Best Movies About Pandemics and Viruses, Ranked (2024)

We usually go to the movies to escape reality. Why think about our dead-end jobs, relationship woes, and global pandemics when we can wander into fantastic medieval lands or travel across galaxies? Sometimes, though, we like to watch movies that remind us of our (occasionally miserable) reality. As society continues to deal with COVID-19, it might seem bizarre to want to spend more time watching stories about pandemics and diseases, but sometimes, it can be entertaining or comforting to watch Hollywood's depictions of actual life.

Update November 15, 2023: This article has been updated with even more films about pandemics and viruses.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world forever, giving audiences a new appreciation for films focused on global pandemics. What seemed like science fiction has now become an everyday reality. It can be comforting to watch a more extreme version of a pandemic to feel better about not having to run away from zombies; pandemic films can also offer great suspense and thrills. Here are some of the best movies about viruses and pandemics ranked.

22 Viral (2016)

Viral

R

Thriller

Documentary

Drama

Horror

Sci-Fi

Release Date

February 18, 2016

Director

Henry Joost , Ariel Schulman

Cast

Analeigh Tipton , Michael Kelly , Sofia Black-D'Elia , Brianne Howey , Machine Gun Kelly , Judyann Elder

Viral is a sci-fi horror drama written by Christopher Landon and Barbara Marshall and co-directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. The story is set in suburban California as a middle-class family moves in. A couple with two kids begins life anew when suddenly a student falls ill, showing symptoms such as endless hunger and coughing blood. Two sisters are forced to survive on their own after their parents get stranded at an airport when their town is quarantined.

What Makes It Great

Audiences are used to getting hits from Blumhouse Productions, as the studio has an ongoing offering of great horror stories. Viral features the acting talents of Michael Kelly, Sofia Black-D'Elia, and Lio Tipton. The cast delivers an excellent performance as a family facing several unsolved issues straining their relationships. The story focuses on them trying to make peace while facing the adversity of the virus overtaking their new home.

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21 #Alive (2020)

It's challenging to state if the release of #Alive was well-timed or not. This movie, written and directed by Cho Il-hyung, was released in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic as the world was facing lockdowns everywhere. Starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, the story is focused on a young man named Joon-woo who suddenly finds himself locked up in his home after zombies overrun his neighborhood.

What Makes It Great

Despite being a zombie film, #Alive feels all too familiar, as the movie explores themes of isolation, survival, and anguish. Joon-woo has barely any supplies to survive, and going outside means risking his life. His luck changes when he meets Kim Yoo-bin, a neighbor in another building better equipped to survive. #Alive is a powerful story exploring the resilience of the human spirit and how people deceive themselves for the sake of hope.

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20 Containment (2015)

Containment is a thriller written by David Lemon and directed by Neil Mcenery-West, starring Lee Ross, Sheila Reid, and Louise Brealey. The story is set in a council block in Weston, Southampton, in the United Kingdom. It all begins with Mark suddenly waking up in his apartment only to realize all exits have been blocked by men in Hazmat suits. With no explanation other than an intercom voice telling him over and over to remain calm, Mark must figure out what exactly is happening outside.

What Makes It Great

Containment is a claustrophobic film by nature. The story lures you into a mysterious situation simultaneously as Mark, with no knowledge about what's going on or why this is happening. The presence of soldiers and doctors in Hazmat suits tells us that some form of outbreak must be affecting the general public, but we don't get much else. Mark begins breaking the walls of his flat to get in contact with his neighbors, who are as clueless as he is in a harrowing, desperate experience.

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19 World War Z (2013)

World War Z

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Documentary

Horror

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

June 20, 2013

Director

Marc Forster

Cast

Brad Pitt , Mireille Enos , Daniella Kertesz , James Badge Dale , Ludi Boeken , Matthew Fox

You better learn how to run quickly if you want to survive this fast-paced horror film. Featuring one of the scariest and speediest zombies in movie history, World War Z follows a UN worker, played by Brad Pitt, who is racing to find the origins and cure of a global zombie pandemic. The film was based on the 2006 Max Brooks novel of the same name and received positive reviews for Brad Pitt's performance and for its thrilling portrayal of zombies, which kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The epic CGI sequences of zombie swarms have become iconic images in the genre.

What Makes It Great

The original World War Z novel is often cited as a work to criticize government ineptitude, corporate corruption, and human short-sightedness. The film does away with those perceptions by making most governing bodies somewhat competent and able to collaborate to avert a more significant disaster. The film could be a great example of real-life collaboration between dividing factions who look forward to their similarities instead of their differences to overcome a crisis.

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18 REC (2007)

[REC]

R

Horror

Mystery

See Also

The Best (and Worst) of Pandemic TV Shows and Movies10 Best Movies That Bombed During the Pandemic'Tiger King' and 9 Other Movies and TV Shows That Defined the 2020 PandemicThe 50 best movies of the year, according to critics

Release Date

November 23, 2007

Director

Jaume Balagueró , Paco Plaza

Cast

Manuela Velasco , Ferran Terraza , Jorge-Yamam Serrano , Pablo Rosso , David Vert , Vicente Gil

Some of the best atmospheric horror is created overseas. REC is a horror movie filmed in Spain and was later remade for the American market as Quarantine, which is not bad but lacks all the nuance that makes the original such a great story. The found-footage horror movie is directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, with a script by Jaume Balagueró and Luiso Berdejo. The film follows a TV reporter and her cameraman documenting the night shift at a fire station. The competent cast features Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, and Jorge-Yamam Serrano.

What Makes It Great

The movie begins by showcasing a casual endeavor. When a group of firemen responds to a distress call from an apartment building, a filming crew and the first responders find themselves trapped with the rest of the residents, who are infected by a mysterious virus that turns them into bloodthirsty zombies. It’s a tense and impactful film, with many twists and turns, especially the shocking ending.

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17 Death in Venice (1971)

Some films tell a unique story while using a desperate scenario as background. Death in Venice is an extremely creepy film about a man falling in love with a boy whose feminine traits are inexplicably enticing. The story takes place in Venice during a Cholera outbreak. The movie is written and directed by Luchino Visconti, with the assistance of Nicola Badalucco, and based on a novel of the same name by Thomas Mann. The cast includes solid acting from Dirk Bogarde, Romolo Valli, and Mark Burns, who all help sell the story.

What Makes It Great

The movie tells the story of Gustav von Aschenbach, a famous composer who travels to Venice for a holiday. With the city struck by a cholera outburst epidemic, Gustav struggles with the feelings of obsession he’s developing for the young boy. Unwilling to admit his feelings, the man struggles with memories of artistic integrity and a gradual physical and mental decline. The creepiness steadily ramps up as time goes on, resulting in a movie that will keep you up for days.

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16 Black Death (2010)

Black Death

R

Action

Documentary

Drama

Horror

Mystery

Thriller

Release Date

June 7, 2010

Director

Christopher Smith

Cast

Sean Bean , Eddie Redmayne , David Warner , Carice Van Houten , Kimberley Nixon , Tim McInnerny

Not many films touch upon the Black Death, but this film tells the tragic story of the Bubonic plague, a disease that ravaged Europe, killing nearly 25 million people in five years. This period piece is a fantasy drama directed by Christopher Smith and written by Dario Poloni. The solid cast is full of beloved actors, such as Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, and Carice van Houten.

What Makes It Great

The story is set at the height of the 14th century, as a young monk is forced to join a group of knights on a mission to investigate the rumors about a remote village that seems unaffected by the plague. During their travels, the posse must face the horrors of the epidemic while a mysterious necromancer is out to make their lives a living hell. Being a period piece, the film is set apart from many others listed here in the way it disregards science for the exploration of faith and the moral complexities regarding the survival of the cast.

Stream on Prime Video

15 Flu (2013)

Before COVID caused worldwide fear, we faced a similar pandemic before. The avian influenza outbreak started in 1997 in Hong Kong and peaked for most of the early 2000s. Flu recreates a fictional scenario where the disease is much worse than it actually was. The movie is written and directed by Kim Sung-su with the assistance of Lee Young-jong and features the talents of Jang Hyuk, Soo Ae, and Ma Dong-Seok.

What Makes It Great

The movie depicts an outbreak of a lethal strain of H5N1 in the city of Bundang. With the virus spreading like wildfire, one doctor and one epidemic specialist must race against time to find a cure and prevent a bigger catastrophe. The film's excellent script, mixed with a great editing job, gives the movie perfect pacing while showcasing the devastating consequences of the highly contagious virus and the efforts to contain it.

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14 Blindness (2008)

Blindness

R

Drama

Mystery

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

October 3, 2008

Director

Fernando Meirelles

Cast

Yusuke Iseya , Jason Bermingham , Eduardo Semerjian , Don McKellar , Ciça Meirelles , Antônio Fragoso

In Blindness, we find the cast trapped in an unnamed city when sudden-onset blindness sweeps through the place. The central storyline takes place in a hospital, as more patients gather in the location, turning it into a concentration camp. A blind man with a gun forces everyone to do his bidding while the unaffected try their best to survive. The movie, directed by Fernando Meirelles and based on the novel by José Saramago, features a script by Don McKellar and the acting talents of Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and Danny Glover.

What Makes It Great

Very few pandemic movies explore outbreaks from a single point of view. Most of the films in the list have a general outlook on the disease affecting the population; even if there’s a designated surrogate with a central POV, we get to see the struggles of the general populace. Blindness is notable for not giving any of the characters in the story a name. The central conflict aims to show that society has fallen, and only the blind men with the larger stick can call themselves king now.

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13 Bird Box (2018)

Bird Box

R

Sci-Fi

Drama

Horror

Release Date

December 13, 2018

Director

Susanne Bier

Cast

Machine Gun Kelly , Pruitt Taylor Vince , BD Wong , Danielle Macdonald , Lil Rel Howery , Tom Hollander , Julian Edwards , Sarah Paulson , Rosa Salazar , Parminder Nagra , Sandra Bullock , Trevante Rhodes , Vivien Lyra Blair , John Malkovich , Jacki Weaver

Bird Box is a 2018 post-apocalyptic thriller film by director Susanne Bier, based on the 2014 Josh Malerman movie of the same name. The film stars Sandra Bullock in the lead role and follows her as she and her two young children as they embark on a dangerous journey to find refuge after an unknown phenomenon destroys society by influencing nearly everyone to commit suicide. The catch? They must remain blindfolded or risk contracting the mysterious illness. The film includes flashbacks to when the “entity” appeared five years earlier and shows the catastrophic effects and how Bullock’s character managed to survive.

What Makes It Great

With enough gore to be included in the horror genre, the film details a horrific supernatural pandemic, and the fear of getting “caught” is palpable. Though Bird Box received mixed reviews from critics who believed the film didn’t quite live up to its narrative potential, it soon became the most-viewed film on Netflix in the 28 days following its release on the platform. In 2020, author Josh Malerman penned a novel sequel to Bird Box called Malorie, and the film adaptation is reportedly in development with Netflix.

Stream on Netflix

12 The Crazies (1973)

The Crazies

R

Horror

Action

Mystery

Thriller

Release Date

February 26, 2010

Director

Breck Eisner

Cast

Timothy Olyphant , Radha Mitchell , Joe Anderson , Danielle Panabaker , Christie Lynn Smith , Brett Rickaby

See Also

Why is this obscure 2020 pandemic thriller a hit on Netflix? And is it worth watching? | Digital Trends

In George A. Romero's 1973 sci-fi horror flick The Crazies, a small Pennsylvania town is quarantined and blocked off by the military after a manmade virus is accidentally exposed to its citizens, causing them to go insane and become terrifyingly violent. Local firefighters and Vietnam War veterans David and Clank and David's pregnant wife Judy set out to escape the plagued town before they too become infected with the virus, leading to a chilling showdown between the group of survivors and steadfast soldiers.

What Makes It Great

George Romero adapted Paul McCollough's screenplay The Mad People for the thrilling picture, tweaking the work in order to make the military bioweapon subplot front-and-center. The Crazies focuses on the fallout of the bio spill that leads to an epidemic in which the infected become homicidal and deranged. It's downright spine-tingling to watch and wonder who will be the next victim of the virus. The film went on to achieve cult status and inspired the 2010 remake starring Justified star Timothy Olyphant.

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11 I Am Legend (2007)

I Am Legend

PG-13

Drama

Action

Documentary

Horror

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

December 12, 2007

Director

Francis Lawrence

Cast

Will Smith , Alice Braga , Charlie Tahan , Salli Richardson-Whitfield , Willow Smith , Darrell Foster

Loosely based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name, I Am Legend is a 2007 post-apocalyptic action thriller starring Will Smith. Within the narrative, a virus originally created to cure cancer mutates and wipes out the majority of the population and turns survivors into cannibalistic mutants. Smith plays US Army virologist Robert Neville, who lives as one of the last remaining uninfected humans in desolate New York City, and the film follows his attempts to find a cure for the virus while avoiding capture by “Darkseekers.”

What Makes It Great

I Am Legend uses CGI to capture director Francis Lawrence’s vision of a city left abandoned after several years, though not all critics appreciated the special effects. However, Smith’s performance was celebrated as was the film’s exploration into the collapse of civilization. The DVD release includes an alternate ending which appeased many viewers who disliked the fact that the film diverged from the novel. In early 2022, it was announced that a sequel to I Am Legend is in development, and Will Smith will be reprising his role.

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10 The Andromeda Strain (1971)

The Andromeda Strain is a 1971 sci-fi thriller from director Robert Wise, which was based on Michael Chrichton’s 1969 novel of the same name. The plot follows a group of scientists tasked with investigating an otherworldly pathogen released via a satellite that turns the blood of those exposed into powder, killing them instantly. Starring Arthur Hill, James Olson, Kate Reid, and David Wayne, the film was praised for sticking close to the original novel.

What Makes It Great

The Andromeda Strain is one of the first films to use advanced computerized photographic visual effects, which were designed by Douglas Trumbull, who had previously worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Additionally, The Andromeda Strain was praised by the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2003 for its scientific accuracy. They said the film “accurately details the appearance of a deadly agent, its impact, and the efforts at containing it, and, finally, the work-up on its identification and clarification on why certain persons are immune to it." The film was nominated for two Oscars, including Best Art Direction and Best Film Editing.

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9 Train to Busan (2016)

Train to Busan

Action

Horror

Mystery

Thriller

Release Date

July 20, 2016

Director

Sang-ho Yeon

Cast

Yoo Gong , Yu-mi Jeong , Dong-seok Ma , Su-an Kim , Eui-sung Kim , Woo-sik Choi

Writers

Joo-Suk Park , Sang-ho Yeon

The 2016 adrenaline-pumping action horror film Train to Busan follows the horrifying journey a workaholic father and his young daughter embark on after they are caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse while stuck on a train. After a devastating epidemic sweeps most of South Korea, people begin to transform into flesh-craving undead and the passengers on the train must find a way to survive the overwhelming onslaught of zombies; this becomes even more difficult when local survivors attempt to take over the train for shelter.

What Makes It Great

The Yeon Sang-Ho picture went on to become a critical and commercial hit, becoming the first Korean movie of 2016 to attract an audience of over 10 million people. In their rave review of Train to Busan,The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Characters you can't help but care about? Check. A spot of amped-up social commentary? Double check. Lashings of bloody, bite-y mayhem? Triple check."

Stream on Prime Video

8 Outbreak (1995)

Outbreak

R

Action

Documentary

Drama

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

March 10, 1995

Director

Wolfgang Petersen

Cast

Dustin Hoffman , Rene Russo , Morgan Freeman , Kevin Spacey , Cuba Gooding Jr. , Donald Sutherland

One of the most well-known virus films of all time is 1995's Outbreak, a thriller about a deadly hemorrhagic disease that spreads throughout California and the United States. In this film, the doctors and CDC scientists try to find a cure, but some of their military colleagues are not as selfless, with a bellicose general trying to use the disease as a bioweapon for war. Depicting the conflicting interests of bureaucratic and military officials, Outbreak might seem outlandish, but it is a mordant political commentary on the profit incentives of pandemics.

What Makes It Great

Outbreak is full of great performances by a star-studded cast that includes Cuba Gooding, Jr., Dustin Hoffman, Morgan Freeman, and Rene Russo. Upon its release, famed film critic Roger Ebert called Outbreak "one of the great scare stories of our time," which proved true when it surged back into popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and became the fourth most streamed movie on Netflix in March 2020.

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7 The Last Man on Earth (1964)

Dating back to 1964 and starring Vincent Price, The Last Man on Earth follows an immune Dr. Robert Morgan as he tries to survive in a new world where a disease has killed half of humanity and made the other half into zombies. The film is an adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend, which also spawned Will Smith's namesake film and the fantastic The Omega Man from 1972. It's The Last Man on Earth, though, which is the best of the three, not only because it preserves the original plot the most faithfully but because Vincent Price's performance is unforgettable.

What Makes It Great

Enduring a plague is not as terrible as being the last survivor of it. Robert Morgans wakes up daily to the same routine, which speaks volumes about his sound state of mind. However, as the plot progresses, we see Robert longs for companionship. He does his best to preserve what little life he finds, but everything seems to turn on him. To this day, it remains one of the most faithful adaptations of I Am Legend, considered by some a better adaptation than the modern remake starring Smith.

Stream on Prime Video

6 Children of Men (2006)

Children of Men

R

Action

Drama

Science Fiction

Release Date

January 5, 2007

Director

Alfonso Cuarón

Cast

Julianne Moore , Clare-Hope Ashitey , Clive Owen , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Michael Caine

Children of Men is a dystopian action thriller written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by P.D James. Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, and Michael Caine, the story is set in 2027 in a world that could easily be described as post-human. No new births have taken place in 18 years, and the world has been ravaged by ecocides and pandemics since 2008.

What Makes It Great

Any film by Alfonso Cuarón is worth the time and attention. The filmmaker has a gift for making someone feel the suffering of surrogate characters in all his stories. Owen gives an outstanding performance as Theo, a cynical bureaucrat who suddenly finds himself protecting a mysterious girl named Kee, who is pregnant. It's a story exploring the consequences of our current consumerism trends and the potential lasting impacts it could have in our lives, and it's one of the best recent sci-fi movies.

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5 12 Monkeys (1995)

12 Monkeys

r

Mystery

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

January 5, 1996

Director

Terry Gilliam

Cast

Joseph Melito , Bruce Willis , Jon Seda , Michael Chance , Vernon Campbell , H. Michael Walls

In the sci-fi classic 12 Monkeys, James Cole (played by Bruce Willis) travels from 2030 back to the 1990s to gather information about a man-made virus that killed billions of human beings. The film takes a drab look into a post-apocalyptic future as Cole is deemed crazy and put in a mental institution. Directed by Terry Gilliam and inspired by Chris Marker's 1962 short film La Jetée, the movie features excellent performances from Willis and Brad Pitt (once again), who help balance the seriousness of the film with much-needed comic relief.

What Makes It Great

12 Monkeys might not have the most streamlined plot, but in spite of its shortcomings, it is a unique gem that blends visual inventiveness, cerebral concepts, and thrilling emotions like no other film. The film, its actors, its writers, and its director all received several well-deserved award nominations for their work (including an Oscar nomination for Pitt). In 2015, a 12 Monkeys television series premiered on Syfy, starring actor Aaron Stanford in the lead role, and ran for four seasons.

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4 Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Dawn of the Dead

18+

Horror

Action

Release Date

May 24, 1979

Director

George Romero

Cast

Sarah Polley , Ving Rhames , Mekhi Phifer , Jake Weber , Ty Burrell , Michael Kelly , Kevin Zegers , Michael Barry

A lot of "pandemic" films turn into zombie films after the first act, but few are as revered as 1978's Dawn of The Dead. Directed by the legendary George Romero (with some help from Dario Argento), this classic of the horror genre depicts a global zombie apocalypse while focusing on a group of survivors who hide in a shopping mall.

What Makes It Great

The film is not only deliciously gory and hilariously violent, but it is also a fantastic satire of consumerism in American society, comparing mindless consumption of the late 20th century with a zombie plague; in a sense, materialism, and capitalism can become viral pandemics in their own right. In 2008, Dawn of the Dead was chosen by Empire Magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, along with Night of the Living Dead, which is considered to be its companion piece. It also led to an action-filled remake by Zack Snyder and a hilarious parody film by Edgar Wright.

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3 Contagion (2011)

Contagion

PG-13

Drama

Documentary

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

September 8, 2011

Director

Steven Soderbergh

Cast

Gwyneth Paltrow , Tien You Chui , Josie Ho , Daria Strokous , Matt Damon , Monique Gabriela Curnen

Perhaps the most realistic pandemic film ever made, Contagion deserves the third spot on this list thanks to its austere and chilling depiction of a global disease outbreak. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Z. Burns. It focuses on government officials and scientists who try to identify and combat the spread of the disease.

Contagion is a sociological examination of what would happen if a deadly virus were unleashed by Gwyneth Paltrow, which is why it features an ensemble cast of stars like Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and more. Very few films are as ambitious in scope as Contagion, as the film follows several interacting and international plot lines. This is perhaps why Contagion received such popularity in 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19, more than any other pandemic film.

What Makes It Great

Though the film debuted almost a decade before we experienced a near-identical global pandemic outbreak, Contagion's scientific accuracy is almost unnerving. Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns told The Washington Post, "It is surreal to me that people from all over the world write to me asking how I knew it would involve a bat or how I knew the term 'social distancing.' I didn't have a crystal ball - I had access to great expertise. So, if people find the movie to be accurate, it should give them confidence in the public health experts who are out there right now trying to guide us."

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