What To Watch If You Love 'Children of Men'

Jason Bancroft
Updated April 13, 2024 15 items

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Vote up the movies that fans of 'Children of Men' are sure to love.

Looking for the best movies like Children of Men? From Hollywood classics to new films, this list of movies similar to Children of Men feature near future dystopias that serve as a cautionary tales. What Happened to Monday and District 9 are great examples of movies that fans of Children of Men love because they both have a dark vision of the future that is incredibly thought-provoking. These dark science fiction films also showcase amazing special effects and thoughtful storylines that really make you think. But which of these recommendations is the best next-watch for fans of Children of Men?

Vote up the best movies like Children of Men, so other fans know what to watch next. And thanks to streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Prime Video, you can start streaming these movies right now.

  • What Happened to Monday
    1

    What Happened to Monday

    Noomi Rapace, Willem Dafoe, Glenn Close
    15 votes
    In a world where families are allowed only one child due to overpopulation, resourceful identical septuplets must avoid governmental execution and dangerous infighting while investigating the disappearance of one of their own.
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  • District 9
    2

    District 9

    Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James
    5 votes
    In the 2009 science fiction film District 9, an alien race, derogatorily referred to as Prawns, finds themselves stranded on Earth in Johannesburg. The central character here is Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a government agent assigned to relocate these beings to a new camp. This Neill Blomkamp-directed movie takes an unexpected turn when Wikus becomes the subject of a bizarre transformation, leading him into the heart of District 9's tension. Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, District 9 blends elements of dystopia with socio-political commentary, making it a notable entry in the genre.
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  • High Life
    3

    High Life

    Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin
    12 votes
    Monte and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system. They must now rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.
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  • Oblivion
    4

    Oblivion

    Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko
    9 votes
    In the visually stunning film Oblivion, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) serves as a drone repairman stationed on an Earth left devastated and nearly uninhabitable after a war with aliens. His existence is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious woman, Julia (Olga Kurylenko), from a crashed spacecraft. As he rescues her, memories are triggered, causing him to question everything he believes about his mission and himself. Morgan Freeman's character, Beech, adds another layer of intrigue to the plot. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, this sci-fi thriller won the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards for Top Box Office Films in 2014.
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  • Source Code
    5

    Source Code

    Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
    7 votes
    In Source Code, Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a US Army helicopter pilot who wakes up in another man's body, on a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. The thriller unfolds as Stevens relives the same eight minutes over and over again, in an experimental government program known as the Source Code. Vera Farmiga plays military officer Colleen Goodwin, tasked with guiding Stevens through his perplexing journey. With each reset, he uncovers more about the bomb, his own life, and the enigmatic Source Code.
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  • Arrival
    6

    Arrival

    Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker
    7 votes
    In the acclaimed sci-fi drama Arrival, linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is thrust into an extraordinary situation when twelve extraterrestrial spacecrafts appear around the world. She's enlisted by the U.S. government, alongside theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), to decipher the aliens' complex language and determine their purpose on Earth. As global tensions rise, Banks makes groundbreaking linguistic discoveries that could change humanity's future. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Arrival won an Oscar for Best Sound Editing and was nominated in several other categories, including Best Picture. It's a cerebral exploration of communication, time, and what it means to be human.
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  • Blade Runner
    7

    Blade Runner

    Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young
    3 votes
    In Blade Runner, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a seasoned blade runner, undertakes an assignment that plunges him into the dystopian underbelly of future Los Angeles. His mission? To hunt down and retire rogue replicants - bioengineered beings virtually indistinguishable from humans. Amidst this grim task, he encounters Rachael (Sean Young), a special replicant who triggers a spiral of existential questions. Directed by Ridley Scott, this neo-noir science fiction film is acclaimed for its thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human, set against a backdrop of striking visual effects and haunting music. A must-watch classic in the genre.
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  • Minority Report
    8

    Minority Report

    Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton
    3 votes
    Based on a story by famed science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, "Minority Report" is an action-detective thriller set in Washington D.C. in 2054, where police utilize a psychic technology to arrest and convict murderers before they commit their crime. Tom Cruise plays the head of this Precrime unit and is himself accused of the future murder of a man he hasn't even met.
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  • Annihilation
    9

    Annihilation

    Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez
    3 votes
    In Annihilation, Lena (Natalie Portman), a biologist and former soldier, is plunged into the unknown. She leads a team of scientists through an environmental disaster zone known as The Shimmer, a puzzling, mutating landscape teeming with strange lifeforms. The group includes psychologist Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and paramedic Anya Thorensen (Gina Rodriguez). As their journey unfolds, they must confront nature in its most bizarre and dangerous form, each battling personal demons along the way. A blend of science fiction and horror, this film won the 2018 Nebula Award for Best Script. Director Alex Garland masterfully balances intrigue with suspense, creating a fresh genre hybrid that explores humanity's place in the natural world.
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  • Moon
    10

    Moon

    Sam Rockwell, Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scodelario
    3 votes
    Moon is a captivating science fiction drama, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones. The film features Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), stationed alone on a lunar base for a three-year stint. As his tenure nears its end, he starts to grapple with disturbing experiences, questioning his reality. GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey), an AI assistant, is his only companion during this ordeal. A gripping exploration of isolation and identity, Moon won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2010. It's a cerebral journey that challenges viewers without relying on flashy special effects.
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  • The Midnight Sky
    11

    The Midnight Sky

    George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo
    4 votes
    A lone scientist in the Arctic races to contact a crew of astronauts returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.
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  • The Tomorrow War
    12

    The Tomorrow War

    Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons
    6 votes
    In The Tomorrow War, time travelers from 2051 deliver an urgent message: humanity is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. High school teacher and family man Dan Forester (Chris Pratt), is drafted to fight in the war - determined to save the world for his young daughter. Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist (Yvonne Strahovski) and his estranged father (J.K. Simmons) in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet. This action-packed sci-fi thriller layers themes of destiny, survival, and family amidst the chaos of an interstellar conflict.
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  • Snowpiercer
    13

    Snowpiercer

    Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton
    4 votes
    In Snowpiercer, a dystopian thriller, the remnants of humanity (post-apocalyptic ice age) reside aboard a perpetually moving train. Curtis Everett (Chris Evans), a passenger from the impoverished tail section, leads a rebellion against the oppressive front car passengers. Namgoong Minsoo (Song Kang-ho), a security specialist, aids in their tumultuous journey. Tilda Swinton shines as Minister Mason, the train's cruel authority figure. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, this film won multiple awards for its vivid storytelling and stark social commentary. Its unique premise and memorable characters make it an engaging watch.
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  • Tenet
    14

    Tenet

    John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki
    4 votes
    In the movie Tenet, we follow a protagonist known simply as The Protagonist (John David Washington). He's a secret agent on an intricate mission to prevent World War III. But this isn't your typical spy thriller. Director Christopher Nolan introduces us to a world where time manipulation, or time inversion, is possible. Armed with only one word‚ Tenet‚ and fighting for the survival of the entire world, The Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. Not time travel - Inversion. With supporting roles by Robert Pattinson (Neil) and Elizabeth Debicki (Kat), Tenet is a mind-bending ride through time and reality. This action-packed film won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, showcasing its groundbreaking technical achievements.
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  • Ready Player One
    15

    Ready Player One

    Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn
    0 votes
    In Ready Player One, a science fiction adventure film, the future is a dystopian world where people escape their grim reality through a virtual universe known as the OASIS. The central character, Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), is an orphan and avid gamer who embarks on a treasure hunt within this digital realm. This high-stakes quest was left behind by the late creator of OASIS, James Halliday (Mark Rylance). With his fellow 'gunters' (egg hunters), Wade navigates through puzzles steeped in pop culture references and battles corporate villains to unlock Halliday's ultimate Easter Egg. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie won the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film in 2018.
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