35 Best Movies Like Maze Runner You Should Watch
Jun. 21, 2022Divergent is a dystopian science fiction action movie based on the eponymous novel by Veronica Roth. The movie takes place in a futuristic world, where mankind is divided into various factions depending on their natural skills. When Beatrice Prior (Woodley) realizes she has the qualities of multiple factions that makes her a divergent.
Since a divergent can think independently, she must hide her true identity to protect herself from the government. There are two sequels to the movie titled Insurgent and Allegiant. The concept of powerful people controlling your life is similar to Maze Runner. You can check our list ofmovies like Divergentto find more similar films.
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Dark City is a science fiction movie that questions our control over ourselves. The film follows John Murdoch (Sewell), a person with partial memory loss who learns he is wanted for some murders. While trying to erase the accusation and find his real identity, Johnunderstands that the city is in control by aliensknown as Strangers. The film builds up suspense and shows a continuous chase, making it similar to Maze Runner. Critics appreciated the movie’s direction, special effects, art style, and more.
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Days of Heaven is a romantic period drama film that takes place in 1916. The plot follows the couple Bill (Gere) and Abby (Adams), who pretend to be siblings while on the run and find work on a rich and shy farmer’s land. When Bill realizes that the farmer has only one year left to live, he convinces Abby to marry him so they can inherit his fortune. Days of Heaven has a beautiful story with a few violent scenes. The movie is highly appreciated for its cinematography, music score, and direction. The film is like Maze Runner in some specific ways; it leaves you with saddened emotions.
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The Village is a period thriller film coming from the renowned director M. Night Shyamalan. The movie has an ensemble cast, a thrilling story, and a beautiful music score. The over-the-top performance by actors makes it one of the best movies like Maze Runner. The story centers on an isolated town that lives in fear of unknown monsters from the surrounding woods.
People have made a pact that ensures the monsters don’t enter the village and the villagers do not go outside. However, under extreme circumstances, a blind girl finds her way to the forest and a series of unpleasant events begin.
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Mortal Engines is a steampunk film based on Philip Reeve’s eponymous novel. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where Earth is in a critical condition, and the normal world order is ruined after a massive conflict. The world is now run by the philosophy of “Municipal Darwinism,” and people have mobilized entire cities that hunt for the smaller ones.
The story intensifies as the bigger cities continue to absorb resources from smaller ones and tension arises between its citizens. The movie plays out differently than the original story of the novel. However, it has a similar theme where people with less power try to overthrow the one controlling them, a concept closely similar to Maze Runner.
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Cube is an independent science fiction horror film made in Canada. The story follows a group of strangers who find themselves placed in a giant cube. Each member is presented with a different ability, and they must work together to escape the deadly traps in the endless maze. The movie is highly praised for its settings and surreal atmosphere. The concept is very similar to Maze Runner, where a group of people is trapped in a maze.
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The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is an urban fantasy film based on the first book inThe Mortal Instruments seriesby Cassandra Clare. The movie centers on a New York teenager named Clary Fray (Collins), who learns the secrets about her heritage and family history. Meanwhile, she meets and joins a group of mysterious people known as Shadowhunters and fights demons. The movie picks up the concept of vouching against the wrongdoers like in the Maze Runner franchise.
The Mortal Instruments was rebooted as a television series called Shadowhunters that ran for three seasons.
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If you are looking for a classic fantasy film, you should watch Labyrinth. The movie revolves around a teenage girl named Sarah (Connelly) who journeys through a maze to find and save her infant half-brother (Toby Froud) from a goblin king (David Bowie). Will she be able to recover her brother by midnight and stop him from transforming into a goblin is entertaining to see.
The movie has stunning cinematography and the efforts put into creating the movie elements without CGI are noteworthy. Labyrinth didn’t perform well at release but has gained a cult following in recent years.
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Battle Royale is a Japanese action-thriller movie based on a novel by Koushun Takami. The story follows a group of 42 junior-high-school students who are forced by the totalitarian government to play a deathmatch. The organizersprovide students with food, weapons, and maps to sustain the deserted island. However, they are also fixed with an explosive collar that is triggered if someone breaks a rule, tries to escape, or more than one participant is alive at the end.
The movie is highly celebrated worldwide and is considered a pop-culture phenomenon. The movie name is also picked up as an alternative to last man standing fights andgames like Fortnite, PUBG, Apex Legends, and more.
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Oxygen is a French-language science fiction thriller film falling into the lines of the movie Passengers. The plot follows a woman who wakes up in a cryogenic chamber trying hard to remember herself. She tries to open the pod but is unable to do so. As she attempts to know more about herself and what she is doing in the pod, she discovers some horrifying truths. Can she make her peace with reality or try to do otherwise is thrilling to watch.
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The 5th Wave is a science fiction movie based on Rick Yancey’s eponymous novel. The plot takes place after an alien invasion has left the Earth in a mess. The aliens are planning their next attack which might wipe out the entire human race. The story follows Cassie (Moretz), one of the few survivors. She decides to risk everything and find her younger brother. Despite having weak reviews, the movie performed well and is loved by the audience. The 5th Wave is one of the few thrillers like Maze Runner that shows a believable dystopian society.
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The Giver is a dystopian drama film based on Lois Lowry’s novel of the same name. The plot takes place in a world where emotions and memories are suppressed using chemicals. However, everything changes for a boy named Jonas (Thwaites) when he becomes thenext Receiver of Memoryand starts to see the previously black and white world in color. The movie stands true to delivering visual grace. However, it lacks the same depth and thought-provoking ideas as the source material.
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Oblivion is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure film based on director Kosinski’s unpublished graphic novel. The movie takes place in 2077 after an alien invasion has wiped out the Earth and humans have relocated to Titan. We follow Jack Harper (Cruise), a technician sent back to Earth to repair a drone. However, he soon finds a spacecraft and rescues a survivor. Soon after, he is captured by extraterrestrial beings, revealed to be humans, and together they must fight another evolving threat
The movie showcases the possibilities of an alien invasion from a unique perspective. So, if you like to watch action-packed sci-fi movies like Maze Runner, Oblivion should be a go-to option.
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Edge of Tomorrow is a science fiction action movie taking place in a dystopian future. An alien race has taken over Earth, and his superiors force Major William Cage (Cruise) to go on a landing mission despite his limited combat experience. However, Cage soon realizes that he is stuck in a time loop living the same day again and again. The movie is a huge success both critically and commercially and is praised for the visual effects, acting, direction, and more.
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Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic horror thriller film based on Josh Malerman’s eponymous novel. The movie revolves around Malorie Hayes (Bullock) as she tries to protect herself and her two children from an unknown alien race. Anyone who sees the monsters commits suicide. The story follows Hayes on her journey through the woods to reach a safe place for her family. The film is highly acclaimed and became one of thebest Netflix original movies.
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A Quiet Place is a post-apocalyptic horror film. The movie takes place in a future where ablind animal species with sensitive hearing attacks and kills every living beingif they make a sound. The plot centers on a father (Krasinski) and a mother (Blunt) who try to save their children from the unknown animals.
The movie realistically portrays how the situation in such a world might play out, where everyone uses sign language to communicate. Most of the movie does not have dialogues and creates tension using silence.
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Never Let Me Go is a dystopian romantic tragedy film based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. The movie takes place in an alternate history where medical breakthroughs have increased the human lifespan. The story follows Kathy (Mulligan), Tommy (Garfield), and Ruth (Knightley) as they are raised in a boarding school.
As the youngsters find their definition of love, news about their pre-decided fate wreaks havoc in their lives. The movie is highly praised for the acting performance by the talented cast and garnered love from the audience. The movie explores the theme like someone else deciding your fate similar to Maze Runner.
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Chappie is a dystopian science fiction movie that talks about the concept of Artificial Intelligence. The movie revolves around Chappie, a police robot that is stolen by criminals. They raise the robot like their own child, and the robot learns from their behavior. Eventually, the robot becomes sentient and can think and feel for itself. The movie is praised for its stunning performance by the ensemble cast. However, the audience felt it fell short on the narrative front.
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Ender’s Game is a science-fiction action film based on Orson Scott Card’s novel of the same name. The story takes place in a future where the Earth has been once attacked by a genocidal alien race. The plot follows Ender Wiggin (Butterfield), a brilliant young boy who uses his unique strategies to quickly gain ranks in the military operation. He embarks on the war between the alien race and humans. However, he is confused about whether he is doing the right thing. If you are looking for a light action flick, Ender’s Game is a brilliant choice.
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The Host is a South Korean monster film inspired by a real incident involving a deformed fish caught in the Han river. The story revolves around a father (Hee-bong) as he tries to rescue his daughter (Kang-ho). She has been taken hostage by an unknown monster that appears in the Han river and has killed hundreds of people. The movie is highly praised for its unique story and became one of the highest-grossing South Korean films. If you are looking for movies like Maze Runner for the suspenseful monster theme, watch The Host.
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The whole movie takes place in flashbacks as the boy recalls his true identity as a rogue government agent and computer hacker. Despite a predictable plot, the movie is engaging because of Bakhuyzen’s stunning performance.
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Riddick is a science fiction action movie and the third installment in the Riddick franchise. The movie follows Riddick (Diesel) as he tries to survive on a sun-scorched planet. How our protagonist tackles a race of alien predators more lethal than any human race ever encountered is thrilling to watch.
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Tomorrowland is a sci-fi film coming from the genius of Brad Bird, who has presented us with gems like The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission Impossible. The futuristic movie follows two central characters – a disillusioned genius inventor (Clooney) and a teenage science enthusiast girl (Robertson). The story follows them as they discover a secretive city of Tomorrowland and try to solve a problem that can cause disaster in the real world. The movie takes us through an amazing visual journey. However, it has considerable scope for a better story.
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Elysium is a dystopian science fiction action movie taking place in 2154.Earth is damaged beyond repair,and the elite society lives a disease-free life on Elysium, an artificial planet in space. Meanwhile, the remaining human race lives on Earth under harsh conditions. The story follows Max (Damon) on his journey to bring equality to the people of Earth by disrupting the work on Elysium.
If you are looking for movies like Maze Runner, where elite society exploits the underprivileged people, consider adding Elysium to your watchlist.
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Mad Max: Fury Road is a post-apocalyptic action film and the fourth installment and reboot of the Mad Max franchise. The movie takes place in a distant future where gasoline and water are hard to find. The story follows Max (Hardy) as he joins forces with a rebel warrior (Theron) to overthrow a tyrant who controls the water supply. The epic fight between the two gangs becomes a lengthy road battle. If you are looking for survival action movies like Maze Runner, Mad Max: Fury Road provides that with a great story and action scenes.
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District 9 is a science fiction action film partially shot in the found footage format, including interviews, surveillance camera videos, and news footage. The movie takes place in an alternate reality where malnourished insectoid aliens take refuge on Earth.
After several years of living in pathetic conditions, they find support in a government employee, Wikus van de Merwe (Copley), who was supposed to relocate them to a new location. District 9 brilliantly presents the dark side of humanity while talking about xenophobia and social segregation. It is a movie similar to Maze Runner in the concept of exploiting the weak.
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Max Steel is a superhero film based on the action-figure line by Mattel, an American toy manufacturing and entertainment company. The movie revolves around the adventures of Max McGrath (Winchell), who befriends an alien companion Steel (Brener), anduses a unique form of tachyonic energy to combine their powers.The two friends bond symbiotically to become a superhero. The underrated film is often neglected by viewers. However, it provides an entertaining movie experience if you want to see futuristic fantasy movies.
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Escape Room is a psychological horror film that will make you scream every once in a while. The plot follows six people living different lives, who come together to participate in an escape room competition. The grand prize of ten thousand dollars seems easy until they find themselves in a series of deadly traps. The movie resembles Maze Runner in various aspects including a puzzling path, deadly traps, and a powerful person controlling it all.
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The Belko Experiment is a horror thriller film with a concept similar to Battle Royale. The plot follows 80 Americans working in a company named Belko Industries in Bogotá, Colombia. They fall into a deadly experiment when they are trapped in the company building one day, and a mysterious voice asks them to kill each other. It’s thoughtful to see how people slowly break character and make rogue decisions. If you are looking for a horror movie with an unsettling plot, The Belko Experiment is a wonderful option.
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What Happened to Monday is a dystopian science-fiction movie. The film takes place in a future where families are allowed to have just one child due to overpopulation. The plot follows identical septuplets, or seven sisters, who share a single identity in the world and arenamed after the days of the week. When one of their sisters named Monday goes missing, the remaining family members must find her while saving themselves from governmental execution. If you are looking for a no-brainer action-thriller film, Seven Sisters is worth a watch.
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Inception is a science fiction movie coming from the legendary director Christopher Nolan. The movie explores theconcept of hacking someone’s dream and stealing ideasfrom their mind. The plot follows Cobb (DiCaprio), who is a thief on the run for accusations of killing his wife. Saito (Watanabe) offers him a clean slate in exchange for helping him bring down his biggest competitor.
The movie hosts an ensemble cast and is highly praised for its overall execution. The movie explores the nature of reality and how one can get trapped in their own thoughts. If you wish to explore moremovies like Inception, you can check our linked article.
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The Matrix is a science-fiction cyberpunk action movie that takes place in a dystopian future where humanity is trapped in a simulated reality. The movie’s protagonist, Neo (Reeves), is aware that something isn’t right and gets to the real world with some help. He joins the mission to overthrow the machines who are harvesting human bodies for energy while keeping their consciousness locked in a simulated reality.
The Matrix is considered one of the greatest science fiction movies ever created. It has inspired many directors and cinematographers to test the limits of storytelling and become a pop-culture phenomenon. There are three direct sequels in the franchise.
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Watch Movies Similar to Maze Runner Right Now!
Maze Runner explores the concept of a dystopian world where people are used as test subjects by other humans for their own benefits, just like Divergent. The Maze Runner franchise, including three movies, has garnered critical acclaim and love from audiences for the talented cast and amazing storytelling. We have covered popular as well as underrated movies like Maze Runner in this article. The movies in this list share conceptual similarities like dystopian future, power struggle, and more. We hope you found the list entertaining and managed to update your watchlist accordingly. If you know any movie that can make it to the list, feel free to comment below.
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