15 End-of-the-World Movies (to get over the new War of the Worlds!)

If you enjoy stories that push humanity to its limits in the face of global disasters, end-of-the-world movies are a perfect choice. From natural catastrophes and alien invasions to pandemics and sharp satires, this genre blends action, drama, suspense, and even humor in unique ways (and certainly in more effective ways than the new 2025 War of the Worlds, which turned out to be a huge disappointment).

The list below highlights some of the most remarkable titles that imagine what it would be like to face the end of the world. Take a look!

The Day the Earth Stood Still

- Release Year: 2008

This remake of the 1951 classic features Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, an alien who arrives on Earth with an urgent warning. Humanity must change its destructive ways or be eliminated.

The film is divisive, but its message carries weight. It’s worth watching less for the spectacle and more for its reflection on how we treat the planet and how we might respond to such a direct threat.

Greenland

- Release Year: 2020

Unlike many disaster movies that focus purely on destruction, Greenland emphasizes human drama. Gerard Butler plays a father trying to get his family to a secret shelter as fragments of a comet devastate the Earth.

The movie balances tense action with emotional dilemmas, showing how survival instincts can change people. It feels more grounded and realistic than many other entries in the genre.

The Day After

- Release Year: 1983

Few films have had the impact of this one. Originally aired on American television, it depicts what would happen after a nuclear war in a small Kansas town.

There are no unlikely heroes, just fear, pain, and devastation. It is a difficult watch, but necessary, because it shows the apocalypse in a starkly realistic way. A chilling reminder of a threat that once felt all too possible.

World War Z

- Release Year: 2013

Zombies have been portrayed in countless ways, but World War Z gives the genre a global scope. Instead of focusing only on isolated survivors, the movie shows entire cities falling in hours as a pandemic spreads.

The action is relentless, and Brad Pitt anchors the story as a protagonist racing against time. Few movies capture urgency and chaos this effectively.

Don’t Look Up

- Release Year: 2021

One of the sharpest satires in recent years. Two scientists discover a comet on a collision course with Earth, but no one seems to care. Politicians manipulate the crisis, the media downplays it, and people prefer distractions. The film is funny yet frustrating, because it suggests the real danger in a global crisis might not be the comet itself but our inability to act together.

2012

- Release Year: 2009

When it comes to big-screen destruction, 2012 is always mentioned. The plot is straightforward: natural disasters sweep across the planet while a man tries to save his family.

The appeal lies less in the story’s depth and more in the jaw-dropping visual effects. It is a roller coaster of spectacle, and it delivers exactly that.

WALL-E

- Release Year: 2008

It may seem unusual to include an animated movie here, but WALL-E is one of the most powerful apocalyptic stories ever made. Earth has been abandoned due to pollution and rampant consumerism, leaving only a small robot tasked with cleaning up.

The film is heartfelt, funny, and sharply critical of modern lifestyles. Simple, yet profoundly moving.

The Day After Tomorrow

- Release Year: 2004

One of the standout disaster films of the 2000s, it shows the planet entering a new ice age triggered by climate change. The destruction scenes are unforgettable... who can forget the giant wave hitting New York? At the same time, the movie follows a father’s quest to rescue his son.

It hooks you with both its emotional storyline and its striking visuals.

Leave the World Behind

- Release Year: 2023

In this movie, the apocalypse is never shown directly, which makes it even more unsettling. A cyberattack cripples U.S. infrastructure, forcing two families to coexist while society unravels.

The suspense comes from paranoia, distrust, and constant uncertainty about what is really happening. It focuses on people rather than explosions, and that makes it highly effective.

Interstellar

- Release Year: 2014

More than just an apocalyptic film, Interstellar is a cinematic event. With Earth dying, humanity’s only hope is to search for a new home among the stars.

Christopher Nolan crafts an epic that blends science, philosophy, and deep emotion, exploring themes such as time, love, and hope.

Beyond its breathtaking visuals, it is a film that stays with you long after the credits roll.

Deep Impact

- Release Year: 1998

Among films about comet collisions, Deep Impact stands out by focusing less on spectacle and more on human drama. We follow politicians, scientists, and ordinary people facing the inevitable.

The movie features sacrifice, despair, and moments of genuine humanity. It may be less explosive than Armageddon, but it has more emotional depth.

Armageddon

- Release Year: 1998

If Deep Impact emphasizes drama, Armageddon goes all in on spectacle. Bruce Willis leads a team of drillers sent into space to stop a massive asteroid.

It is the quintessential Michael Bay movie with explosions, heroism, and plenty of emotion. Not realistic, but undeniably entertaining, and now a disaster-film classic.

28 Days Later

- Release Year: 2002

Considered a landmark in modern zombie cinema, 28 Days Later introduced a darker, more realistic take on the genre. Waking up in an abandoned London after a viral outbreak, the protagonist discovers a world in ruins.

The film is brutal and tense but also thought-provoking, showing that the real monsters might not be the infected but the survivors themselves.

The Happening

- Release Year: 2008

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this movie has always divided audiences. People across the world begin taking their own lives under mysterious circumstances, and a disturbing idea emerges: nature itself may be fighting back.

It relies less on large-scale effects and more on psychological suspense. Despite its flaws, it poses an intriguing question. What if the planet decided we were the real threat?

This Is the End

- Release Year: 2013

Among so many serious apocalyptic films, This Is the End stands out as a comedy. James Franco, Seth Rogen, and other actors play exaggerated versions of themselves trying to survive a biblical apocalypse.

It is absurd, satirical, and packed with jokes about Hollywood and pop culture. For those who enjoy laughing even at the end of the world, this is a perfect choice.

End-of-the-world movies captivate us because they make us confront difficult questions. What would we do in an extreme situation? Fight, give up, or try to find hope in the chaos?

Whether in massive, effects-heavy blockbusters or in more intimate, character-driven stories, the theme never loses relevance because, at its core, it reflects us and our relationship with the planet.

The exception is the new War of the Worlds, which is simply disappointing.

See you in the next article!