Watchworthy

The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time 

Ranker Community
Originally by Ranker Community
Updated April 21, 2020 101.9k votes 8.1k voters 462.6k views 568 items

List Rules Only disaster movies should be here

These are the most entertaining, the most fun, the greatest disaster movies ever made, ranked by movie experts and film fans alike. There is a long history of these kinds of movies in cinema - never to be taken too seriously, always slightly histrionic - for moviegoers who love to watch cities leveled and populations run screaming for their lives. This list includes films that center around a natural disaster, like a storm, as well as other kinds of catastrophe that might cause an apocalypse.

This list of floods, fires, earthquakes and alien attacks is built from both your votes and those lists that Rankers have contributed. If you are a die-hard fan of disaster movies, if you know your F-5 Tornados from your 10.5 Earthquakes, make your own ranking of these to really impact the list order! And if you see a good film that should be amongst these greatest disaster movies of all time, please add it!

Be sure to check out Ranker's list of All Disaster Films.

Check out more great lists like the Best End of the World Movies, New Disaster Movies, Worst Game of Thrones Characters, Best Horror Anime, and Celebrities With Allergies.

Data-driven recommendations based on voting from over 40 million monthly visits to Ranker. Try the free app
list ordered by
1
The Day After Tomorrow ... is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2004

Actors: Emmy Rossum, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Sela Ward, Ian Holm, + more

Directed by: Roland Emmerich

The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American climate fiction-disaster film co-written, directed, and produced by Roland Emmerich and starring Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Holm, Emmy Rossum, ...more

More The Day After Tomorrow ❯

#222 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #57 of 161 The Best Dystopian And Near Future Movies #206 of 599 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made

2
Deep Impact is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1998

Actors: Morgan Freeman, Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Téa Leoni, Vanessa Redgrave, + more

Directed by: Mimi Leder

Deep Impact is a 1998 American science fiction disaster film directed by Mimi Leder, written by Bruce Joel Rubin and Michael Tolkin, and starring Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, ...more

More Deep Impact ❯

#752 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #199 of 293 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry #156 of 199 The Biggest Tearjerker Movies of All Time

3
Twister is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1996

Actors: Helen Hunt, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Paxton, Alexa Vega, Jami Gertz, + more

Directed by: Jan de Bont

Twister is a 1996 American disaster drama film starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as storm chasers researching tornadoes. It was directed by Jan de Bont from a screenplay by Michael Crichton ...more

More Twister ❯

#811 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #230 of 410 The Best Rainy Day Movieslisted on The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked

4
Armageddon is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1998

Actors: Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, + more

Directed by: Michael Bay

Armageddon is a 1998 American science fiction disaster thriller film, directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and released by Touchstone Pictures. The film follows a group of ...more

More Armageddon ❯

#23 of 81 The Most Patriotic Movies of All Time #96 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movieslisted on The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked

5
Dante's Peak is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1997

Actors: Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Jamie Renée Smith, Peter Jason, Grant Heslov, + more

Directed by: Roger Donaldson

Dante's Peak is a 1997 American epic disaster adventure film directed by Roger Donaldson, and starring Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Charles Hallahan, Elizabeth Hoffman, Jamie Renée ...more

More Dante's Peak ❯

#293 of 741 The Greatest Action Movies of All Time #6 of 40 The Best Natural Disaster Movies #10 of 33 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Disaster Movies

6
2012 is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2009

Actors: Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, John Cusack, Danny Glover, + more

Directed by: Roland Emmerich

2012 is a 2009 American science fiction disaster adventure film directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, ...more

More 2012 ❯

#60 of 81 The Most Patriotic Movies of All Time #571 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #196 of 410 The Best Rainy Day Movies

7
I Am Legend is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
physcod added 2007

Actors: Will Smith, Emma Thompson, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith, Alice Braga, + more

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

I Am Legend is a 2007 American post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Will Smith. It is the third feature film adaptation of Richard Matheson's ...more

More I Am Legend ❯

#84 of 367 The Best Movies Based On Books #78 of 728 The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked #160 of 852 The Best Horror Movies Of All Time

8
Outbreak is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1995

Actors: Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Dustin Hoffman, Cuba Gooding Jr., Patrick Dempsey, + more

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Outbreak is a 1995 American medical disaster film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and based on Richard Preston's non-fiction book The Hot Zone. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and ...more

More Outbreak ❯

The Bubonic Plague Ravaged San Francisco In The 1900s—And The Government Tried A Massive Cover Up #508 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #3 of 111 The Best Movies About Disease Outbreaks

9
Titanic is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1997

Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, James Cameron, Bill Paxton, + more

Directed by: James Cameron

Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed by James Cameron. A seventeen-year-old aristocrat (Kate Winslet) falls in love with a kind but poor artist (Leonardo DiCaprio) ...more

More Titanic ❯

Weird But True Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Set Of 'Titanic' #203 of 349 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetimelisted on The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked

10
The Poseidon Adventure ... is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1972

Actors: Gene Hackman, Stella Stevens, Ernest Borgnine, Leslie Nielsen, Shelley Winters, + more

Directed by: Irwin Allen, Ronald Neame

The Poseidon Adventure is a 1972 American action-adventure disaster film, directed by Ronald Neame, produced by Irwin Allen, and based on Paul Gallico's novel of the same name. The film features ...more

More The Poseidon Adventure ❯

#598 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #298 of 581 The Greatest Film Scores of All Timelisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

11
War of the Worlds is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2005

Actors: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins, + more

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

War of the Worlds is a 2005 American epic science fiction disaster film and a loose adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh ...more

More War of the Worlds ❯

#46 of 191 The Best Alien Movies Ever Made #147 of 367 The Best Movies Based On Books #958 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies

12
The Perfect Storm is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2000

Actors: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, + more

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

The Perfect Storm is a 2000 American biographical disaster drama film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It is an adaptation of the 1997 non-fiction book of the same title by Sebastian Junger, which ...more

More The Perfect Storm ❯

Tragic Facts About The Perfect Storm, The Shipwreck Story No One Lived To Tell #102 of 293 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry #254 of 410 The Best Rainy Day Movies

13
Volcano is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1997

Actors: Tommy Lee Jones, Don Cheadle, Anne Heche, Keith David, Jillian Barberie, + more

Directed by: Mick Jackson

Volcano is a 1997 disaster film directed by Mick Jackson and produced by Andrew Z. Davis, Neal H. Moritz and Lauren Shuler Donner. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Jerome ...more

More Volcano ❯

#445 of 741 The Greatest Action Movies of All Time #33 of 71 The Top 20+ Best Tommy Lee Jones Movies of All Time, Ranked #7 of 40 The Best Natural Disaster Movies

14
The Towering Inferno is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1974

Actors: O. J. Simpson, Paul Newman, Faye Dunaway, Steve McQueen, William Holden, + more

Directed by: Irwin Allen, John Guillermin

The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American action drama disaster film produced by Irwin Allen featuring an all-star cast led by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. The picture was directed by John ...more

More The Towering Inferno ❯

#211 of 367 The Best Movies Based On Books #1,391 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movieslisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

15
Red Dawn is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1984

Actors: Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey, C. Thomas Howell, + more

Directed by: John Milius

Red Dawn is a 1984 American film directed by John Milius and co-written by Milius and Kevin Reynolds. It stars Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, and Jennifer Grey. ...more

More Red Dawn ❯

#52 of 375 The 50+ Best War Movies Ever Made, Ranked #11 of 81 The Most Patriotic Movies of All Time #325 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies

16
Contagion is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2011

Actors: Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, + more

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Contagion is a 2011 medical thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Marion Cotillard, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, ...more

More Contagion ❯

It Was Overlooked At The Time, But 'Contagion' Is One Of The Most Realistically Scary Modern Films #647 of 852 The Best Horror Movies Of All Time #685 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies

17
The Core is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2003

Actors: Hilary Swank, Stanley Tucci, Aaron Eckhart, Alfre Woodard, Richard Jenkins, + more

Directed by: Jon Amiel

The Core is a 2003 American science fiction disaster film. It concerns a team that has to drill to the center of the Earth in order to restart the rotation of the Earth's core. The film was ...more

More The Core ❯

#3 of 14 The Most Ridiculous Movie Hacking Scenes, Ranked By Silliness #13 of 53 The Most Unrealistic Action Filmslisted on The Very Best Movies About Hackers

18
Cloverfield is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2008

Actors: Odette Annable, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, Mike Vogel, T. J. Miller, + more

Directed by: Matt Reeves

Cloverfield is a 2008 American science fiction found footage monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams & Bryan Burk, and written by Drew Goddard. Before settling on an ...more

More Cloverfield ❯

All The 'Cloverfield' Easter Eggs You Definitely Missed #42 of 191 The Best Alien Movies Ever Made #148 of 852 The Best Horror Movies Of All Time

19
Backdraft is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1991

Actors: Robert De Niro, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Donald Sutherland, Rebecca De Mornay, + more

Directed by: Ron Howard

Backdraft is a 1991 action thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Gregory Widen. The film stars Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rebecca De Mornay, ...more

More Backdraft ❯

#384 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies #93 of 293 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry #110 of 624 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies

20
Air Force One is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1997

Actors: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell, + more

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Air Force One is a 1997 American political action thriller film written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed and co-produced by Wolfgang Petersen. It is about a group of Russian terrorists that ...more

More Air Force One ❯

#14 of 81 The Most Patriotic Movies of All Time #216 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movieslisted on The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked

21
Earthquake is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1974

Actors: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, Victoria Principal, George Kennedy, Walter Matthau, + more

Directed by: Mark Robson

Earthquake is a 1974 American ensemble disaster film directed and produced by Mark Robson. The plot concerns the struggle for survival after a catastrophic earthquake destroys most of the city ...more

More Earthquake ❯

#457 of 624 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies #157 of 591 The Best '70s Movieslisted on Every Oscar Winning Film Ever

22
Independence Day is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1996

Actors: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica A. Fox, Randy Quaid, Harry Connick, + more

Directed by: Roland Emmerich

Independence Day is a 1996 American science fiction disaster film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. The film stars Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, ...more

More Independence Day ❯

13 Things That Prove Pacific Rim And Independence Day Are The Exact Same Movie #8 of 191 The Best Alien Movies Ever Madelisted on The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked

23
Airplane! is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
willyboymcoy added 1980

Actors: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Leslie Nielsen, Ethel Merman, Peter Graves, Jonathan Banks, + more

Directed by: Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker

Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical disaster comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures. It stars Robert Hays and ...more

More Airplane! ❯

The Funniest Quotes From 'Airplane!' #85 of 349 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime #88 of 1,699 The Most Rewatchable Movies

24
Alive is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
1993

Actors: John Malkovich, Ethan Hawke, Josh Lucas, Illeana Douglas, Michael DeLorenzo, + more

Directed by: Frank Marshall

Alive is a 1993 American biographical survival drama film based upon Piers Paul Read's 1974 book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, which details the story of a Uruguayan rugby team. The ...more

More Alive ❯

#270 of 349 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime #49 of 234 The Best Movies Based On True Stories #74 of 94 The Worst January Movie Releases

25
Poseidon is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time
2006

Actors: Emmy Rossum, Fergie, Kurt Russell, Richard Dreyfuss, Josh Lucas, + more

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Poseidon is a 2006 disaster film directed and co-produced by Wolfgang Petersen. It is the third film adaptation of Paul Gallico's novel The Poseidon Adventure, and a loose remake of the 1972 ...more

More Poseidon ❯

#352 of 624 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies #26 of 68 The 25+ Best Kurt Russell Movies of All Time, Ranked #16 of 40 The Best Natural Disaster Movies