Highlights

• Fans of post-apocalyptic movies can explore a variety of survival scenarios, from zombies to natural disasters.
• Recent decades have seen a rise in well-directed "wasteland" films highlighting human adaptability in the face of chaos.
• Legendary actors like Denzel Washington and Will Smith star in action-packed post-apocalyptic films with gripping twists.

Human civilization lives with the haunting understanding that life will one day end and the sci-fi genre has dutifully explored the survivability of this concept with a number of fan-favorite movies set after the looming end of society for whatever reason, be it natural disasters, man-made wars or Hollywood's fascination with zombie apocalypses. While fans have seen a number of legendary post-apocalyptic movies over the years, the last couple of decades has showcased some of the best "wasteland" movies in the genre as viewers continue to imagine their inevitable end and new beginnings that highlight the strength and adaptability of the human race.

The idea of an apocalypse is horrifying, but viewers are still interested in seeing the various ways in which the human race can meet its eventual demise and how survivors struggle to make ends meet while trying to seek shelter or refuge of any sort. Numerous post-apocalyptic movies have been made in the 21st century that are absolutely brilliant in their own right, and viewers who want to see well-directed movies with excellent acting will be more than pleased by what's on offer in these titles.

Updated on March 1, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: The post-apocalyptic genre has become oddly alluring, with people loving how fascinating it is to see humans fight to survive after an event that destroys almost all of civilization and forces everyone to show their ability to persevere. There are many great movies that make the most of this concept to entice viewers, with some post-apocalyptic movies being great pieces of cinema that fans of good films should definitely check out. This is particularly true of the 21st-century, which has seen a major upswing in post-apocalyptic storytelling. As such, a couple more movies have been added to this list to give readers more things to watch as Summer approaches.

25 The Day After Tomorrow

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

While 2004's The Day After Tomorrow, from director Roland Emmerich, may be better classified as a disaster movie, the arctic superstorm that creates a new ice age on Earth that the cast is attempting to survive showcases the beginnings of a post-apocalyptic world.

Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal starred as a separated father and son attempt to survive the sudden apocalyptic storms while society struggles to cope with the dramatic climate shift that devastates half the planet.

24 Bird Box

IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

Bird Box is a unique movie with a brilliant premise that borders on cosmic and Lovecraftian horror. It tells the tale of a mother who tries to bring herself and her two children into a shelter after an unknown force destroys Earth.

The fact that no one knows what this force is makes it even more horrifying. Bird Box plays off this premise brilliantly, even though it might falter later down the line.

23 This Is The End

IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

This is the End is one of the most hilarious post-apocalypse movies ever made. The star-studded cast plays fictional versions of themselves who get trapped in the events of a biblical apocalypse.

It's a hilarious movie that doesn't fear crossing any lines with some of its grosser scenes. This is the End never fails to entertain the audience and is a great post-apocalyptic movie in its own right.

22 Warm Bodies

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

There aren't many movies that try to tell a sweet romantic story using the setting of a zombie apocalypse, but this is precisely what makes Warm Bodies such a unique experience. A romance between a human and a zombie shouldn't work, so it's a testament to Warm Bodies' heart that this ends up being the driving force of the movie.

It helps that the movie has its fair share of hilarious moments to add some levity to the situation. Without them, Warm Bodies would've been far too dreary and likely would have failed as an entertaining movie, which makes the amalgamation of genres so important for this fun film.

21 The Book Of Eli

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Denzel Washington starred in 2010's The Book of Eli by directors Albert and Allen Hughes which followed Washington's Eli as he traveled across a dry and arid wasteland years after a nuclear apocalypse devastated the world.

Eli is a well-trained fighter and survivalist on an important mission which makes him a target of a local warlord (Gary Oldman) who is searching for a book that is in Eli's possession. The Book of Eli is action-packed and features a gut-wrenching twist that makes it one of the best post-apocalyptic movies of the last decade.

20 28 Weeks Later

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

The sequel to 28 Days Later may not live up to the quality of the first film, but that doesn't mean this movie isn't worth checking out. With its unique spin on zombified humans, represented through a Rage Virus to send humans into a state of anger, 28 Weeks Later focuses on the fallout of this pandemic.

This thrilling film features many great scenes and enthralling storylines, with the standout being the absurdly intense opening sequence, that even if the first movie connected more with viewers, the sequel still has plenty to enjoy. 28 Weeks Later is a worthy sequel that any fan of the first movie should check out.

19 World War Z

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Brad Pitt has proven time and time again why he's one of the biggest draws at the box office. His mere presence elevated the quality of World War Z, which was a pretty decent movie and wouldn't have been all that notable without the work of this legendary actor.

The movie takes a look at the onset of a zombie apocalypse, which was a really popular genre at the time. The idea of seeing a zombie movie now may seem tiring, but World War Z does just enough to be an exciting movie in its own right.

18 Dredd

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

A new adaptation of 2000 A.D.'s incredibly popular Judge Dredd comic series was released in 2012. Dredd, by director Pete Travis (and Alex Garland, unofficially), stars Karl Urban in a comics-accurate portrayal of the titular character.

Dredd takes place in the future of MegaCity-One, a massive overpopulated nationwide city surrounded by a nuclear wasteland and protected by an army of Judges who also serve as jury and executioner when dealing with the many different types of futuristic criminals.

17 Snowpiercer

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Bong-Joon Ho directed 2013's Snowpiercer, an adaptation of the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige that takes place on the titular train as it carries the last surviving vestiges of humanity across a never-ending global track that spans a frozen world.

Chris Evans stars as the leader of a rebellion that begins to make its way up the train cars through the segregated class system of the cars as he discovers the dark secrets of the Snowpeircer train and the frozen world they created while trying to fix the damage humans had already done.

16 The Matrix Reloaded

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

The Matrix is easily one of the most iconic movies ever made, introducing a sci-fi dystopian reality that many people continue to be fascinated by to this day. If the setting itself wasn't tantalizing enough as is, then the Wachowski sisters also added a wealth of excellent fights that were choreographed in a truly brilliant manner. So, it's easy to see why people were hyped to the moon and back for The Matrix Reloaded prior to its release.

While the movie wasn't as beloved as its predecessor, viewers loved the exploration of human society in the real world while Neo's powers as The One made his excursions into the Matrix pretty interesting in their own right. The movie ends on a cliffhanger, and no one expected The Matrix Revolutions to be of such poor quality, ending the series on a rather tepid note. Thankfully, the iconic imagery of The Matrix has endured to this day, and fans still love the first two movies to bits.

15 The Hunger Games

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Jennifer Lawrence got to shine in her breakout role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. The first movie thrusts people into a twisted game where two tributes from each district are chosen to take part in the titular Hunger Games, which pits these people in a fight against each other to death simply to amuse the rich.

The Hunger Games has a great concept that is executed pretty well, with the movie having several stellar highlights of its own. It's a shame that the later films didn't live up to the impressive standards set by its predecessor.

14 I Am Legend

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

2007's adaptation of Richard Matheson's legendary sci-fi novel I Am Legend, from director Francis Lawrence, stars Will Smith as Robert Neville, a virologist with the U.S. Army who also happens to be immune to the virus that decimated humanity.

Neville spends his days on the abandoned streets of New York City missing the lost society he still finds himself surrounded in while also hunting down dangerous infected humans known as Darkseekers in order to hopefully find a cure and save the human race, though he soon discovers he might not be as alone as he once thought.

13 The Road

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic thriller The Road was adapted in 2009 by director John Hillcoat and follows a father and son as they spend months together traveling through the wastelands of the former United States.

The world was previously decimated by an unknown disaster that wiped out most of the population and caused a number of survivors to resort to cannibalism, making the pair's trek towards the sea to escape the harsh winters even more dangerous and full of despair, which is well-captured by leads Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee. This is an incredibly bleak post-apocalyptic representation, but one that is all the more affecting because of how hopeless the characters' journey feels.

12 Dawn Of The Dead

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Zack Snyder has been criticized time and time again for promoting style over substance in his movies, but this certainly works in favor of films where this kind of direction is welcome. Such is the case with Dawn of the Dead, his directorial debut that many people consider to be one of his best movies to date, which is a testament to how well this movie holds up to this day.

Serving as a remake of George Romero's masterpiece, Dawn of the Dead may not live up to the standards of its inspiration but it is still a great watch. While the horror elements of this film may be severely downplayed, the stylistic action certainly makes for a great watch. As long as viewers don't mind underdeveloped characters playing a central role in this film, they'll be more than happy with what's on offer here.

11 Zombieland

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Rueben Fleischer directed 2007's Zombieland, which stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse that ravaged the world who find each other as they travel across the United States.

While Zombieland definitely explored a world reeling from a zombie apocalypse, it was done in a comedic, real-world way that both hilariously and emotionally captured the desensitized lives of normal, everyday zombie killers.

10 A Quiet Place

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

A Quiet Place is a movie that's awfully similar to Bird Box, although some consider it to be far superior. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski absolutely shine in their roles in this horror flick.

The movie has a chilling premise, revolving around a bunch of blind monsters who hunt through sound alone. This leads to some extremely tense moments that are easily the best parts of this film, with the main characters being forces to hold their breath and move as noiselessly as possible in order to survive.

9 28 Days Later

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

One of the most iconic post-apocalyptic horror movies ever made, fans of Cillian Murphy will love watching this actor play a lead role in a movie that continues to be one of the best zombie movies that viewers can check out for themselves. The fact that the director, Danny Boyle, doesn't even consider this movie to be a zombie film at heart is a testament to how brilliant its themes really are.

The political allegories and moments of calm serenity present in this movie make it a great watch in every way. 28 Days Later can be a tough watch at times, but the brilliant direction and enlightening events present in this movie make it worth watching for anyone who's a fan of deep, intricate themes told in a post-apocalyptic setting.

8 Train To Busan

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Train to Busan is a Korean movie that is surprisingly beautiful, given its subject matter. Any person even remotely familiar with Korean media knows just how much they obsess over zombies.

Train to Busan is easily the most high-profile Korean zombie movie out there, featuring ample amounts of gore along with its fair share of emotional moments as well. Gong Yoo proves once again why he's the most well-known Korean actor in the world.

7 Edge Of Tomorrow

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

Edge of Tomorrow came out of nowhere and wowed fans with just how original and exciting its concept was. The movie presented itself as nothing more than a sci-fi action flick before implementing a time loop that is genuinely engrossing.

The movie is based on a manga, but many people feel that the former eclipses its source material in many ways. Tom Cruise is a master of his craft, and his performance in Edge of Tomorrow is pretty incredible as well.

6 Children Of Men

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

Alfonso Cuarón directed 2006's Children of Men, which takes place in a society nearing its end after decades of infertility threatens humanity with extinction, resulting in an increasingly lawless post-apocalyptic society at odds with the remaining government.

As countries tighten borders and refuse entry to refugees that would stretch dwindling resources, Clive Owen stars as a civil servant fighting to get a recently discovered pregnant woman to safety in order to help ensure the survival of the human race.