Beyond ‘Disclosure Day’: The Best Apocalyptic Movies and TV Shows

If you’ve felt overdue for a true Steven Spielberg classic, then you’ll finally get to whet your appetite with his upcoming film, “Disclosure Day.” Starring Colman Domingo, Emily Blunt, and Josh O’Connor, this sci-fi, alien-centric film is centered around how the world would react if it learned that the government had been hiding the fact that humans weren’t the only intelligent life forms in our universe.

Seeing this upcoming film, coupled with recent social media chatter about the impending downfall of society and a potential World War III taking over our timelines, we decided to round up more than a handful of films and TV shows that are in the same vein! From the dystopian thriller “A Long Walk” to captivating shows like “Paradise” and more, these are the projects you need to add to your queue ASAP!

“Disclosure Day”

Out in theaters on June 12, “Disclosure Day” is about to confront viewers with the impossible question: “If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?” Head to the theaters to see how the madness unfolds.

“Don’t Look Up”

Talk about a film that really makes you sit back and wonder what you would do in the situation. “Don’t Look Up” is one of them ones. And while we all probably have annoyance with people who regularly operate like the boy who cried wolf when it comes to world ending, at some point, somebody’s gonna say something credible. And we have to learn how to be ready for it, unlike some of the folks in “Don’t Look Up.” Speaking of skeptics, Tyler Perry’s character in this film is a fun representation of the skeptics among us, but we’d all better start paying attention soon.

“Paradise”

While folks may be pissed off at Sterling K. Brown for his role in “Is God Is” right now, he fully redeems himself in the popular Hulu show, “Paradise.” In season, he continues to make fans go crazy in a show that serves as a good reminder of exactly what could happen when the powers that be all decide to get out of alignment with each other. Given the current times, this show feels a bit more relevant than entertaining, but trust us—this is a show you’ll be locked in on from the start.

“The Long Walk”

Shoutout to David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman for this heart-wrenching film. It’s truly one of the most recent ones that deals with living in an alternative (read: dystopian) society. “A Long Walk” is the film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 novel of the same name. While the world isn’t ending in this one, the ways in which these boys have to compete for survival read like something out of “End of Times Handbook.” This is just an insane and heartbreaking film, yet you can’t look away.

“Leave the World Behind”

This film still lowkey lives rent-free in our heads, and we’ll tell you why. In “Leave the World Behind,” Mahershala Ali is trying his hardest to keep himself and his daughter safe from a looming, worldwide cyberattack that threatens life as we all know it. This movie also features Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke and serves as a harsh reminder that life-changing oddities really can strike when we least expect them.

“Silo”

One thing about David Oyelowo, he’s going to give us some riveting roles. And what do you get when you put a group of people in a giant subterranean shelter and give them strict rules to abide by out of fear that acting differently could bring harm to everyone? You get a show like “Silo.”

“Contagion”

Come on now. Do we really have to explain this one? Yeah, we didn’t think so either.

“28 Days Later”

If you skip this movie on our list, we totally understand. “28 Days Later” is one of those films that just hit way too close to our current times, so it makes it an apropos watch. But it’s also something you may want to save for when you have a little bit more intestinal fortitude to handle seeing art imitating life to a very close degree.

“A Quiet Place: Day One”

Similar to “Disclosure Day” and “Men in Black,” (kinda)—Is there really anything else out there that screams “end of the world” like an alien invasion? Here’s hoping we don’t have to deal with the terrifying ones in the Lupita Nyong’o-led film, “A Quiet Place: Day One.”

“The Book of Eli”

Admittedly, “The Book of Eli” was one of those films that we had to watch over again to really catch everything. But, after we got it, this Denzel Washington’s Biblical-esque, end-of-days, project is one of those movies that makes you sit back and think long after it’s over.

“Independence Day”

Now, you should’ve already known this classic was going to make the list. If there’s anyone we trust to save the world when it’s coming to a frightening end, it’s Will Smith. Or at least, the character he plays in “Independence Day.”

“Bird Box”

OK, we have to be completely transparent here and ask a wild question. Would you judge us if we told you we were highly invested in this movie due in large part to Trevante Rhodes’ handsome presence? No? OK, cool.

“How It Ends”

Will Smith and Denzel Washington aren’t the only ones who know how to handle apocalyptic happenings! Forest Whitaker has always brought a certain level of gravitas to every project he’s been in, and “How It Ends” is no different. That’s honestly the vibe we need when it comes to trying to keep our heads cool as the world is slowly unraveling.

“Deep Impact”

Thank God for Morgan Freeman. No seriously! Seeing him as president at the end of the world, all calm and regal in “Deep Impact,” was exactly what we needed while facing doom. The thought of a space rock coming at lightning speed to collide with Earth and wipe us all out is just one of the many anxiety-inducing thoughts we could have about the end times. Thankfully, this movie gives us a good glimpse into how we might be able to handle that situation.

“I Am Legend”

“I Am Legend” is one of those movies that now feels like it was subtle foreshadowing when you take into consideration everything we’ve experienced as a society. Once again, Will Smith is leading the charge to make sure the world doesn’t go to complete sh*t once this horrific man-made plague wipes people out all over. For what it’s worth, he does a pretty decent job at it–which is probably why we’re getting a sequel.

“The Hunger Games”

Oh, did you really think we wouldn’t put “The Hunger Games” on this list? Think again! If you ever wondered where ” I volunteer as tribute” came from, you just found your answer. But just so you know–we, as Black people, don’t volunteer. We’re gonna sit back and observe the situation first and let some other folks go first. You know, for research purposes.

“The Matrix”

Though you may not think of “The Matrix” as an “end times” film, let us explain why it actually is. The whole concept of the movie and what it revolves around is something that just might keep us up at night in deep thought. Plus, Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus is just one of those characters that’ll be etched in all of our brains forever and rightfully so!

“Snowpiercer”

If you’re a fan of “Paradise,” then you just might enjoy “Snowpiercer,” which airs on Apple TV. In this series, we see what happens when an apocalyptic global freeze turns the world virtually uninhabitable and what happens when the only surviving few have to come to terms with a new version of life.