The book and movie scared millions across the world and left us on the tip of our toes. The Mist is one of the best Stephen King books ever written in the 1980s. The movie screenplay was adapted, produced, and directed by Frank Darabont back in 2007. The Mist takes horror to a whole new level since the horror is everywhere; between humans as well as outside in the mysterious Mist. Even though the Mist ending is different in the book and the movie, I would join the side that would pick a more pessimistic and overall darker ending from the movie. It’s finally time to assemble once and for all the ultimate 10 sci-fi horror movies like The Mist.
10. Knock at the Cabin [2023]
Credits: Universal Pictures
Knock at the Cabin is an apocalyptic mystery horror movie that opens doors to new ideas. Unlike other movies, this one has a unique plot where a group of four strangers from different parts of the US had a vision that the end of the world is coming. Unlike in The Mist, everything is clear but for residents of the cabin who are taken hostage by the group of four weirdos. The biggest mystery here is actually that they don’t want to harm people inside the cabin but they want them to “fulfill” the prophecy which is composed of hard tasks; one of them must die. In other words, one of the three family members must be sacrificed.
The movie is based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World written by Paul G. Tremblay. Knock at the Cabin was directed by M. Night Shyamalan and it’s starring Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint.
9. The Ritual [2017 ]
Photo credits: Netflix
This is a British horror movie with elements of cosmic horror and if you really want to be spooked, we recommend you watch this one. We’re introduced to Luke, Hutch, Phil, and Dom who are having a hike through Swedish forests in order to honor their friend Robert; who was killed during a supermarket heist. As the story goes on we’re introduced to how Robert was killed while the group finds a ritual place deep in the woods. As the night falls they finally meet the best otherwordly beast that’s haunting them. That’s where the group’s fights start and end similar to in The Mist.
This movie unlike others on this list is more “superstitious” and is more oriented towards Scandinavian folklore. On the other hand, the movie is dealing with the guilt, regrets, and fears of Luke, Hutch, Phil, and Dom. This horror movie is really relatable to the crowd that liked The Mist even if The Mist since it’s exploring the isolated group of people that is getting divided because of the fear of the unknown. If you didn’t watch this one be sure to do it, it’s spine-chilling and the ending is great too.
8. It Comes at Night [2017]
Photo credits: A24
It Comes at Night is a psychological movie set in a post-apocalyptic world. Most of humanity is wiped out by the mysterious disease, and we follow a small family that lives in a cabin deep in the woods. As in any movie of this type, newcomers ain’t welcome, but eventually, they welcome another family to join their home. The family shares rules with the new family as well as the food and fresh water with the new family. Many fans would argue that this isn’t one of the movies like The Mist since there aren’t many monsters or that it should rather be on the zombie movie list, but we’d respectfully disagree.
If we take out monsters from the Mist, which isn’t there for most of the time, we’re left with suspense, tension, and human drama for most of the time. This is what this movie is with occasional zombified or monstrous humans lurking and appearing in dream-like hallucinations. Overall the acting in the movie is phenomenal and every second of it is filled with tension and fear that anyone at any given moment can be an imposter (or infected) just like in The Thing.
7. Silent Hill [2006]
Photo credits: Davis Films
Based on a video game series, Silent Hill is a psychological horror movie set in the remote city of Silent Hill. The game series and the movie are famous for their bizarre creatures and grotesque monsters, which could be said for The Mist too. We follow a woman, Rose Da Silva, who is searching for answers about her adopted daughter, Sharon. The city of Silent Hill is filled with fog (or Mist) from which the monsters are coming out. From dark nurses, creepers to pyramid heads and other terrifying monsters.
Movies like The Mist feature themes of sci-fi horror, while Silent Hill is more psychological cult horror. Except for hideous monsters, creepy places, and scary towns, both movies also embark on topics of humanity and what it means to be a human, as well as to stick together or divide in times of crisis.
6. A Quiet Place [2018]
Photo credits: Paramount Pictures
Imagine that A Quiet Place is something like a sequel to The Mist since it’s a post-apocalyptic science fiction horror movie. Imagine that things just got worse and that you now live in a world where sound is the only problem that you’ve got. In this post-apocalyptic world overrun by Death Angels aka The Creatures, you only got to stay quiet to stay alive. We’re following an Abbott family – mother Evelyn, father Lee, deaf daughter Regan, and sons Marcus and Beau who are living on a farm. They’re using Sign Language to communicate, and they’re walking over the sand paths that they’ve created themselves.
This movie really took the world by storm just like Bird Box did. The plot, characters, and overall story were really good, as well as the editing and cast. The ending was great, and if you liked it, there is a sequel A Quiet Place Part II from 2020. As I’ve mentioned, this is more like a sequel to what might’ve happened if the Mist didn’t end as it did.
5. Annihilation [2018]
Photo credits: Netflix
The story of Annihilation revolves around a group of female scientists entering the Shimmer; Shimmer is some sort of a bubble formed by an unknown, probably alien entity. Once the team enters the Shimmer, it finds mutated animals such as bears, crocodiles, and others. The team itself starts to mutate as it draws close to the source. In the end, what they find is both disturbing and the ending is unbelievable. The movie was directed by Alex Garland, and the main protagonist is Lena, a professor of cellular biology played by Natalie Portman. Both acting, cinematography and the story were amazing.
There are many reasons why 2018 Annihilation bombed the box office, but being a “bad sci-fi psychological horror” ain’t one of them for sure. This is probably one of the best sci-fi movies within the 2010-2020 decade. It features some fantastic acting and the story deserves a cult following and the CGI. This movie really put some effort into psychology, biology, sci-fi, and horror, but it didn’t go well for many other reasons; that you can find all over the Internet. If you didn’t like the movie for some reason, you can give a chance to a book of the same name written by Jeff VanderMeer.
4. Bird Box [2018]
Photo credits: Netflix
This is the one that marked 2018 for me, and it was my favorite movie of the year, followed by A Quiet Place. This Netflix adaptation of a post-apocalyptic horror thriller novel written by Josh Malerman was directed by Susanne Bier. The Bird Box movie features invisible creatures to the audience as only some people can see them, after which most of them commit suicide. These are monsters probably taken from the Lovecraft universe, some sort of Cthulhu-like gods that drive people mad. On the other hand, some people are their messengers who help them uncover those who are hiding.
Out of all movies like The Mist from this list, this one is most like it. The movie is set exactly when the apocalypse is starting, just like in The Mist. We can also experience the best and worst things coming from people and society as a whole; from division to heartbreaking moments. The only difference is that monsters from the Mist can enter homes or supermarkets whenever they like, unlike the creatures from Bird Box.
3. 10 Cloverfield Lane [2016]
Photo credits: Paramount Pictures
Following the events of 2008’s science fiction horror thriller Cloverfield, the sequel 10 Cloverfield Lane is set in the future once the invasion has already happened. We follow Michelle (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who wakes up after a car accident in Howard’s bunker (played by John Goodman). Howard believed that there’s been a catastrophic event in the outside world so he is saving people by keeping them in his prison-like bunker.
At the end of the movie, we can see that there’s been an alien invasion, thus making it fall exactly into a category of movies like The Mist. The movie is both a psychological horror when it comes to human interactions as well as sci-fi horror when we see the monsters (aliens) at the end. If you’ve already watched Cloverfield or 10 Cloverfield Lane, you could give a chance to 2018’s The Cloverfield Paradox.
2. The Road [2009]
Photo credits: Dimension Films
The Road is a fantastic movie based on a post-apocalyptic novel by Cormac McCarthy. The movie features a father and his son as they’re traveling through the desolate post-apocalyptic world. Something that would also seem more like a sequel to The Mist due to its setting. We don’t know the names of either Man played by Viggo Mortensen or his Boy played by Kodi Smit-McPhee. We’re not explained what caused civilization to collapse but you’ll fastly agree that it’s not that important.
The movie was directed by John Hillcoat and the screenplay was written by Joe Penhall. It’s not some over-budgeted movie with millions of dollars but it shows us that even with a small budget we can create great stories and show how the world can feel empty and hostile once we’re left all alone. This is something that might’ve gone under your radar, so if you didn’t watch it give it a chance.
1. The Thing [1982]
Photo credits: Universal Pictures
Out of all movies like The Mist, this one is The One since it’s written by the same author, Stephen King. While The Thing is one of the best book adaptations of all time, at least when it comes to Stephen King’s work. For younger audiences that didn’t watch or heard about the movie, the plot is very simple; a group of scientists is fighting against a shape-shifting monster that’s taking over human form and invading the bodies of people. Both The Mist and The Thing share themes of isolation, claustrophobia, fear of the unknown, and trust. It’s really hard in movies and books like this to know whom to trust and who’ll betray you, as well as what’s in luring in the dark or the mist.
There is a prequel that you could watch; it was made in 2011 and it’s called just like the original movie “The Thing”. For some hardcore fans, I’d recommend you go and check it out, while for others, it may be a bit boring from time to time. Stephen King is probably the most famous sci-fi mystery horror writer of the 20th and possibly 21st century. His works are well recognizable even though not all of them are greatly presented and welcomed on the big screen. Overall, with this movie, we conclude the list of the ultimate 10 sci-fi horror movies like The Mist.
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