Larger-than-life film storytelling is the perfect platform to exhibit cautionary tales about the existence of humankind. And movies like The Day After Tomorrow could serve as a good template for such epic-scale tragedies.
Director Roland Emmerich used science-based information like global cooling and extreme weather conditions to present real-life issues embedded into fictional scenarios of what could happen in the near future—if we don’t take care of the planet for real.
Want to explore how the world could be destroyed, either by natural catastrophe or human-made circumstances? Then watch these cinematic speculations of movies like The Day After Tomorrow.
10 Catastrophic Movies Like The Day After Tomorrow
1. Armageddon (1998)
Deep-core drillers—ordinary folks living regular lives—suddenly get thrust into the limelight as they are tapped by the US government to participate in a big mission: to save the earth from colliding with an oncoming deadly asteroid.
Bruce Willis leads the blue-collar team of unsung heroes who races against time to serve humankind. The motley crew composed of characters played by Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Ben Affleck add color and sparks to this space mission saga.
This Michael Bay action-packed thriller film came out as the top-grossing film of 1998, proving that disaster movies do sell tickets.
2. Independence Day (1996)
After the planet is somewhat devastated by a deadly alien invasion-level type of attacks, courageous humans bond together and set up an offensive force to defend the planet—to happen on July 4th.
Another Roland Emmerich sci-fi thriller features humongous threats to the planet similar to movies like The Day After Tomorrow. But this one has unexpected aliens as the enemy to boot.
Thanks to the brave characters played by Will Smith (as the pilot hero) and Bill Pullman (as the US president), this cinematic catastrophe won’t go down without a good fight. And its record-breaking box-office performance proves that.
3. War of the Worlds (2005)
Giant war machines of an alien origin suddenly emerge in various parts of the world, devastating unsuspecting humans in many countries. At the center of the tragedy is a deadbeat dad trying to protect his kids from it all.
Steven Spielberg loosely adapts H.G. Wells’ classic novel of the same name and puts Tom Cruise front and center of the aliens vs. earth action. But this time, the impossible mission his character undergoes is more grounded in fatherly love and survival.
It was one of the most successful films of 2005 that was also hailed by critics for good acting.
4. 2012 (2009)
As ancient texts predicted that the end of the world would come in 2012, a writer gets classified information about worldwide movements to save a select few—and he tries to do everything for his family to become a chance passenger in this salvation.
 Solar flares, geological movements, and planetary alignments back up yet another of those movies like The Day After Tomorrow. This fantastic film features how a novelist—played by John Cusack—pushes his luck to save humanity, himself, and his family.
And yes, Roland Emmerich directed and co-wrote this star-studded box-office hit again! He’s lucky with disasters!
5. World War Z (2012)
An unexpected outbreak spreads country to country, turning people into zombies who can continuously infect others—until it turns to a pandemic. The United Nations tries to find solutions, as one of their investigators search the world for a cure.
Brad Pitt plays the UN point person given clearance to investigate where the zombie infestation started. This highly charged edge-of-your-seat apocalyptic thriller gives a grounded medical twist to the zombie genre, making you think it could indeed become possible.
While some say the storytelling in the 2006 novel by Max Brooks is better, great cinematography and editing carry this adaptation.
6. Snowpiercer (2013)
A train that travels around a now-frozen earth exists to carry the last humans alive after a massive failure to alleviate global warming happened in the past. But the present passengers still battle for their rights amidst trying to survive an unjust system within this new world.
Chris Evans plays a guy relegated to the lower-class section of this dystopian ride, with Tilda Swinton leading the elites. Award-winning Parasite director Bong Joon-ho delivers an icy spectacle here.
Such scientifically speculative movies like The Day After Tomorrow are so popular that they even spawn TV series, like the one on Netflix.
7. Pacific Rim (2013)
In the near future, earth is attacked by sea monsters called kaiju that destroy every living being on site. Humans devised equally gigantic robots called jaegers piloted by humans inside in an effort to preserve the race.
Visionary director Guillermo Del Toro delivers a sci-fi action thriller that pits nature versus humankind in an endless battle for survival. The international feel of the film indeed gives the fight a global edge, one that would be cheered on by the remaining good people of the planet.Â
If you’re into anime-type of mecha-themed stories, then this—and its sequel—is for you!
8. After Earth (2013)
Earth is no longer safe for humans. A father and son team deals with surviving in it after their ship crashes and lands on its now inhumane surface. It’s up to the son to save them both—before hostile creatures arrive.
Real-life father-son duo Will and Jaden Smith deliver a dramatic yet hopeful tale of how tragedy could strike a family, and how they survive amidst natural and personal hardships. M. Night Shyamalan directed this quiet thriller.
If you’re a fan of speculative sci-fi that dissects what could become of earth in the near future, this is definitely for you!
9. Contagion (2011)
An unknown airborne respiratory virus causes global contamination that threatens to eradicate all humans in a relatively short time—if no cure is found in time.
Steven Soderbergh’s star-studded medical pandemic drama captures the terror and horror of how humans would and could behave when faced with a near-death situation, leading to pandemonium and chaos. At times, humanity still prevails. Most times, desperation becomes the scary norm.
It may not be as destructive as the other movies like The Day After Tomorrow, but this scientifically-grounded film gives us new perspectives during these COVID-19 days, now that life somehow imitates art.
10. San Andreas (2015)
Southern Californians think they’re just feeling another ordinary earthquake caused by the San Andreas Fault. Only this time, the shaking doesn’t stop, and the destruction threatens to stretch beyond city boundaries—which could destroy everything on the surface.
Dwayne Johnson plays the helicopter rescue pilot at the center of this forming disaster who’s trying to rescue his daughter and ex-wife along the way. Alexandra Daddario plays the strong teen daughter who uses her instincts to survive.
While critics are divided about its plot and characterization, movie buffs supported it as it became the top earner for Warner Bros in 2015.