Best Disaster Film

When the Wind Blows is a 1986 British animated nuclear-war film by Jimmy Murakami, notable for adapting Raymond Briggs with music by Roger Waters.

Deepwater Horizon chronicles the events surrounding the 2010 explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The film details the disaster’s origins and immediate aftermath, drawing on a New York Times article published in 2010. Mark Wahlberg leads a cast portraying the crew in...

The Impossible recounts the true story of a family’s survival during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Based on the experiences of María Belón and her family, the film depicts their struggle to reunite after the devastating event. It stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, and Tom Holland in his acting debut...

A House of Dynamite is a 2025 thriller focusing on the reactions of U.S. government personnel following an ICBM attack on Chicago. The film depicts the involvement of civilian and military officials in responding to the event. It features an ensemble cast including Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, and...

Miracle Mile is a 1988 American apocalyptic thriller by Steve De Jarnatt, set around Los Angeles after a mistaken nuclear-war phone call.

These Final Hours is a 2013 Australian apocalyptic thriller by Zak Hilditch, notable for screening in Directors' Fortnight at Cannes in 2014.

Concrete Utopia is a 2023 South Korean disaster thriller by Um Tae-hwa, selected as South Korea's Oscar entry for the 96th Academy Awards.

By Dawn's Early Light is a 1990 HBO television film directed by Jack Sholder, based on Trinity's Child and notable as a Cold War nuclear-war thriller.

The Wandering Earth 2 is a 2023 Chinese science fiction film by Frant Gwo, notable as a Liu Cixin-linked prequel grossing over $600 million.

Exit is a 2019 South Korean disaster comedy by Lee Sang-geun, and became the year's third highest-grossing domestic film in South Korea.

The 1974 film depicts the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Los Angeles, focusing on individuals attempting to survive amidst widespread destruction. Starring Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner, it portrays the challenges faced by residents following the city’s near-total collapse. The story cen...

Zero Hour! is a 1957 American aviation disaster film by Hall Bartlett, notable as the Arthur Hailey story that became the basis for Airplane!.

The Day After Tomorrow portrays a catastrophic shift in global climate patterns following the disruption of ocean currents. Extreme weather events triggered by this climatic change lead to widespread devastation and initiate an abrupt new ice age. The film features Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, and...

Poseidon is a 2006 disaster film centered around a massive storm and the sinking of the luxury cruise ship Poseidon. Wolfgang Petersen directed this action-drama featuring Kurt Russell and Josh Lucas. The movie explores themes of survival and sacrifice amidst chaos, appealing to audiences who enjoy...

The Quake is a 2018 Norwegian disaster film by John Andreas Andersen, notable as the Oslo-earthquake sequel to Roar Uthaug's The Wave.

Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain is a 2014 Indian English-language historical drama by Ravi Kumar, based on the deadly 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.

The Challenger is a 2013 BBC and Science Channel TV drama by James Hawes, notable for dramatizing Richard Feynman's probe of the 1986 shuttle disaster.

Panic in Year Zero! is a 1962 AIP survival film directed by and starring Ray Milland, notable for its family-level view of nuclear collapse.

The Tower is a 2012 South Korean disaster thriller by Kim Ji-hoon, notable for staging a Christmas Eve skyscraper fire in Seoul's fictional Tower Sky.

Tsunami: The Aftermath is a 2006 HBO and BBC miniseries by Bharat Nalluri, notable for dramatizing the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

S.O.S. Titanic is a 1979 U.S.-British television disaster film directed by William Hale, notable as the first Titanic feature released in color.

Deterrence is a 1999 France-US political thriller by Rod Lurie, his feature directing debut, dramatizing nuclear brinkmanship in a diner.

London Has Fallen is a 2016 action-thriller set in London following a terrorist attack. The story centers on Mike Banning as he races to protect British dignitaries and prevent further devastation. Gerard Butler and Aaron Eckhart reprise their roles from *Olympus Has Fallen*. This film appeals to vi...

St. Helens is a 1981 HBO disaster film directed by Ernest Pintoff, notable for dramatizing the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption one year later.

Knowing is a 2009 science fiction thriller concerning the investigation into a mysterious numerical document. The film explores the potential for these numbers to foretell future catastrophic events, including several disasters. Production involved multiple studios and locations, primarily in Austra...

Fukushima 50 is a 2020 Japanese disaster drama by Setsuro Wakamatsu about workers responding to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi crisis.

The film “2012” depicts a global catastrophe triggered by geological and meteorological disasters. It centers on several individuals—including a novelist and a geologist—attempting to navigate widespread devastation caused by events such as earthquakes and tsunamis. The narrative explores the strugg...

Fire! is a 1977 NBC disaster television film produced by Irwin Allen and directed by Earl Bellamy, about an arson-sparked Oregon forest fire.

Crack in the World is a 1965 American science-fiction disaster film by Andrew Marton, about nuclear drilling that threatens to split Earth.