If you’re a Walking Dead fan, you know there’s nothing quite like the thrill of a world gone completely wrong. For 11 seasons of the zombie series, we watched survivors fight tooth and nail to stay alive. But let’s be honest. How many times can you rewatch the same episodes before you start craving something new?
That’s where post-apocalyptic movies come in. They give you all the chaos, danger, and high-stakes survival you love just in new worlds with new characters facing relentless challenges. From abandoned cities to desperate fights for life, these films put you right in the middle of the action, giving you that same edge-of-your-seat tension you can’t get enough of.
In this article, we’ve rounded up four gritty post-apocalyptic movies that are perfect for fans of The Walking Dead. However, keep in mind that not every film includes zombies. Still, even without them, these movies will keep you entertained from start to finish!
World War Z (2013)
- Directed by: Marc Forster
- Written by: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox
- Based on: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
- Where to watch: Paramount+
World War Z isn’t just another “hide in a cabin and hope they don’t bite you” flick. Nope! This is zombies gone global, Brad Pitt running for his life, and some of the most jaw-dropping action sequences you’ll ever see. From the first moment the streets of Philadelphia descend into madness, you know you’re in for a movie that doesn’t mess around.
The film opens with retired United Nations investigator Gerry Lane stuck in traffic in the city with his wife and two kids. But in seconds, the world goes sideways. People start biting, screaming, and turning into lightning-fast zombies, and the city collapses into chaos. Gerry’s family is airlifted to a Navy ship for safety, but in World War Z, “safe” is a relative term.
From the Navy ship, Gerry is pulled back into the fray. He's given the critical mission of tracking down the source of the outbreak and figuring out how to stop it before humanity is completely wiped out. What then follows is a globe-trotting race against time.
I Am Legend (2007)
- Directed by: Francis Lawrence
- Written by: Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman
- Cast: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok
- Based on: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
- Where to watch: Available to rent or purchase via digital platforms
If you’ve ever imagined being the last person on Earth, wandering through a city that used to buzz with life, then I Am Legend is the movie you need to watch. This intense post-apocalyptic thriller centers on Dr. Robert Neville, a brilliant virologist who might be humanity’s last hope after a virus decimates almost the entire population. But surviving isn’t easy. There are feral, nocturnal creatures called Darkseekers that hunt anything living and fear the sunlight.
By day, Neville scavenges abandoned streets for food, medicine, and essential supplies. By night, he faces constant peril as the infected hunt for their next victim. His only companion through it all is his devoted dog, Sam. As Neville fights to stay alive, he works tirelessly to find a cure for the virus by experimenting on infected animals.
The Road (2009)
- Directed by: John Hillcoat
- Written by: Joe Penhall
- Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Charlize Theron, Molly Parker, Garret Dillahunt
- Based on: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
- Where to watch: Paramount+
Imagine a world where everything you know is gone. No green trees, no animals, barely any people, and the ones left are often the worst kind of human. That’s the world of The Road. It follows the chilling, heart-wrenching journey of a father and his son through the end of civilization.
The movie follows them as they trek across a bleak, ash-covered landscape, struggling to find food, water, and shelter. Along the way, they must avoid violent gangs, cannibals, and other desperate survivors who threaten their lives at every turn. Through it all, the father does everything he can to protect his son, teaching him how to survive while holding onto their humanity.
A Quiet Place (2018)
- Directed by: John Krasinski
- Written by: Krasinski, Bryan Woods, and Scott Beck
- Cast: Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe,
- Where to watch: Paramount+
If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic horror, then there's just no way you haven't heard of A Quiet Place. Since its release in 2018, it has become a modern classic. It takes the simple concept of “silence equals survival” and turns it into some of the most edge-of-your-seat tension ever captured on screen.
The film takes place after humanity has been devastated by blind, sound-sensitive alien creatures that hunt anything that makes a noise. We follow the Abbott family. You have Lee, the fiercely protective father who will do anything to keep his children safe, and Evelyn, the mother trying to navigate everyday survival while pregnant.
Along with their children, they must live every day in near-total silence to avoid attracting the monstrous creatures. But survival is a constant struggle, especially when even the smallest mistake can have deadly consequences.