Films like I Am Legend
15 picks with a similar feel
What defines I Am Legend, going by its Boxlist taste profile: An otherworldly sci-fi film that is dark, uncomplicated and serious. Best if you like the extraordinary over the everyday. Its strongest markers on Boxlist are themes of social commentary, underdogs and an all-consuming quest, plus tags such as lost civilisation, alone and matter of life and death.
Here are 15 films with a similar feel, ranked by how closely they match that profile. Treat them as picks to try, not a definitive list.
Based on I Am Legend (2007).
- 1
World War Z (2013)
Film6.8More intricate
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and resilience and survival. Common ground: virus, zombie, dystopia.
- 2
The Book of Eli (2010)
Film6.8
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and straightforward, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: post-apocalyptic future, dystopia.
- 3
28 Days Later (2002)
Film7.2
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: virus, zombie.
- 4
Mad Max (1979)
Film6.7
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and straightforward, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: matter of life and death, post-apocalyptic future, dystopia.
- 5
Film6.7
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: infection, virus, zombie.
- 6
Film7.3More intricate
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: post-apocalyptic future, dystopia.
- 7
The Mist (2007)
Film6.8
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs.
- 8
Bird Box (2018)
Film6.9More intricate
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of underdogs and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: post-apocalyptic future.
- 9
Jurassic World (2015)
Film6.7Warmer in tone
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and straightforward, with themes of underdogs and an all-consuming quest.
- 10
Escape from New York (1981)
Film7.1More intricate
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: post-apocalyptic future, dystopia.
- 11
Chronicle (2012)
Film6.8Warmer in tone
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: loneliness.
- 12
The Road (2009)
Film7.0
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and dark, with themes of social commentary and underdogs. Common ground: post-apocalyptic future, dystopia.
- 13
Greenland (2020)
Film7.2Warmer in tone
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and straightforward, with themes of underdogs and an all-consuming quest.
- 14
Independence Day (1996)
Film6.8Lighter option
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and straightforward, with themes of underdogs and an all-consuming quest.
- 15
Fall (2022)
Film7.3Faster-paced
Why it's like I Am Legend: Also heightened and fast-paced, with themes of underdogs and resilience and survival.
Boxlist compares I Am Legend with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point. Ratings are TMDB audience scores out of 10.
Which of these suit you?
Take the taste test and every pick shows how well it matches you.
Take the taste testQuestions
- What should I watch if I like I Am Legend?
- Picks with a similar feel include World War Z, The Book of Eli, 28 Days Later and Mad Max. Each shares part of I Am Legend's taste profile, themes or tags; the full list has 15 films.
- How are these films like I Am Legend chosen?
- Boxlist compares I Am Legend with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point.
- Is there a lighter film like I Am Legend?
- Independence Day has a similar feel but scores lighter on Boxlist's weightiness scale.