The best dystopian and near future movies are the films that make us a little more thankful for the Starbucks line every morning. These futuristic movies include some of the best alien movies, the best doomsday movies, and the greatest disaster movies of all time as they would play out after the rebuilding (or complete destruction) of society.
These near-future and dystopian films are all images of what the world would look like after a nuclear war, alien invasion, natural disaster, or some other earth-shattering uprising. From science-fiction films like Twelve Monkeys and Blade Runner, to action films like Mad Max and Children of Men, to revenge movies like V for Vendetta and The Hunger Games, this list of the best dystopian and near-future films gives us a glance into the best movies of the worst to come for the future of humanity.
What is the best film about a dystopian future? What movie best tells the story of a disastrous reality set in the near future? What is the greatest movie about the end of the world as we know it? Don't see your favorite end of days film on the list of the greatest near-future and dystopian movies? Make sure to add it so other fans can see your idea of what the best end of the world film really is.
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1,225359Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward FurlongReleased: 1991
Directed by: James Cameron
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 American science fiction action thriller film written,... more2
1,099335Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom Hardy, Charlize TheronReleased: 2015
Directed by: George Miller
Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 action film directed by George Miller. In a post apocalyptic... more3
1,616477The Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill PaxtonReleased: 1984
Directed by: James Cameron
The Terminator is a 1984 American science fiction/horror action film directed by James... more4
1,645649The Fifth Element
Milla Jovovich, Bruce WillisReleased: 1997
Directed by: Luc Besson
The Fifth Element is a 1997 English-language French science fiction action film directed and... more5
1,07929428 Days Later
Cillian Murphy, Christopher EcclestonReleased: 2002
Directed by: Danny Boyle
28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The... more6
953354Zombieland
Emma Stone, Amber HeardReleased: 2009
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer from a screenplay... more7
1,138513Mad Max 2
Mel Gibson, Bruce SpenceReleased: 1981
Directed by: George Miller
Mad Max 2 is a 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. The... more8
1,327599Total Recall
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon StoneReleased: 1990
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Total Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. In... more9
41990Edge of Tomorrow
Tom Cruise, Emily BluntReleased: 2014
Directed by: Doug Liman
Edge of Tomorrow is a 2014 American military science fiction thriller film directed by Doug... more10
801343RoboCop
Alex Van Halen, Peter WellerReleased: 1987
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
RoboCop is a 1987 American cyberpunk action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by... more11
68594Alien
Sigourney Weaver, John HurtReleased: 1979
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott. The crew of the... more12
876396Starship Troopers
Neil Patrick Harris, Denise RichardsReleased: 1997
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction action film directed by Paul... more13
1,205575District 9
Sharlto Copley, Jed BrophyReleased: 2009
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
District 9 is a 2009 science fiction film directed by Neill Blomkamp, released August 13,... more14
1,049455Serenity
Summer Glau, Morena BaccarinReleased: 2005
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Serenity is a 2005 American space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a... more15
27481Ex Machina
Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia VikanderReleased: 2015
Directed by: Alex Garland
Ex Machina is a 2015 independent science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Alex... more16
1,113551WALL-E
Sigourney Weaver, Laraine NewmanReleased: 2008
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
WALL-E is a 2008 American computer-animated science-fiction comedy film produced by Pixar... more17
843361Idiocracy
Maya Rudolph, Terry CrewsReleased: 2006
Directed by: Mike Judge
Idiocracy is a 2006 American satirical science fiction comedy film directed by Mike Judge and... more18
673299The Running Man
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim BrownReleased: 1987
Directed by: Paul Michael Glaser
The Running Man is a 1987 American science fiction action film loosely based on the 1982 novel... more19
1,086517Gattaca
Uma Thurman, Jude LawReleased: 1997
Directed by: Andrew Niccol
Gattaca is a 1997 American science fiction film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It... more20
350103Interstellar
Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaugheyReleased: 2014
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Interstellar is a British-American 2014 science fiction epic film directed by Christopher... more21
960425Escape from New York
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kurt RussellReleased: 1981
Directed by: John Carpenter
Escape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film co-written, co-scored, and... more22
1,021504The Book of Eli
Denzel Washington, Mila KunisReleased: 2010
Directed by: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
The Book of Eli is a 2010 American post-apocalyptic neo-Western and action film directed by... more23
1,012538Planet of the Apes
Charlton Heston, Linda HarrisonReleased: 1968
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner... more24
1,47372312 Monkeys
Brad Pitt, Bruce WillisReleased: 1995
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
12 Monkeys, also known as Twelve Monkeys, is a 1995 American science fiction film directed by... more25
1,736941V for Vendetta
Natalie Portman, John HurtReleased: 2006
Directed by: James McTeigue
V for Vendetta is a 2006 American political thriller film directed by James McTeigue and... more