There are some movies that you can watch in a lighthearted mood without putting any mind or thinking into them. On the contrary, there are other movies that make you think. One such movie is “The Maze Runner,” which kept the audience engaged and guessing till the end!
The Maze Runner is a science fiction film full of gripping suspense and mystery. It was based on the American novel of the same name, written by James Dashner.
There are multiple other films that can be considered similar to the Maze Runner in terms of the genre, the thrilling suspense, and the storyline. In this article, we will have a look at some similar movies like The Maze Runner.
Movies Similar to The Maze Runner
Have a look at the various thriller movies which have similarities with The Maze Runner in one way or the other.
1. Maze Runner: Scorch Trials
After watching The Maze Runner, it is essential that you watch its complete trilogy to carry on with the suspense. The “Maze Runner: Scorch Trials” continues from where the story was left off in the first movie. It was released in 2015.
After escaping the deadly maze, the boys reach a strange and deadly landscape where they have to survive. The movie is as gripping as its prequel, and the star cast continues captivating the audience with their acting.
2. Maze Runner: The Death Cure
Released in 2018, this movie was the third and final sequel to The Maze Runner, and with this, the trilogy ended. It is the finale of the Maze Runner series, where the Gladers go on their final mission, which is also the most dangerous.
The movie was created with the same cast and the same director- Wes Ball. The movie was the epitome of suspense and exciting twists, and it was also captivatingly disturbing. To bring The Maze Runner story to a conclusion, watching this movie is equally important for you.
3. The Hunger Games Trilogy
The Maze Runner and the Hunger Games go hand in hand in terms of plot and story. The Hunger Games is another thriller movie like The Maze Runner that is based on novels of the same name. The movie is about a world with 12 districts under an oppressive regime.
There is a ruler of the regime who holds the hunger games every month to punish the districts for their rebellion in the past. Thus, he chooses a boy and a girl from each district to go into a deserted land and kill each other till the last one survives.
The series of the movie goes as follows-
- The Hunger Games (March 23, 2012)
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 22, 2013)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (November 21, 2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (November 20, 2015)
If you liked the story and the plot of The Maze Runner, you must add The Hunger Games to your watchlist today!
4. Divergent
The movie Divergent was released in 2014, and it has two sequels- Insurgent (2015) and Allegiant (2016). It is a dystopian science fiction action movie that was inspired by the novel by Veronica Roth of the same name.
The movie is set in a futuristic world, where the world is divided into multiple factions, and people become a part of the faction based on the specific skills they possess. What’s more to it is that it also has the concept of powerful people controlling mankind, just like in the movie The Maze Runner.
5. The Village
The movie The Village is a period thriller film, which M. Night Shyamalan directed beautifully. It consists of a gripping plot and a thrilling story, and the music score of the movie is equally important as makes it more delightful. The cast of the movie, such as Bryce Dallas and her on-screen father William Hurt whom she recently paid tribute to, have done a great job of portraying the movie characters.
The Village was released in 2004 and is an exciting to-watch movie like the maze runner.
The storied movie is about an isolated town that is surrounded by a jungle where unknown monsters reside. The Village and the woods are in a pact with each other that none of them will penetrate the other’s home. However, when a blind girl from the Village goes into the forest under extreme conditions, a series of unfortunate events begins.
6. Cube
The concept of the movie “Cube” is quite similar to The Maze Runner. In this movie, a group of strangers is placed in a giant cube, and they must work together to escape the endless maze filled with deadly traps. The movie was released in 1997 and had in it actors including Nicole de Boer, Nicky Guadagni, Andrew Miller, David Hewlett, etc.
The setting and the surreal atmosphere shown in the movie are what make it unique and highly appreciated. If you liked the concept and the suspense in The movie Maze Runner, you must watch this movie to give yourself a dose of adrenaline!
7. Battle Royale
Battle Royale is a Japanese action-thriller movie released in the year 2000. It is based on a famous novel by Koushun Takami. In the movie, a group of 42 school students is sent to play a death match by their totalitarian government. It is an amazing thriller suspense movie like Maze Runner.
The students are provided with food, weapons, and maps, and they have to survive on a deserted island. Furthermore, if someone tries to escape or breaks the rules, they will be killed by an explosive collar fixed on their neck. The movie was highly thrilling and became the inspiration for multiple thriller games such as Fortnite, PUBG, Call of Duty, etc.
8. Old
If you are in search of a movie like Maze Runner, whose plot is awfully exciting but disheartening, you must watch Old. This movie was released in the year 2021 and is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime.
The story is about a few families who come to visit a beautiful island for a vacation. However, they find themselves stuck on a beach, where they begin to age rapidly. This creates havoc amongst the people, and they start finding ways to escape the beach.
With a star cast of Vicky Kreips, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff, and many others, this movie was based on a Swiss graphic novel named Sandcastle, which was written by Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters in French.
9. The 5th Wave
It is an action, adventure, Sci-Fi, and thriller movie, which is based on the themes of post-apocalypse, aliens, and survival. It is an exciting and suspenseful movie, which you would surely like if you liked watching The Maze Runner.
The storied movie revolves around a 16-year-old girl who has in front of her the challenge to survive in a world that has been devastated by an alien invasion. The population has been decimated, and mankind has gone back to the Stone Age.
In such a situation, the girl tries to find her path to survival while also evading the threats that come in front of her. The movie was released in 2016 and cast Chloe Grace Moretz in the lead role.
10. Inception
If you are looking for a movie like The Maze Runner that is sure to blow up your mind, you need to watch Inception. The movie was released in July 2010 and had Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role. It is a mind blender that will ask you to use your mind completely and with a lot of concentration.
In the movie, the main lead, in addition to his team, has drawn out a technology with which they can acquire valuable information from people’s dreams. This makes them valuable in the espionage world. However, there are a few complications that come with this technology, which they have to jump over.
11. In Time
The film “In Time” is a movie similar to The Maze Runner which was released in 2011, and its concept is highly engaging and thrilling. It has Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, and Olivia Wilde in the lead roles. The story of the movie is based on the future when people will stop aging after 25, and the days left in their life will be based upon the money they have.
In such a circumstance, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake), who is a poor man, has only one day to live. The movie revolves around Will’s struggle to get the money he requires to live a longer life. Besides a thrilling concept, the movie has an exciting plot and is survival-based, just like The Maze Runner.
12. Bird Box
Lastly on our list is the movie Bird Box was released in 2018 as a Netflix original and is a horror sci-fi thriller masterpiece. It is an adaptation of the 2014 novel by Josh Malerman and was directed by Susanne Bier. With a star cast of Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, and John Malkovich, this post-apocalyptic film was loved by the audience.
In the movie, every person Malorie comes across becomes suicidal suddenly, and people start seeing demonic entities, which are signs of the end game. The movie revolves around her survival in a world where everyone is killing themselves through different means. It is quite a violent movie and not exactly family movie material.
TV Series like The Maze Runner
If you like to watch TV series because of their short episodes and continued suspense, mentioned below are a few TV series similar to The Maze Runner, which will keep you hooked for a longer period.
1. Squid Game
Squid Game is a thriller South Korean survival drama series. It was originally created for Netflix by Hwang Dong-hyuk and is currently available in multiple languages. The movie gained a lot of attention due to its gripping plot and its amazing story. The story of Squid Game is based on survival and is quite similar to The Maze Runner.
The Squid Games currently has only one season, and its first episode was released in September 2021. In the series, hundreds of players who are broke are invited to play a tournament with children’s games. While the rewards for winning are tempting, there are high chances of death as well.
2. The 100
The 100 is an American Sci-fi drama series that is fiction based on post-apocalyptic time. It first premiered on March 19, 2014. As of today, it has a total of 7 seasons. The series is based on “The 100” novel series by Kass Morgan.
After the apocalypse, thousands of people start living in the space station. However, when the space station becomes small to accommodate all of the residents, a few juveniles are sent back to earth for the first time in ninety-seven years. There, they see the changed order of the world and its residents.
The series is full of characters and the star cast of Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco, Thomas McDonell, and Bob Morley, amongst others.
3. Between
Released in May 2015, Between is a Canada-based science fiction drama TV series. It was a Netflix Original series, which currently has two seasons. The movie casts numerous stars, such as Jesse Carere, Justin Kelly, Jack Murray, Jennette McCurdy, etc.
In the series, the pregnant teenage daughter of a minister is sent to live in a small town named Pretty Lake, which is infected with a disease because of which no one is able to live past the age of 21 years.
It is a survival series with multiple twists and turns and a lot of suspense and is a must-watch for you if you loved watching the Maze Runner trilogy.
4. Alice in Borderland
Alice in Borderland is a Japanese science fiction thriller TV series. It is based on a manga of the same name, created by Haro Aso. It currently has 1 season with eight episodes, which was released in 2020.
In the movie, Alice finds herself along with a friend in an abandoned Tokyo. They have to complete dangerous games and survive. They have to get visas by winning the games, and once their visas expire, they will be shot dead by lasers from the sky.
The movie is filled with drama and thrilling suspense. It is a good-to-watch TV series if you are searching for a survival show or movie similar to The Maze Runner. The trailer for season 2 of the series has recently been launched.
Final Words
So create your watchlist with all these amazing thriller movies with a touch of science fiction. We ensure that you will be hooked to the screen if you watch the movies and TV series as suggested above.
