Talk:List of apocalyptic films

Untitled
I think this list should be forked into a pre-apocalyptic films and post-apocalyptic films. I'm making a list of post films that show people living in a landscape after the apocalypse. Examples: Book of eli, I am Legend, The Road.. etc.--71.194.190.179 (talk) 21:41, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

Perhaps I'm mistaken but I believe there is no such thing as a pre-apocalytic film. There is, I believe, a postapocalyptic and apocalyptic genre. Shouldn't we spell postapocalyptic without a hyphen? That is what webster's suggests https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postapocalyptic

Theking2 (talk) 16:50, 27 December 2019 (UTC)


 * Agreed, it's the same topic. It can only be pre-apocalyptic if there's an apocalypse either shown or implied. It was from an anonymous editor 10 years ago, so I doubt it carried any momentum anyway. As for the spelling, I haven't looked into it yet to say. MartinezMD (talk) 18:35, 27 December 2019 (UTC)

The basic concept
The concept of this article, as given in the lede, is too vague. First of all, if all a film shows is the "lead-up" to a potential apocalypse, but the apocalypse is not shown, and may not even occur, it should not be included. Second, if films are going to be included that do not actually show the apocalypse, but only show the post-apocalyptic world that follows, the name of the article should be changed to List of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic films. ---  RepublicanJacobite  The'FortyFive' 22:53, 20 January 2011 (UTC)

How is Aliens in this list? There's no indication that the state of earth is apocalyptic. Having a colony overrun by aliens isn't the same as an apocalypse. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.42.91.171 (talk) 22:04, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

Some of these do not fit
" All films within this list feature either the end of the world, a prelude to such an end, and/or a post-apocalyptic wasteland setting, or a world taken over by a viral infection."

Metropolis War of the worlds (1953) Logan's run Soylent Green Escape from New York Independence Day

None of these include the end of the world. In most of them it is either a dystopia or a event which the humans rapidly recover from. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mtpaley (talk • contribs) 18:16, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

If this page is to be a true 'List of apocalyptic films' then some pruning is required. The real issue is does wikipedia really need pages which distinguish between genuine apocalyptic (zombie, post atomic war, virus etc), the end is near but not here yet (28 days later), near miss but we got out of it (war of the worlds), dystopic (Metropolis,1984) and all the other categories of the future. At the moment the page seems to list any unpleasant future scenario. Mtpaley (talk) 20:50, 7 August 2013 (UTC)

I am going to start slash and burning this list
beginning very soon with Godzilla (2014 film) and going on from there. Your thoughts on the subject? Einar aka Carptrash (talk) 19:59, 7 February 2015 (UTC):
 * To my way of thinking, movies such as The Core, in which the apocalypse is averted do not belong on the list. However, since I am new here, I'll post here before apocalypsing the list. Carptrash (talk) 20:05, 7 February 2015 (UTC)
 * Thought it had been removed previously. Agree. Removed it. MartinezMD (talk) 03:37, 25 January 2020 (UTC)
 * Agreed. Such movies are disaster movies or crises averted types, but don't fit here. Taking off Godzilla and Geostorm.Volcycle (talk) 01:00, 1 September 2020 (UTC)

How I Live Now (film)
I am surprised to find that How I Live Now (film) was removed from the list. The list includes “and/or a post-apocalyptic setting. “ This film takes place during and after WWIII - it is definitely (opinion) set in a post-apocalypse world. Carptrash (talk) 18:08, 20 September 2020 (UTC)


 * The plot as described here in WP says that London is nuked, not the rest of the world, and "As she nurses him, a ceasefire is announced, electricity is returned, a new government forms, and the country begins to recover". So it sounds like a limited exchange, not a world-ending apocalypse. So I removed it from the list. Is it nuclear fiction? yes. Is it an apocalypse? Doesn't sound like it or described as one. Sounds more like a modern Hiroshima. If there are reliable sources saying otherwise, include them. MartinezMD (talk) 20:33, 20 September 2020 (UTC)
 * I've read more, Variety says "Terrorists have bombed London and martial law has been declared" and describes it as a "survival thriller".

Arbitrary inclusion/exclusion
There doesn't seem to be clarity of what should be included/excluded. Why was my addition of The War of the Worlds (1953 film) removed while War of the Worlds (2005 film) remains? How much of the world needs to be destroyed to qualify as "apocalyptic"? Should Armageddon (1998 film) be removed while Deep Impact (film) remain? Should we use the definition in Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction? If it can be a subgenre of horror, shouldn't The Cabin in the Woods be included? I know lists don't require references if supported by the article, but should we use references like A Guide to Apocalyptic Cinema or The Oxford Handbook of Apocalyptic Literature? StrayBolt (talk) 05:26, 7 November 2022 (UTC)


 * That was me removing it. I've removed Armageddon now that you point it out. Many films such as Armageddon are disaster films (and is listed as such in the article), not apocalyptic film. Would every film that averts disaster still be apocalyptic because it could have destroyed the world? In List_of_apocalyptic_and_post-apocalyptic_fiction, Deep Impact and Armageddon are specifically mentioned in the lead as NOT apocalyptic. WotW 1953 could arguably be included. Much has to do with civilization surviving, imho, without a change in it's technology level - not being "bombed into the stone age". A reliable independent source would likely be helpful. MartinezMD (talk) 13:09, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

Alien invasions
I just finished watching Skyline (2010 film) and it is pretty much an alien invasion film - which it seems are not included here. And I do not think those films belong here. But, we have a relationship, we talk about things, so. . ...... your turn. Carptrash (talk) 17:09, 4 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Which also brings up for discussion all the Body Snatchers movies. Carptrash (talk) 17:13, 4 August 2023 (UTC)