Post-apocalypse movies and shows to watch after The Last of Us
- Featured Film
Schenelle Dsouza- 13 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
Every now and then there’s a show so good, that netizens can’t help but obsess over it. And right now, that show is The Last of Us. Based on the 2013 video game with the same name, The Last of Us is in 2023, twenty years into a global pandemic caused by a mutant Cordyceps fungal infection that forces its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures. The story centres on a smuggler named Joel (Pascal) who is tasked with transporting a young girl named Ellie to a lab in the West. Ellie, it turns out, is immune to the virus and so stands as humanity’s great hope for surviving the virus. As the story progresses, the duo travel cross-country encountering relentless violence, gore and horrifying deaths.
Despite the debate about which is better, the series or the game, fans cannot stop gushing over how good the plot of the series actually is. Plus Pedro Pascal! With a bare minimum of six episodes, the series is an enjoyable, albeit quick watch. And if you, like many others, are still stuck with the post-apocalypse haze, then check out these other post-apocalyptic movies and shows that are worth a watch.
28 Days Later
Inspired by George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, this is one of the most memorable yet terrifying zombie movies to date. 28 Days Later follows the familiar trope of a highly contagious virus that turns humans into flesh-eating monsters. Set in Great Britain, the movie stars Cillian Murphy as Jim, a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma to discover he slept through the apocalypse. He later teams up with Selena, a chemist, played by Naomie Harris, and a taxi driver named Frank, played by Brendan Gleeson attempting to survive the virus while battling the dark side of humanity.
Watch online on Disney+ Hotstar
A Quiet Place
One of the more popular survival movies today, A Quiet Place, directed by John Krasinski features some of the best jump scares of all time. Krasinski himself stars as Lee Abbott who along with his wife Evelyn and their children struggle to survive in a world invaded by blind but noise-sensitive monsters. And so, to avoid being discovered, the family is forced to communicate in sign language without making the slightest bit of sound. With plenty of jumpscares and thrilling moments, A Quiet Place is an entertaining mix of horror and gore. Its ever-growing fanbase led to a second film released in 2020 that explained the creatures’ sudden appearance.
Watch online on Netflix
Children of Men
Based on P. D. James’ 1992 novel of the same name, Children of Men takes place in the future, in the year 2027, where most of humanity has suffered infertility, inching humanity closer to extinction. However, when a woman miraculously becomes pregnant, Thelonius “Theo” Faron, a former activist along with Julian Taylor (played by Julianne Moore) agrees to protect and transport the woman to a sanctuary at sea. In addition to the post-apocalyptic scenario, the film also touches upon themes like faith within religion which adds to the appeal of the film.
Watch online on Prime Video
I Am Legend
Based on the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson, I Am Legend is one of the most successful post-apocalyptic films directed by Francis Lawrence. The film stars Will Smith as U.S. Army virologist Robert Neville. An engineered cure to cancer caused a virus to take out most of humankind, turning others into nocturnal cannibalistic mutants that are sensitive to sunlight. Neville happens to be the sole survivor in New York City with his loyal companion, a German Shepard named Sam. Forced to work alone, Neville works to create the cure before it’s too late.
Watch online on Prime Video
Station Eleven
Another novel turned series by HBO, Station Eleven adapted from Emily St. John Mandel’s novel, focuses on a post-apocalyptic world where survivors of a devastating flu attempt to rebuild their world. The series takes place two decades after the flu pandemic, switch between the past and the present. In the present world, a small percentage of survivors connect as they attempt to rebuild their world while making the most of what was lost. The survivors include members of a theatrical performing troupe and a deadly cult who discover that their lives are interconnected in more ways than one.
Watch online on HBO Max
The Leftovers
Before The Last of Us and Station Eleven, was another popular post-apocalyptic drama called The Leftovers. Unsurprisingly, also based on a 2011 novel of the same name, the series is set three years after a mysterious event wiped out about 2% of the world’s population. In this new form of dystopian reality, religion declines and a host of new cults emerge. The story follows the Garvey family as they attempt to adapt to this new normal. Like Station Eleven, The Leftovers focuses on the aftermath of the apocalypse rather than the apocalypse itself.
Watch online on HBO Max
The Walking Dead
