris Pine). A three-person slow-burn drama, the film mines its tension not from outside forces but rather the developing animosity between the suitors and the inherent distrust among one another.

    21. The Wandering Earth

    A man in an astronaut suit stares up during a wintery storm
    China Film Group Corporation / Lou Linwei / Alamy

    Cast: Guangjie Li, Chuxiao Qu, Jing Wu, and Jiayin Lei
    Director: Frant Gwo
    Runtime: 125 Minutes
    Rating: Not Rated
    Rotten Tomatoes

    The fifth highest-grossing film of all time in its native country of China, The Wandering Earth follows a future in which mankind has gone underground after the dying Sun forces the entirety of Earth to migrate the planet outside of the solar system. When a freak accident puts the Earth on a collision course with another planet, a team (which, incidentally, includes an estranged father and son) is assembled for an emergency mission that would restart a failing engine. With state-of-the-art special effects and an imaginative, ambitious narrative, The Wandering Earth is also surprisingly emotional at times, even in spite of the spectacle on display.