Silois one of the most innovative and creative sci-fi shows in recent memory, and while it draws inspiration from many other projects that came before it, the series manages to feel totally fresh at the same time. The show’s sophomore season aired in early 2025 to equally positive reviews, leaving us desperate forupdates onSiloseason 3– which should hopefully wrap up most of the questions left over from the season 2 finale.
Silocenters around a dystopian future where Earth’s surface has been rendered uninhabitable, forcing humanity deep into an underground silo where they’re safe from the toxicity of the outside world.The show explores the endless problems and large-scale conflictsthat would arise in this lawless society, offering some astute commentary on how strongly our governments and social structures influence our lives. There are countlesstheories aboutSiloseason 3, but while we’re waiting for those next episodes, there are plenty of great movies to scratch the same itch.
AlthoughGreenlandflew somewhat under the radar when it was released in 2022, Waugh’s dynamic thriller about the end of the world is one of the most captivating and authentic entries into this particular subgenre in a long time.The story focuses on Gerard Butler’s protagonist John, who travels with his family to a government facility to seek shelter from the impending apocalypse. WhatGreenlanddoes really effectively, however, is blend this global catastrophe with a much more personal, intimate story about the lengths people will go to protect their families.
Gerard Butler has done quite a few movies about end-of-the-world scenarios and larger-than-life problems, butGreenlandis arguably the most interesting one. Although it is not exactly a post-acopalptic film since the end of the world is yet to happen,Greenlandcan be a fun watch forSilofans.
Also starring Rebecca Ferguson in the lead role, Daniel Espinosa’sLifeis a very creative addition to the sci-fi genre that explores the unanswerable question of how to quantify the value of one human life.The film takes place on a space shuttle that’s carrying a mysterious specimenback to Earth for analysis, but the astronauts on board quickly realize they’re out of their depth when the creature begins to rebel against them. With excellent performances from Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal,Lifeis a terrifying space thriller that’s clearly inspired bymovies likeAlienandThe Thing.
Adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s iconic novel of the same name,The Roadis not only one of thebest movies about fatherhoodand protecting the next generation, but also a timeless entry in the post-apocalyptic genre that fully capitalizes on the endless possibilities of its concept. It around a man and his young son, played by Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee respectively, who live in a dangerous wasteland wherehumans have turned to eating each other in order to survive. It’s a chilling story about the endurance of humanity in inhumane conditions.
Starring Will Smith in one of his most iconic roles to date,I Am Legendis an undisputed classic of the post-apocalyptic genre. The film displays much of the same simplistic storytelling and atmospheric world-building as projects likeSilo, but it’s much grittier and more pessimistic in its depictions of how humanity might respond to these events. The story follows the last American survivor of a viral epidemic who wanders the streets of New York with his dog and attempts to reverse-engineer his own immunity into a cure for the rest of the world.
10 Cloverfield Laneis much more self-contained than most post-apocalyptic stories, following a group of survivors in an underground bunker who don’t fully understand what they’re hiding from in the outside world. While this movie isn’t as stronglyconnected to the otherCloverfieldmoviesas some had hoped,it’s a brilliant exercise in single-location storytellingthat relies solely on the tension between its central characters to keep the audience engaged. It has a similar sense of foreboding and crushing atmosphere asSilo, though it’s much more fast-paced once it reaches its final act.
Steven Spielberg can conquer any genre he tackles, including post-apocalyptic science fiction, as shown by his 2005 adaptation ofWar of the Worldsis some of his most engaging work to date.The film is a retelling of H.G. Wells’ iconic sci-fi novel, following Tom Cruise’s protagonist as he fights for survival in the immediate aftermath of an alien invasion. Where Wells’ novel is much slower-paced and more contemplative, Spielberg’s version is an action spectacle that fires on all cylinders with slick camera tricks and big-budget set pieces from start to finish.
WhileA Quiet Placeis an excellent thriller in its own right, Krasinski’s 2020 sequel is an even stronger example of how to immerse audiences in a post-apocalyptic world without drowning them in exposition first.The movie does a great job of making this barren wasteland feel tactileand authentic, which is a trait it shares withSilo. Boasting excellent performances from Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy,A Quiet Place Part IItakes the fragile family dynamic of the first movie and applies it to a much larger-scale thriller.
Each of Bong Joon-ho’s moviesis filled with rich social commentary and important messages about the world around us, andSnowpierceris no different.The story follows a group of class-divided refugees on a futuristic trainmoving through a frozen wasteland, where resistance quickly emerges among the poorer passengers to overtake the first-class cabins.
Snowpierceris a cinematic adaptation of the graphic novelLe Transperceneigeby Jacques Lob.
Alongside its powerful commentary on capitalist greed and class segregation,Snowpiercerbenefits from the same atmospheric storytelling and confined locations that makeSilosuch an engaging show. This story has also been adapted as a four-season TV show.
28 Days Laterhas spawned multiple sequels, including theupcoming28 Years Later, but none of them compare to the gritty storytelling of the original.The film is a brilliant demonstration of how easily human civilization could fall apartin the wake of a destructive event, following a group of survivors as they navigate the immediate fallout of a zombie apocalypse in London. While the details of its narrative may be very different, Boyle’s commentary on human greed and selfishness in28 Days Lateris very similar toSilo’s dark cynicism.
Children of Menis often remembered for having one of thebest opening scenes in movie history, but even that explosive opening doesn’t compare to the rich, mature exploration of humanity that follows.The story centers around a world where a global virus has rendered humanity completely infertileuntil one pregnant woman offers a beacon of hope for the survival of our species. It’s an extremely powerful film about humanity’s purpose in the universe, and how our greed and selfishness often blind us to why we’re here in the first place.
Much likeSilo, Cuaron’sChildren of Menis an extremely philosophical and “elevated” form of sci-fi that asks important questions about the foundations of society.
Much likeSilo, Cuaron’sChildren of Menis an extremely philosophical and “elevated” form of sci-fi that asks important questions about the foundations of society. The film uses this post-apocalyptic setting to interrogate what our world would look like without any government or social structure, putting the human species under a damning microscope and placing the audience face-to-face with the harsh truths of the world around them.
