Netflix has no shortage of amazing content, but apocalypse movies in the list of must-watch Netflix titles bring an oomph factor to your streaming experience.
As the number of Coronavirus infections exceeds 1 million, the death toll approaches 100,000, stores close, and millions lose their jobs, it might feel like the world is ending right now.
So it came as a surprise to some when the film Contagion, which depicted a society plagued by a pandemic virus, became one of the most famous apocalypse movies on Netflix and many streaming sites, with Google Trends showing a spike.
Why would anyone want to see a hypothetical catastrophe when we live through one?
We propose the following apocalypse movies on Netflix or post-apocalyptic films if you wish to go away from your disaster for two hours.
The end might come in the shape of a virus, sentient robots, aliens, or natural calamity, but mankind has envisioned how it will all end since civilization began.
1. Blade Runner (1982)
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Hampton Fancher
Cast: Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah, Joe Turkel
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Rick Deckard, the grizzled former Blade Runner, is summoned out of retirement in a dystopian 2019 Los Angeles of towering buildings when four renegade Nexus-6 replicants hijack a spacecraft and illegally visit Earth to pursue their creator, Dr. Eldon Tyrell.
The ruthless bounty hunter, Deckard, leaves no stone unturned in the future, neon-lit city to track down and “retire” the hazardous androids as the synthetic humanoids become increasingly anxious to find him.
Rick, on the other hand, is increasingly dealing with mixed feelings. Will he allow uncertainty, or even empathy, to stand in the way of his responsibilities?
2. No Tomorrow (2016)
Director: Ji-seung Lee
Writers: Jae-Il Jang
Cast: Sung-Woo Bae, Ryu Jun-Yeol, Hyo-ju Park
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
Lee Hye-ri, a TV reporter, discovers suspicious behavior concerning contemporary slavery at a secluded island’s salt mines and persuades her cameraman to follow her there.
She poses as a producer for a documentary about salt mines and attempts to obtain information by interviewing island residents. On the other hand, the islanders quickly realize she is not who she claims to be, and they begin to attack her crew.
3. Bird Box (2018)
Director: Susanne Bier
Writers: Eric Heisserer
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Sarah Paulson, Trevante Rhodes
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Amid a terrifying new reality in which an unknown malicious entity is purging the world’s population, Malorie, a single mother, and her two children go on a life-threatening mission to discover the final safe refuge on Earth.
You’d think eyesight would be the biggest gift in a situation like this, but it turns out to be the biggest curse.
The terrorizing creature hunts those who see it, so the protagonist, along with two kids, tries to find a safe haven, blindfolded.
The laws of survival have now shifted. Will Malorie and her children make it until the next day?
4. I Am Legend (2007)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers: Mark Protosevich
Cast: Alice Braga, Willow Smith, Will Smit
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
A virus that was designed for the goal of fighting cancer and is given to cancer patients appeared to be promising at first. But, after a few years, it developed into a pandemic that kills or transforms the majority of humans on Earth.
Only a few people are resistant. Among them is military scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith), who has spent the last three years attempting to cure the illness that has ravaged civilization.
But he’s losing hope until two more people who are immune arrive. The struggle to survive and the thrill that comes with it are a few reasons that make this movie one of the most loved apocalypse movies on Netflix.
5. Extinction (2018)
Director: Ben Young
Writers: Spenser Cohen
Cast: Lizzy Caplan, Erica Tremblay, Michael Peña
IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
A family’s father has dreams about terrorist strikes. His family is concerned about his well-being. He thinks he’s having another nightmare one night during a party. But his worst fears are becoming a reality.
He and his wife are frantically trying to get their children to safety. They begin to discover that the assailants are not that different from what the man has been dreaming about all along.
6. The Darkest Hour (2011)
Director: Chris Gorak
Writers: Jon Spaihts
Cast: Max Minghella, Emile Hirsch, Joel Kinnaman
IMDB Rating: 4.9/10
Sean and Ben, two American software designers, come to Moscow to pitch their product to investors. On the other hand, their Swedish partner Skyler pulls a quick one on Sean and Ben, putting them out of business.
They travel to a nightclub, where they meet American Natalie and Australian Anne, flirt with them, then run into Skyler.
Lights appear out of nowhere, surprising the inhabitants, which they mistake for natural occurrences. However, they soon discover that the flashes are aliens attacking Earth and utilizing the power supply to wipe humanity off.
This might not have topped the ranking of IMDb, but it is for sure the most-watched apocalypse movie on Netflix.
7. Blame! (2017)
Directors: Hiroyuki Seshita
Writers: Sadayuki Murai (screenplay), Tsutomu Nihei
Cast: Tahahiro Sakutai, Kana Hanazawa, Sora Amamiya
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
The world isn’t the same as threats hitting every corner of it. Instead, civilization has joined with cyber-technology to create automated cities, where the virus causes the systems to malfunction, which causes the robots to develop a life of their own.
For that to be possible, they gang up to eliminate humanity. The movie presents a scary picture of what would happen if creation turned against the creator. Blame! is one of the best dystopian movies on Netflix.
8. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Director: James Cameron
Writers: James Cameron
Cast: Edward Furlong, Earl Boen, Linda Hamilton
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
Over ten years have passed since The Terminator attempted to murder Sarah Connor and her unborn son, John. The man who will lead the human resistance to the Machines in the future is presently a healthy little kid.
On the other hand, the supercomputer Skynet sends another Terminator, the T-1000, back in time. This new Terminator is more evolved and stronger than the last one, and its objective is to assassinate John Connor while he is still a toddler.
On the other hand, Sarah and John are not alone in their fight against the T-1000. The list of best apocalypse movies on Netflix would be incomplete without mentioning “Terminator 2”.
9. 3022 (2019)
Director: John Suits
Writer: Ryan Binaco
Cast: Angus Macfadyen, Omar Epps, Kate Walsh
IMDB Rating: 4.5/10
The solitude of deep space overwhelms a crew of astronauts midway through a ten-year voyage, causing them to become unstable. As they prepare to return home, Earth is struck by a horrific tragedy.
The frightening vastness of space has become the least of their troubles as they battle to remain alive against unknown attacks. With no way back home, these astronauts must live with whatever supplies they have left for an uncertain period.
10. How It Ends (2018)
Director: Zoe Lister-Jones
Writers: Brooks McLaren
Cast: Cailee Spaeny, Tawny Newsome, Zoe Lister-Jones
IMDB Rating: 5.0/10
Will departs his pregnant girlfriend in Seattle and travels to Chicago to visit her father and ask for her hand in marriage in the film How It Ends.
While Tom is still furious with Will for sinking his boat so many years ago and being a poor guy in general, a world-ending event occurs in Seattle: an earthquake and volcanic eruption.
While they’re getting their car repaired, Ricki pledges to join them on their adventure if the car breaks down again. The conclusion of this movie is open-ended as viewers speculate a sequel.
11. The Worthy (2016)
Director: Ali F. Mostafa
Writers: Vikram Weet
Cast: Mahmoud Al Atrash, Ruba Blal, Rayner Gabriel
IMDB Rating: 5.1/10
A tiny group of survivors who have found sanctuary near a rare pure water source is thrown into a deadly game of cat and mouse.
They must protect their lives against infiltrators who aren’t who they appear after the great bulk of the world’s water supply has been lethally poisoned.
12. Poseidon (2006)
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Writers: Mark Protosevich
Cast: Jacinda Barrett, Josh Lucas, Mía Maestro
IMDB Rating: 5.7/10
It’s New Year’s Eve, and over 2,000 guests and staff are aboard the massive cruise liner ‘Poseidon’ to ring in the New Year when it capsizes amid the North Atlantic Ocean! In a fight for their lives, a tiny group of survivors discovers surprising friends.
Career gambler Dylan Johns refuses the captain’s orders to remain below for possible rescue and goes off on his own to find his way to safety.
What starts as a solitary expedition quickly attracts the attention of others, as Dylan is pursued by a distraught father looking for his daughter and her fiancée.
A young couple who couldn’t muster the nerve to tell him they were engaged just hours before and now face far more serious issues.
13. The Bad Batch (2016)
Director: Ana Lily Amirpour
Writers: Ana Lily Amirpour
Cast: Jayda Fink, Suki Waterhouse, Jim Carrey
IMDB Rating: 5.3/10
The Bad Batch follows Arlen (Waterhouse) after being abandoned in a Texas wilderness surrounded by barbed wire. Arlen is kidnapped by a vicious tribe of cannibals commanded by the enigmatic Miami Man while attempting to negotiate the harsh terrain (Momoa).
While she did manage to escape and save her life through the skin of her teeth, she now has the responsibility of reuniting a pair of father and daughter.
14. Terminator Salvation (2009)
Director: McG
Writers: John Brancato
Cast: Moon Bloodgood, Anton Yelchin, Christian Bale
IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
Skynet exterminated most of humanity in 2018, and survivors have been sheltering underground from an army of robots known as “Terminators.” The man destined to lead the Resistance, John Connor, is the solitary survivor of a botched raid on a Skynet installation.
On the other side, Marcus Wright only recalls being on death row when he meets Kyle Reese, and Connor believes he was sent from the future to murder him.
Marcus and John will have to work together to free Kyle Reese and the other humans the robots kidnapped.
15. Cloud Atlas (2012)
Director: Tom Tykwer
Writers: David Mitchell
Cast: Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Jim Broadbent
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
The plot is a time-shifting weave of six interconnected episodes, with varied locations ranging from the savagery of a Pacific Island in the 1850s to a dystopian Korea soon.
Rarely do we stop and consider how our actions affect others, and this movie is all about it. Six individuals, all from a different generation, are shown how their actions impact the lives of their loved ones leading to a ball of emotions.
This is one of the best apocalypse movies on Netflix and has a tint of thriller action in it.
16. Spectral (2016)
Director: Nic Mathieu
Writers: Ian Fried
Cast: Max Martini, James Badge Dale, Clayne Crawford
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
In the European country of Moldova, where civil unrest has erupted, US soldiers are battling rebels. However, a new menace has declared both sides to be their adversary.
This new menace exists on a different spectrum, making them undetectable to human sight and causing quick death to anybody who comes into contact with them.
Locals think they are Spirits of War, while some say they are advanced weaponry technology manufactured by the Moldovan government.
17. Godzilla (1998)
Director: Roland Emmerich
Writers: Roland Emmerich, Ted Elliott, Dean Devlin
Cast: Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Matthew Broderick
IMDB Rating: 5.4/10
While a nuclear test is taking place in France, a lizard nest mutation results in a huge lizard that travels to New York after a few years. Dr. Niko Tatopoulos, a specialist on the effects of radiation on animals, is tasked with learning and researching the beast.
Godzilla, the colossal monster, is finally unleashed. Now, a war between the beast and the military is wreaking havoc on everything and everyone.
18. What Happened To Monday (2017)
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Writer: Max Botkin
Cast: Glenn Close, Marwan Kenzari, Noomi Rapace
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
The government enacts a one-child policy when population growth produces a shortage of food, water, and housing in the not-too-distant future.
During this tough period, identical septuplets (7 children born simultaneously) are born and kept hidden by their grandpa.
They’ve been taught to act as one to shield their secret from the guards who are stationed at every corner of the streets and scrutinize everyone. They were born without their mother and are named after the days of the week.
Everything seemed to be going pretty smoothly for years up until Monday’s actions derailed and caused problems for all of her siblings.
19. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
Director: Julius Onah
Writer: Oren Uziel
Cast: John Ortiz, Daniel Brühl, Aksel Hennie
IMDB Rating: 5.5/10
There will be an energy calamity on Earth in the not-too-distant future. The Cloverfield Station will test the Shepard particle accelerator with a global crew to provide energy for all countries and relieve the energy problem.
However, the experiment goes awry, causing damage to a station and establishing a doorway to a parallel Earth in another universe.
They also uncover a lady wrapped in cables inside a station bulkhead who works at Cloverfield Station in another dimension. The scientists must now figure out a way to get back to their native dimension.
20. Day Of The Dead: Bloodline (2018)
Director: Hèctor Hernández
Writers: Mark Tonderai
Cast: Jeff Gum, Lillian Blankenship, Shari Watson
IMDB Rating: 3.4/10
Zoe Parker, a medical student at Whittendale University, is forced to go to a party by her friends. While obtaining a keg of beer from the morgue, Zoe is approached by her troublesome patient Max, who is madly in love with her and whose blood has an unusually high level of antibodies.
He tries to assault her, but a corpse incinerates and bites Max in the throat. Zoe tells everyone about this incident but keeps hold of the corpse that possibly saved her life.
Do you think possessing a corpse without anybody’s knowledge is going to go well for Zoe? Watch the movie to find out!
21. Godzilla: Planet Of The Monsters (2017)
Director: Kôbun Shizuno
Writers: Sadayuki Murai
Cast: Kana Hanazawa, Jun’ichi Suwabe, Kenta Miyake
IMDB Rating: 6.0/10
Following Godzilla’s destruction of their home planet, a disparate group of refugees, led by the furious teenage Haruo Sakaki, returns to Earth to reclaim humanity’s home.
They discover, however, that 20,000 years have elapsed since they left and that the Earth has evolved into a strange alien habitat governed by Godzilla.
In the film industry “Godzilla” is worldwide renowned for its cinematic views for being the best apocalypse movie on Netflix.
Read More: Is Godzilla Vs Kong Available on Netflix US in 2022
22. ARQ (2016)
Director: Tony Elliott
Writers: Tony Elliott
Cast: Gray Powell, Robbie Amell, Jacob Neayem
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
The world’s oil supply has run out, and businesses are eyeing the world’s last energy resources. An engineer is trapped in a house, surrounded by a gang of mystery masked attackers, and must defend a technology that might provide infinite energy and put a stop to the world’s battles.
The only problem is that the technology has created a time loop in which he and his friend are forced to repeat the same day over and over again.
23. Cargo (2017)
Director: Ben Howling
Writers: Yolanda Ramke
Cast: Finlay Sjoberg, Simone Landers, Susie Porter
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Andy and Kay are hiding on a houseboat in rural Australia with their one-year-old daughter Rosie in a world ravaged by a virus that turns humans into zombies in 48 hours.
While relocating for the night, Andy spots two kids playing on the riverside. Skeptical about if they are even human, the parents steer clear of the possible danger and continue their journey to safety making it one of the best apocalypse movies on Netflix.
24. The Sum Of All Fears (2002)
Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Writers: Tom Clancy
Cast: James Cromwell, Ian Mongrain, Ken Jenkins
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
When Russia’s President dies and is substituted by a man with a mysterious history, the US is alerted to escalating Cold War worries, when the CIA accuses rogue Russian scientists of seeking to construct more mobile nuclear weapons, tensions between the two countries flare-up.
Director of the CIA William Cabot (Morgan Freeman) dispatches his best operative, Jack Ryan (Ben Affleck). Terrorists are plotting to start a war between the US and Russia by detonating a nuclear weapon at a football game in Baltimore, Maryland.
25. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Writers: John Brancato
Cast: Nick Stahl, David Andrews, Moira Sinise
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Fearful of the events that occurred when he was a child, John Conner, now an adult lives off the grid— no job, no credit cards, no phone.
SkyNet dispatches its most powerful machine to date, the T-X or Terminatrix, to murder not just John but his future wife as well, after failing twice.
Once again, a Terminator is dispatched to defend John and his future bride, this time with a minor update that lets it better simulate human behavior. John will soon find something that will change his life forever because he has no idea how these terminators were delivered, even though he thought he had destroyed SkyNet.
Wrapping Up!
Though you can watch anything and everything on Netflix, including comedy, thriller, horror shows, Halloween movies, suspense, horror movies, classic, cartoon, action, romance, cooking shows, sci-fi, reality, kid movies, emotional drama, Marvel shows, and documentaries – it is time to enjoy the best apocalypse movies on Netflix.
Watching apocalypse movies on Netflix may be addictive. Glaring at ruins may not appear healthy at first, but it may be beneficial since it helps us glimpse what the world may be and then feel empowered to escape such dark paths.