Leave the World Behind: 8 films & TV shows about the apocalypse to stream online

If you have a deep fascination for the science underlying the functioning of the world and its eventual demise, you'll want to pay attention. Netflix recently released Leave the World Behind, sparking nostalgic memories of apocalyptic films and TV shows that have captivated audiences over the years. Adapted from the 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam, the film features a star-studded ensemble that includes Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, and Kevin Bacon. The film depicts the harrowing struggle of a family on vacation, whose world crumbles when they receive unexpected and unprepared-for news. If this has been your most gripping winter watch, you should explore other chilling apocalyptic films and TV shows. For today's List Hai Toh Hit Hai podcast, we have a curated list of films and TV shows featuring tales about civilisation's fall.

The Last of Us - Jio Cinema

The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama TV series produced by HBO and created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. Adapted from the highly acclaimed video game franchise by Naughty Dog, the storyline unfolds two decades into a pandemic triggered by a widespread fungal infection. This infection transforms its hosts into zombie-like beings, leading to the collapse of society. The initial season, inspired by the 2013 game, chronicles the journey of Joel played by Pedro Pascal, a smuggler, and Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, a teenager immune to the infection. Joel is entrusted with escorting Ellie across post-apocalyptic America infested with hordes of infected zombie-like beings. They must also overcome equally deadly human factions who will loot and kill anyone who crosses their paths.

Mad Max: Fury Road - Jio Cinema

Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 Australian post-apocalyptic action film, co-written, co-produced, and directed by George Miller. The cast includes Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron in lead roles, with Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, and Courtney Eaton in supporting roles. Set in a post-apocalyptic desert where petrol and water are scarce, the story revolves around Max Rockatansky, who allies with Imperator Furiosa to confront the cult leader Immortan Joe and his army, resulting in an intense and prolonged road battle. The film is a soft reboot of the iconic Mad Max franchise starring Mel Gibson. A prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road titled Furiosa is set to release on 24th May 2024. Anya Taylor-Joy will play a younger version of Imperator Furiosa, replacing Charlize Theron.

Children of Men - Amazon Prime VOD

The 2006 dystopian action thriller Children of Men is co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Set in 2027, the narrative unfolds in a world where two decades of human infertility push society to the brink of collapse. Asylum seekers seek refuge in the United Kingdom, facing government-imposed detention and refoulement. Clive Owen portrays civil servant Theo Faron, who endeavours to assist refugee Kee played by Clare-Hope Ashitey in escaping the ensuing chaos. The cast also includes Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Pam Ferris, Charlie Hunnam, and Michael Caine.

Interstellar - Jio Cinema

Christopher Nolan’s 2014 epic science fiction film, Interstellar is the next film on this list. The film’s stellar cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Wes Bentley, Casey Affleck, Timothée Chalamet, Mackenzie Foy, and Michael Caine among others. The narrative unfolds in a dystopian future plagued by catastrophic blight and famine, where humanity faces extinction. The story follows a group of astronauts who embark on a perilous journey through a wormhole near Saturn, aiming to find a new habitable planet for the survival of humankind.

The Leftovers - Jio Cinema

The Leftovers is an American supernatural drama television series by HBO. The storyline kicks off three years after the "Sudden Departure," a global event causing 2% of the world's population to vanish. The series revolves around the lives of police chief Kevin Garvey played by Justin Theroux and his family, as well as grieving widow Nora Durst played by Carrie Coon and her brother, Reverend Matt Jamison, played by Christopher Eccleston. These characters become focal points as they grapple with the challenges of adapting to life after the mysterious Departure.

A Quiet Place - Prime Video

A Quiet Place is a 2018 American post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by John Krasinski and written by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, and Krasinski. The storyline revolves around a father played by Krasinski and a mother played by Emily Blunt who face the challenge of surviving and raising their children in a post-apocalyptic world. This world is inhabited by blind extraterrestrial creatures with an acute sense of hearing who relentlessly hunt down and kill human beings.  This forces the family to live in silence to avoid detection and peril.

Blade Runner 2049 - Prime Video

The next film on the list is the 2017 American epic neo-noir science fiction film, Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve, and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. Serving as a sequel to the 1982 Ridley Scott film Blade Runner, the cast includes Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in lead roles, with Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto in supporting roles. Gosling portrays K, a Nexus-9 replicant "blade runner," who discovers a secret that has the potential to disrupt society and alter the course of civilization.

Silo - Apple TV+

The 2023 series Silo is a dystopian science fiction drama television series created by Graham Yost, adapted from the novels by Hugh Howey. The show is set in a future dystopia where a community resides in an expansive underground silo with 144 levels. Rebecca Ferguson stars in the lead as an engineer entangled in the enigmatic history and current mysteries of the silo. When she is inexplicably entrusted by the Silo’s mayor to become its new Sheriff, despite her inexperience in law enforcement, she stumbles upon the dark secrets of the Sillo. The cast also includes Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter, Avi Nash, Rick Gomez, and Chinaza Uche.

Well that's all we got for this episode, until the next one it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Aaj kya dekhoge OTTplay se poocho

Written by Apurva Dutta