Films like Ready Player One
15 picks with a similar feel
What defines Ready Player One, going by its Boxlist taste profile: Expect an otherworldly, stylish sci-fi film, fresh rather than familiar. Best if you like polish over grit. Its strongest markers on Boxlist are themes of coming of age, social commentary and love against the odds, plus tags such as evil corporation, nostalgia and quest.
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 Ready Player One (2018).
- 1
Divergent (2014)
Film6.9Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and glossy, with themes of coming of age and social commentary. Common ground: future, dystopia.
- 2
Tron (1982)
Film6.7
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: video game, virtual reality, dystopia.
- 3
eXistenZ (1999)
Film6.9Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: video game, virtual reality, dystopia.
- 4
Inception (2010)
Film8.3Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and glossy, with themes of social commentary and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: virtual reality.
- 5
Pacific Rim (2013)
Film6.8Darker
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: dystopia.
- 6
In Time (2011)
Film6.9Faster-paced
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and love against the odds. Common ground: future, love, dystopia.
- 7
I, Robot (2004)
Film6.9Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: future, dystopia.
- 8
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Film7.5Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: future, dystopia.
- 9
Interstellar (2014)
Film8.3Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: future, dystopia.
- 10
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Film7.6
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and sweeping, with themes of social commentary. Common ground: dystopia.
- 11
The Fifth Element (1997)
Film7.5Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and glossy, with themes of social commentary and love against the odds. Common ground: future, love, dystopia.
- 12
The Matrix (1999)
Film8.2Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of social commentary and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: virtual reality, dystopia.
- 13
Free Guy (2021)
Film7.9Easier to follow
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and glossy, with themes of an all-consuming quest. Common ground: video game, virtual reality.
- 14
The Hunger Games (2012)
Film7.2Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of coming of age and social commentary. Common ground: dystopia.
- 15
The Maze Runner (2014)
Film7.2Heavier option
Why it's like Ready Player One: Also heightened and inventive, with themes of coming of age and social commentary. Common ground: dystopia.
Boxlist compares Ready Player One 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?
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Take the taste testQuestions
- What should I watch if I like Ready Player One?
- Picks with a similar feel include Divergent, Tron, eXistenZ and Inception. Each shares part of Ready Player One's taste profile, themes or tags; the full list has 15 films.
- How are these films like Ready Player One chosen?
- Boxlist compares Ready Player One 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.