Top 10 Deadliest Movie Viruses

Thank goodness THESE viruses are fictional. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 deadly movie viruses

For this list, we’re looking at the deadliest, scariest fictional viruses in feature films. We’ll be excluding viruses from TV shows and miniseries.

“REC” (2007)
A virus that turns ordinary people into savage killers is bad enough. But being trapped inside a sealed-off building with the infected? Now that’s nightmare fuel. When reporter Angela Vidal and her cameraman Pablo follow a group of firefighters into an apartment building on a routine call, the last thing they expect is to face the fallout of a rabies-like virus. The result of a mutated enzyme, the epidemic in this Spanish found-footage film will send chills down the spines of even the bravest of viewers. Throw in “REC’s” shaky cameras and claustrophobic setting, and you’ll be squirming in your seat.

“12 Monkeys” (1995)
The virus in Terry Gilliam’s dark science-fiction flick is so potent that it wipes out 5 billion people. In fact, the survivors are forced to live underground to escape its effects. What’s even scarier is that it was pieced together and released on purpose, purportedly to save the environment. Bruce Willis plays a convict sent from 2035 to the 1990s in an effort to stop the virus. It’s thought to have been released by eco-terrorists known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys, but it turns out the Twelve Monkeys are a red herring - and the virus is unstoppable.

“I Am Legend” (2007)
Based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel, “I Am Legend” also explores the perils of an engineered virus. The premise of this post-apocalyptic thriller is that in order to cure cancer, scientists genetically re-engineered a measles virus. The consequences? 90% of the world’s population dead, and most of those remaining transformed into cannibal mutants allergic to sunlight. Played by Will Smith, virologist Robert Neville is one of the only humans in the devastated cityscape of Manhattan to survive. It’s a bleak vision of the future, but there is some hope, as Neville continues to search for survivors and a cure.

“Mimic” (1997)
Guillermo del Toro’s scifi horror hammers home the same moral as our previous entries: don’t meddle too much with mother nature. Named “Strickler’s disease”, the epidemic in “Mimic” is carried by cockroaches, and disproportionately claims victims under 10. In this case, however, the cure might actually be worse than the disease. To rid Manhattan of the disease, entomologist Susan Tyler (played by Mira Sorvino) engineers an insect that kills off cockroaches. It works, but there’s an unfortunate side-effect: the insects mutate, becoming freakishly large, and gaining the ability to mimic the human form.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011)
Damn it people, are you not listening to us? Stop engineering viruses! Mind you, James Franco’s character Will Rodman means well. This “Planet of the Apes” reboot sees Rodman testing a viral-based drug on chimpanzees to cure Alzheimer’s. It’s effective, but only for a while. The problems start when a more powerful, gaseous version of the drug is created. While it enhances simian intelligence, it’s absolutely lethal for humans. ALZ-113 spreads rapidly, leading to an ape uprising, and eventually killing off 99% of the human race. Talk about side-effects!

“The Andromeda Strain” (1971)
This virus-like alien pathogen takes out its victims in a particularly grisly way: by causing their blood to crystallize inside their veins. Based on Michael Crichton’s 1969 novel, the film follows a team of scientists investigating a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism that crashlands on Earth. Seen from close-up, it’s green and pulsating, emphasizing its alien origins. What’s scarier is that it can mutate to change its function, for example to degrade synthetic materials and escape containment! This makes it almost unstoppable, posing a threat to human life as we know it!

“Resident Evil” (2002)
A staple of many sci-fi horror flicks, viruses that turn people into zombies never lose their ability to scare the living daylights out of us. “Resident Evil’s” Tyrant Virus - or T-Virus for short - is a particularly nasty example. Engineered to cure crippling diseases, it not only kills and re-animates its victims, but can also mutate hosts into horrible monsters. Worst, it’s easily transmissible - able to change form and spread through fluid or air. Of course, this bioweapon soon gets out of control, plunging the world into an apocalyptic nightmare. You know a virus is resilient when its movie spawns FIVE sequels!

“28 Days Later” (2002)
When it comes to movie viruses, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. In Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic horror film “28 Days Later”, a group of animal liberation activists just want to free some hapless chimpanzees. However, scientists have infected the chimps with a virus that causes uncontrollable rage. Transmitted through blood and saliva, the virus quickly turns strangers, friends, and loved ones against each other, leading to the complete collapse of society. By the time protagonist Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) wakes up in a hospital, London is all but deserted. The only ones left? A few survivors and “28 Days Later’s” terrifying “fast zombies”!

“Outbreak” (1995)
Based on real research into viral hemorrhagic fevers, Wolfgang Petersen’s “Outbreak” explores what might happen if such a disease began to spread in the US. Originating in the jungle in Zaire, the Ebola-like “Motaba” causes a deadly fever, and spreads like wildfire. Initially thought suppressed, the virus arrives in the US thanks to an infected capuchin monkey. It soon mutates, becoming airborne. From that point on, the virus is almost impossible to stop. What’s most terrifying is perhaps the virus’ rapid spread, and the realism of its symptoms. That, and the frightening reaction of the military, who propose bombing an infected village.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Sheep Virus
“Black Sheep” (2006)

Virus in Pontypool
“Pontypool” (2008)

The Carnosaur Virus
“Carnosaur” (1993)

The Fever
“Cabin Fever” (2002)

The Reaper Virus
“Doomsday” (2008)

“Contagion” (2011)
There’s a simple reason why the deadly virus in this action thriller from director Steven Soderbergh tops our list, and that is believability. With a rare positive reaction from both critics and scientists, there is not a scene in the film that feels contrived. Evolved from a combination of genetic material from pig and bat viruses, the flu-like virus MEV-1 spreads rapidly while a team of medical personnel race the clock to develop a vaccine. Part of the film's gritty realism no doubt comes from the extensive research done to create it, as well as consultations with medical experts and representatives from the World Health Organization.