Top 20 Post-Apocalyptic Movie Worlds

“The Hunger Games” franchise (2012-)

Unlike many other worlds on this list, the post-apocalyptic America of “The Hunger Games” features a coherent and cohesive society. Unfortunately, that society - Panem - is ruled by an authoritarian regime. Panem is richly layered with intricate political dynamics and regional differences. Set in a world ravaged by environmental disaster and societal collapse, Panem is a nation of stark contrasts. The Capitol is opulently wealthy and well-furnished with technology and goods. The other districts, however, are impoverished and struggling. As punishment for a previous rebellion, those districts are forced to sacrifice children every year for lethal blood sport. Both the world and story of “The Hunger Games” resonate with audiences, reflecting on real-world struggles with class, power, and inequality.

“The Postman” (1997)

Though Kevin Costner’s “The Postman” was a box office flop, it’s a film that zeroes in on two interesting aspects of a post-apocalyptic society. The first, and most hilarious, is “What if Tom Petty were your local mayor?” The other - and more important - aspect of the film is its focus on communication. With modern technology eliminated, small settlements of human survivors had no way to communicate with one another. In “The Postman.” Costner’s character takes that responsibility on his shoulders, creating a post-apocalyptic Pony Express. Though he has to deal with the mortal dangers of the wild and bloodthirsty warlords, he eventually succeeds. “The Postman” highlights just how much any society hinges upon our ability to talk to one another.

“Reign of Fire” (2002)

In the history of cinema, the world has ended thanks to viruses, zombies, aliens, or nuclear war time and again. But there haven’t been many films about a dragon apocalypse. In “Reign of Fire,” construction workers in London accidentally release an ancient and fiery plague upon the earth. In less than a generation, most of the armies and civilizations of the world have been incinerated by a horde of dragons. They burn the land to ashes, consuming any life they come across. Human remnants hold on by a thread, often set ablaze any time they establish a foothold in the countryside. The film depicts a bleak and barren world, definitively answering Robert Frost’s question on how the world ends: it ends in fire.

“A Boy and His Dog” (1975)

In a crowded genre, "A Boy and His Dog" stands out as a post-apocalyptic masterpiece. Long before “Fallout,” the film’s unique blend of dark humor and gritty realism was set against an irradiated wasteland. “A Boy and His Dog" is utterly desolate, representing a decaying world destroyed in nuclear fire. The protagonist's bond with his telepathic dog adds a layer of emotional depth and comedy to the bleak atmosphere. The remnants of civilization they do find are equal parts off-putting and hilarious. It's an unforgiving world and their friendship highlights the rarity and importance of companionship and loyalty. The movie is a quirky exploration of morality and survival. For its Cold War audience, it offered a stark and unsettling vision of a possible future.

“A Quiet Place” franchise (2018-)

From the opening scene in the first film, the “Quiet Place" franchise captivated us with its unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre. It features a silent earth, overrun by alien creatures with hypersensitive hearing. The lack of dialogue creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere; after all, silence is not a choice but a necessity. Every creak and rustle of clothing could bring death in its wake, forcing the viewer into a state of unending tension. Humans are a social species, and the silence feels as alien to us as the killer aliens. The combination of innovative premise, unsettling atmosphere, and compelling themes makes the "Quiet Place" franchise a standout in the post-apocalyptic genre.

“The Book of Eli” (2010)

"The Book of Eli" has every ingredient for a good apocalypse tale: a stark and unrelenting environment, settlements ruled by fear and uncertainty, and plenty of rubble. It’s an empty world, and far too many of the people in it are cruel and selfish. Denzel Washington’s Eli, a warrior monk of sorts, crosses this hellscape on a holy quest of preservation. Like the world he traverses, his kindness is too often subsumed by violence and the fight to survive. It's a brutal America, populated by desperate survivors, cannibals, and ruthless gangs. There are remnants struggling to rebuild society, but they are too isolated to secure settlements. Combined with its exploration of faith and redemption, "The Book of Eli" is a compelling and thought-provoking film.

“Snowpiercer” (2013)

There is something oddly compelling about a post-apocalyptic train. The confined spaces turn into a pressure cooker when inhabited by fearful, desperate survivors. In “Snowpiercer,” director Bong Joon-ho uses this setting to full effect. The train Snowpiercer, powered by a perpetual motion machine, endlessly traverses a frozen earth. The train is divided by class: the wealthy elites live in luxury at the front while starving, impoverished masses crowd into squalid conditions at the rear. The comparison to real-world inequality is so clear that “Snowpiercer” is genuinely more simile than metaphor. The film's thought-provoking themes and visually striking design make "Snowpiercer" unique in the post-apocalyptic genre.

“Oblivion” (2013)

Ever wondered what Earth would be like if aliens blew up the Moon? Well, according to “Oblivion,” it would be struck with so many tsunamis and earthquakes that the human race would be forced to evacuate to other celestial bodies. Well, everyone except Tom Cruise. He has to stay and protect the generators that power humanity’s new home on Titan – or so it seems. Cruise’s second film featuring an alien attack, this one shows an Earth far removed from the warzone of “War of the Worlds;” rather, it’s actually a thing of beauty as nature has had a chance to start again over the buried remains of humanity.

“I Am Legend” (2007)

In 1954, author Richard Matheson wrote his harrowing post-apocalyptic novel “I Am Legend.” It was the progenitor of modern post-apocalyptic horror, introducing the idea of a humanity-destroying pandemic into popular culture. It was first adapted into a melodramatic Vincent Price vampire film, “The Last Man on Earth,” a decade later. In 1971, a second adaptation, “The Omega Man,” came out starring Charlton Heston. Forty years later, Will Smith’s version, “I Am Legend,” successfully captured the existential and lonely terror of being a seemingly sole survivor. Smith’s Robert Neville patrols the abandoned streets of an abandoned New York City, desperately trying to cure the virus which decimated mankind. Its haunting, sad tone evokes the emotional truth of living through such a harrowing, isolated existence.

“9” (2009)

“9” is set after the world’s first free-thinking robot has created an army of machines and destroyed all human life. But this film takes place so long after the robot apocalypse that only one machine is left. The only other survivors are nine small, ragdoll-like creatures that each have a portion of a man’s soul inside. And the city in which these creatures roam is just smoking remains. Basically, the whole thing looks like a really depressing level of “Little Big Planet,” and boy, does it leave a lasting impression.

“Waterworld” (1995)

A pet project of Kevin Costner’s, “Waterworld” depicts a future where all the icebergs have melted and the Earth had flooded at the onset of the 21st century. With dry land as just a myth, humanity survives on floating cities and boats. This original take on what a post-apocalyptic world would look like nearly bankrupt Costner, and was the most expensive film ever made when it came out. Regardless, no other movie has tried to showcase an Earth without dry land like this, and to such spectacular effect.

“12 Monkeys” (1995)

The setting of “12 Monkeys” is another unique landscape, but this time it’s one that’s set under Philadelphia in the year 2035. Yes, under. The City of Brotherly Love has been hit with a virus so poisonous that humans have had to make their way under the Earth’s surface to survive. Meanwhile, a criminal played by Bruce Willis is being sent back in time to try and stop it, or at least to help develop a cure. This time traveling element is especially effective in that it allows viewers to see the stark contrast between ‘90s Philly and its barren future.

“The Matrix” franchise (1999-)

What if the world ended and you had no idea? That’s the underlying premise of the Wachowskis' “Matrix” franchise. After having lost a war with sentient AI, human beings were turned into the machine’s power source. To occupy the humans’ minds, they’ve all been plugged into an artificial simulation - our world. Those who live outside the Matrix occupy an underground human city, Zion. These humans live a hard-scrabble life, in constant fear of the machine invasion that will destroy them forever. The surface, meanwhile, is a cold and lightless place. The machine civilization is one of metal, plastic, and tubes favoring function over aesthetics. It’s a technological, eldritch horror, and one we should hope to avoid as real-world AI evolves.

“28 Days Later” (2002)

We all remember the famous shots of an abandoned London in this Danny Boyle-directed flick. Upon waking up from a coma, bicycle courier Jim visits just about every iconic landmark the capital has, as if he’s on a one-man walking tour. But as Jim soon discovers, the city is far from empty. It’s actually full of hordes of aggressive and senseless creatures. No, not tourists. Zombies. The sudden contrast between the seemingly uninhabited city and one bustling with people infected by the Rage virus make this a memorable setting for a horror movie.

“Children of Men” (2006)

Though one may quibble with whether or not Alfonso Cuarón’s “Children of Men” is technically a post-apocalyptic film or not, it remains incredibly dystopic. The human race is on the verge of extinction, having lost the ability to procreate. Economic depression and societal collapse have spread like a contagion, and the last remaining governments are fascistic and violently anti-immigrant. From a quiet, idyllic countryside to the hectic, rubble-strewn streets of a warzone, Cuarón creates an atmosphere running the gamut of human experience. Even small, quiet moments can be annihilated by terrible violence in an instant. While not a horror film, “Children of Men” is steeped in the emotional horror we would all experience in humanity’s waning days.

“The Road” (2009)

This bleak film, based on the Cormac McCarthy book, is set in a world with little flora or fauna. The shortage of food and freezing climate has forced Viggo Mortensen’s character and his son to trek across America. As they travel, the audience is treated to shot after shot of a decaying, desolate country. Abandoned houses, collapsed power lines and bare trees make up this iconic landscape. There are also cannibals. So that’s cool. Or not.

“Mad Max” franchise (1979-)

The Australia depicted in George Miller’s “Mad Max” is the epitome of a post-apocalypse. Miller’s world is a savage, raw, gritty place, forever poised on the edge of collapse and utter annihilation. Its barren wastelands, lawless societies, and scarce resources create a harsh and unforgiving backdrop for his stories of survival and redemption. His iconic vehicles - fueled by desperation, murder, and ingenuity - embody the relentless pursuit of freedom and power in a world where both are rare. The characters are often broken down to their most primal instincts. A will to survive forces every denizen of the wastes to navigate a morally ambiguous hellscape. Violence and chaos reign, and the resilience of the human spirit is put front and center.

“Wall-E” (2008)

This Pixar film shows us an Earth evacuated by humans after they filled it with garbage. And one plucky robot has been left behind to clear up the entire planet. This is no easy task, considering WALL-E is surrounded by piles of junk that are literally taller than skyscrapers. The film is a surprisingly deep take on complete loneliness and the dangers of over-consumerism. But the animated images of Earth are what stay with the viewer after the sci-fi romantic comedy has finished.

“Planet of The Apes” franchise (1968-)

After three astronauts land on a mysterious planet, they soon discover it is run by apes. These apes keep humans prisoner and have a society carefully divided into a caste system. This planet may seem farfetched but – spoiler alert – it’s a little closer to home than you might hope, thanks to a nuclear fallout and primate evolution. The idea of a world where apes rule and humans drool clearly caught people’s attention, as this sci-fi film spawned several sequels and reboots. With the new rebooted franchise, we get to see the full generational transition from our world to one ruled by apes. A manufactured virus gives apes complete sentience while ultimately reducing humans to animals.

“The Terminator” franchise (1984-)

“The Terminator” helped set the standard for robot apocalypse movies. Sure, the scenes set in the ‘80s and ‘90s are gripping and action-packed; however, it’s the ones that take us to the future that are really bone-chilling. In these scenes of 2029, James Cameron shows us his vision of a world where machines have systematically worked to wipe out humanity. The idea of an army of metal skeletons hunting us down terrifies us still, while the barren, skeleton covered battlefield of this robot conquest is an image that has gone down in film history and remains a vision of the worst-case-scenario future.


As the world gets darker and more complicated, post-apocalyptic films feel more resonant than ever. What is your favorite post-apocalyptic landscape? Let us know in the comments below!