7 Dystopian Sci-fi Movies to Watch After The Hunger Games

With the latest installment of Hunger Games on the way, it’s easy to look back at this franchise with nostalgia. The books and films may have shocked us, but there’s no denying how they swept through our hearts and minds, telling a story that resonated with their fans. Many fans still crave more tales like these, and while the wait between books (and movies) can be long, there are other options to work through in the meantime. Sci-fi dystopian is not a new genre, thankfully, so there are plenty of other films to dive into, from newer dystopian tales to classic sci-fi adventures.

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The Hunger Games was originally a trilogy, although the movies expanded it into a four-part story, following the determined Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence). In 2023, a prequel story, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes released in theaters. Now movie fans are waiting for 2026 and the release of Sunrise of the Reaping.

That wait may feel like forever, but these seven films can help bridge the gap. Likewise, there are many obvious films to consider, such as the often compared Divergent movies, The Maze Runner, and The Mortal Engines. Likewise, there’s Battle Royale, which came before Hunger Games, with many fans believing it offered some inspiration to Suzanne Collins. Regardless of whether this is true, there are many familiar themes the two share.

1) 9 (2009)

9 is the only animated film here, but it has themes any Hunger Games fan would appreciate as it’s a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film with obvious dystopian elements. Set sometime in the 1940s, in a world where everything went horribly wrong, we meet 9, a little doll who’s more like a homunculus. 9 woke to a world where humans have largely been erased from the world, with only other Stitchpunks to keep him company. Despite the cute characters and animated setting, 9 is surprisingly mature and dark, portraying a group of characters as they struggle to survive and understand their role in this strange world. While the film was met with somewhat mixed reviews, Hunger Games fans will appreciate many core elements, including the symbolism, the haunting setting, and the overarching themes of resistance and survival.

9 was released in 2009 and is based on a short film of the same name. It stars Elijah Wood, Fred Tatasciore, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, John C. Reilly, Martin Landau, and Christopher Plummer.

2) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Star Wars fans are certainly well aware of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This iconic film is a prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope, putting the wheels in motion for the memorable battle that still lives rent-free in our minds. Rogue One is often classified as an epic space opera, but it fits the sci-fi dystopian bill, as one group of rebels comes together for a dangerous heist. They don’t know what the Galactic Empire is cooking up, but they know whatever this ultimate weapon is will cause mass destruction, thus they’re going to steal the plans and learn how to destroy it. Rogue One leans heavier into sci-fi elements than Hunger Games, but it’s still a perfect fit for fans. Both stories are about small rebellions striking back against tyrannical empires.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released in 2016, and ironically it has since gotten its own spin-off/prequel adventure (Andor). Rogue One stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, and many other talented actors.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is available to stream on Disney+.

3) Equilibrium (2002)

At a glance, Equilibrium and The Hunger Games may not feel like they have a lot in common. Preston (Christian Bale) lives in a world where the government has taken complete control of the population. The government even went so far as to outlaw emotion. Preston’s story starts on the wrong side of this conflict, as he’s an officer helping to enforce these rules. Forced to suppress his emotions (and failing), Preston eventually makes his way to the rebellion. Equilibrium is a fantastic and dark film where Preston’s struggles are not dissimilar to Katniss’, especially the trials she faced while under the watchful eyes of the Capitol. Likewise, both franchises aim to make viewers stop and think about moral dilemmas, especially as they pertain to the main characters.

Equilibrium was released in 2002 and is set in a futuristic timeline, sometime after World War III. It stars Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs, Angus Macfadyen, Sean Bean, and many more.

Equilibrium is available to stream on Pluto TV.

4) Gattaca (1997)

Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) is a rarity in his world; he was born without any genetic modifications, with his parents allowing his “imperfections” to remain. In a world dominated by genetic engineering and new social class systems, this decision makes Vincent stand out. As such, he must overcome the genetic discrimination he faces if he wants to follow his dreams of going to space. Vincent’s story will feel familiar to the way districts are set up in Hunger Games, as his allotment in life was predetermined (in his case, by genes instead of location). Likewise, both films portray resistance against systemic control, discrimination, and inequality.

Gattaca was released in 1997 and stars Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Loren Dean, and Gore Vidal, to name a few.

Gattaca is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Hulu.

5) Ready Player One (2018)

Those who enjoy the game elements of Hunger Games should make note of Ready Player One. While the games may be virtual in this world, the stakes are just as high. In this world, it’s pretty common for people to use virtual reality as a means of escaping their crummy lives, if only for a bit. Wade (Tye Sheridan) is no exception, and while he doesn’t have access to much in the real world, he enjoys the magic and wonders of the virtual worlds. However, following through on an epic gaming quest opens the doors to very real danger – and battles for the world. Ready Player One and The Hunger Games both portray characters who came from nothing and somehow found themselves at the forefront of a rebellion.

Ready Player One was released in 2018 and is based on a novel of the same name, written by Ernest Cline. Ready Player One stars Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, and dozens of other actors.

6) Circle (2015)

While we’re on the whole contest/game subject, there’s always Circle. This 2015 film was inspired by 12 Angry Men, but also has a familiar tone to Squid Game. The story begins with fifty people waking up in a small, dark room. Each person has been carefully placed upon a red circle. They soon learn that they will all die if they attempt to leave the circle, but staying means one person will die every minute or two. It feels like a lose-lose situation created for the entertainment of others, and it hits hard. It’s easy to see the correlation for Hunger Games fans, as both franchises discuss causing pain to others for the sake of entertainment value. Both films raise concerns about power dynamics, control, and the abuse of people who don’t always have a voice.

Circle was released in 2015, with a sequel scheduled to be released sometime this year. The film has a massive cast, much like Squid Game, including the likes of Carter Jenkins, Lawrence Kao, Allegra Masters, Michael Nardelli, Julie Benz, Mercy Malick, Lisa Pelikan, and Cesar Garcia.

Circle is available to stream on Netflix.

7) The Truman Show (1998)

The Truman Show is billed as a psychological comedy-drama, but it likewise falls under the sci-fi dystopian category. That may sound counterintuitive, but this comedy has a shockingly dark underbelly, as viewers learn while watching the film. Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) has always felt like something was off like he’s always being watched. There have been signs of oddity all throughout his life, but it’s only recently that he’s been able to spot these signs for what they are. The film aims to be deeply unsettling, letting it build in subtle ways, and it nails it.

Fans of The Hunger Games will appreciate the constant threat of surveillance Truman faces. Truman has been systematically exploited for entertainment, which feels eerily similar to the core behind the Hunger Games as a show in Katniss’ world. The only difference is that Truman didn’t know he was in a show for much of his life.

The Truman Show was released in 1998 and stars Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris, Noah Emmerich, and countless other talented actors.

The Truman Show is available to stream on Pluto TV.