15 Movies like Children of Men and Other Dystopian Thrillers

There’s always a special place in our heart for movies like Children of Men and others of its kind. Even though most times we get to see a future that we absolutely want no parts of, fans remain drawn to stories based on these hypothetical futures. Children of Men contains such a unique premise that has garnered the love of fans and critics alike, and that is why we’ve created a list of 15 movies just like it.

Based on the 1992 novel of the same name written by P.D James, Children of Men is set in the year 2027, in a time when infertility has rendered human civilization on the brink of collapse. Clive Owen plays Theo Faron, a civil servant who tries to help a refugee named Kee escape the police state which the United Kingdom has now become. Featuring stars like Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor, as well as Owen himself, there is a lot of great acting on show, and has been praised for its use of single shot action sequences.

Children of Men was one of the best movies in its year of release, evident from the awards it carted home at the Academy Awards, as well as the BAFTAS. If you’re looking for more movies that match it in terms of tone, and premise, here are 15 movies like Children of Men. Enjoy!

List of Movies like Children of Men

1. The Day After

2. Escape from New York

3. A Clockwork Orange

4. Fahrenheit 451

5. Stalker

6. The Trial

7. Blade Runner 2049

8. What Happened to Monday?

9. Snowpiercer

10. Sunshine

11. District 9

12. I Am Legend

13. Equilibrium

14. The Book of Eli

15. Thread

1. The Day After (1983)

Set in a police state similar to those seen in movies like Children of Men, The Day After is one of the older movies in this genre, a theme that will carry on for the first half of this list. It focuses on the US in the mid-1980s, as the country is on the brink of nuclear war, and annihilation. Everyone goes about their normal routines, until one day the threat comes to fruition and the bombs actually hit.

An American television film aired on the ABC television network, over 100 million people watched the special as at the time of its airing, setting a record as the highest-rated television film in history at the time. Due in no small fact to the atmosphere of the times, when nuclear war was more of a possibility. If you want to have a glimpse of what had audiences so enamored back then, make sure to give this a watch.

2. Escape from New York (1981)

The theme from the previous movie is maintained in yet another look into a not-so-distant future, similar to films like Children of Men. Escape from New York, is set 16 years in the future from the time of its release, and is centered around a war between the United States and the Soviet Union which is heading into its climax.

Manhattan, New York, has now been converted into a maximum security prison, and things come to a head when Air Force One is hijacked and crash-landed into the prison island. To save the President, a Special Forces agent known as Snake Plissken is deployed to rescue him. Escape from New York has an intriguing premise that I’m sure you would enjoy. This was White House Down, even before White House Down.

3. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

The legendary Stanley Kubrick adapts, produces, and directs A Clockwork Orange, a movie set in a dull, dreary, dystopian England, and follows the story of a juvenile delinquent who is taken on a series of psychological rehabilitations by the English government, reminiscent of the type of heavy handed governments we see in movies similar to Children of Men.

Based on the Anthony Burgess novel of the same name, this movie gives a lot of commentary on themes like psychiatry, violence, and other socio-economic topics which could arise in a dystopian setting such as this. This is a movie with a lot of depth, and if that’s what interests you the most then you’ve got to give it a watch.

4. Fahrenheit 451 (2018)

HBO films sanctioned the 2018 film Fahrenheit 451, a re-adaptation of the 1953 book of the same name, written by Ray Bradbury. Set in a not so far off dystopian future, in the same vein as films similar to Children of Men, Fahrenheit 451 is set in a society where books are now illegal, and is centered around Michael B. Jordan’s Guy Montag, who starts out as a fireman engaged in burning books.

Also starring Michael Shannon as Fire Captain John Beatty, Fahrenheit 451 does veer quite a bit away from its source material, but it remains an intriguing watch, and a look into a future and society which even for some moments can start to feel plausible and real. Check this out if you’re a lover of premises such as this.

5. Stalker (1979)

Stalker is another dystopian thriller similar to films like Children of Men. This movie however, is set in an unnamed country, and in an unspecified time. All that we know is that the characters exist in a wasteland known as The Zone. The plot is centered on an illegal guide who takes a writer and a scientist on a journey to find a place never before seen, known as The Room.

According to the stories, anyone who finds the room will have all of their earthly desires fulfilled. In a world as dire as this, this is one thing that every single person hopes for. Although it was released at the time to lukewarm reviews, Stalker has since become regarded as one of the best films of the 70s, even getting ranked at #29 among the 100 Greatest Films of All Time, by the British Film Institute. There’s no better advert than that.

6. The Trial (1962)

Citizen Kane writer, director, and producer Orson Welles features in The Trial. The plot is centered on a very amusing yet sinister premise. Josef K., played by Anthony Perkins, is an American Bureaucrat who is placed under open arrest by the police, but much to his dismay, is never given a reason for his arrest, up till the point in which he is sentenced to death!

Praised for its magnificent set design and gripping cinematography, The Trial has an uneasy atmosphere about it, quite similar to films like Children of Men. This movie was a polarizing piece of art upon its release back in the 60s, although it got an eager audience in France. However, its reputation has since grown, enough to be labeled as one of the best films of its time, and enough to make it onto this list.

7. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner 2049 features Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star Ryan Gosling, as Officer K, a blade runner for the Los Angeles Police Department. While undergoing his usual routine, he soon discovers a secret that has the risk of changing the whole society as they know it.

Blade Runner 2049 also features Harrison Ford, who reprises his role from the original 1982 film. We also get treated with a host of other movie stars in the cast, like Ana De Armas, Dave Bautista, as well as Jared Leto. Although it was widely considered one of the best movies of 2017, it actually bombed at the box office. If you were one of those that slept on this movie, make sure to grab a DVD, especially if you’re a fan of movies like Children of Men.

8. What Happened to Monday? (2017)

Set in a dystopian future similar to those seen in movies like Children of Men, What Happened to Monday? is centered on a group of septuplets who live in a world where families are allowed only one child each by the government, due to overpopulation and depletion of resources. To combat this problem, each sister gets to go out once a week, as all share a single identity.

Their lives are put in risk, when Monday doesn’t return home one day, and the other sisters have to put their lives on the line to find out why. What Happened to Monday? is a high concept story with an intriguing premise, and you can find it on Netflix nowadays.

9. Snowpiercer (2013)

In Snowpiercer, we are treated to another enthralling story set in a dystopian future, comparable in many ways to movies similar to Children of Men. Snowpiercer is set in the time of Earth’s second ice age, and follows the lives of people living a luxury train that runs in perpetuity.

While the rich and wealthy live in comfort and splendor on the train, the poor live in squalor, and it hits a climax when those poor residents decide enough is enough, and set out a plan to take over the train’s engine room, and the train as a whole. This movie is a wild ride, literally, and you definitely have to give it a watch.

10. Sunshine (2007)

Set in a not-too-distant future, similarly to films like Children of Men, Sunshine focuses on humanity on its last legs, as their sun is about to die. To prevent the apocalypse, a group of eight scientists are sent into space to make use of a device that will be capable of reviving the dying star, and save humanity.

It’s a dangerous and desperate mission that takes a turn for the worse, when their spaceship is involved in an accident, and sent into a tailspin. This movie, directed by Danny Boyle, is flush with acting talent, including Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy, and The Avengers’ Chris Evans. If you want a look at their acting careers a few years before their star turn, then this is the movie for you.

11. District 9 (2009)

District 9 is a movie about aliens who arrive on Earth to gain refuge after leaving their dying planet. Humans keep them separated from the rest of the world, in a place known as District 9. In a smart way used in exploring issues like xenophobia and segregation, a company known as Multi-National United keeps them there simply to master their technology.

Similar to movies like Children of Men, in terms of tone, District 9 was a big box office success, garnering Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Visual Effects among others. If you love movies with crazy and never before seen premises, you’ll love District 9.

12. I Am Legend (2007)

I Am Legend is one of Will Smith’s most iconic films. Smith plays the part of Robert Neville, a scientist, and apparently, the sole survivor (at least in New York) of a plague that turns humans into blood-thirsty monsters. He spends his days roaming New York City with his dog while searching for a cure to the plague.

I Am Legend made a whopping $585.4 million in the box office off of a $150 million budget, and has been praised especially for Will Smith’s performance as a lone ranger, living in a world on his own. There have been talks of a sequel to be produced by Michael B. Jordan in 2022, so catch up on the first part, before that comes to fruition, especially if you’re a fan of films similar to Children of Men.

13. Equilibrium (2002)

Equilibrium, starring The Dark Knight’s Christian Bale, is set in a futuristic world, similar to those seen in movies like Children of Men. In this world, the government has passed laws all with the aim of suppressing emotions. This means all books, art and music are banned, and reading or even having feelings is a crime, punishable by death.

Christian Bale’s Cleric John Preston is a high-ranking government agent who is responsible for killing off those who commit the crime of feeling. This is until one day, he himself begins to feel. This plot, although a tried and tested one especially in dystopian movies, is executed to a high level in Equilibrium, and you’ll definitely enjoy it.

14. The Book of Eli (2010)

Denzel Washington plays the character of Eli, a nomad going through a wasteland world. But there is one thing special about him, and this is the fact that he holds with him the last hope for all of humanity. He is also hunted with a vengeance by the only other person who knows what he holds in his possession.

The Book of Eli is a grim and dour look into a dystopian future, as seen in films similar to Children of Men. An attention gripping storyline, with powerful performances by Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman, who plays his antagonist, you won’t regret seeing this film.

15. Threads (1984)

Threads takes us back to where we all started, with the threat of nuclear war brewing in the background. It is set in a quiet town of Sheffield, England, as the lives of the townsfolk are thrown into jeopardy, when a nuclear attack destroys a base 20 miles away from them, and the fallout makes its way to their town and to their homes.

Similar in plot to movies like The Day After, and in tone to movies similar to Children of Men, Threads was the first movie to depict a nuclear war and got nominated for seven BAFTAs, winning the awards for Best Single Drama, Best Design, among many others.