Movies About Disease Outbreaks (Top Picks At A Glance)
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Probably one of the most terrifying and highly possible ways for the human race to face extinction would be a virus that spread globally wiping us out. This is a very reasonable concern, for example, with what is happening with the Coronavirus. There are quite a few films that show you different possibilities of what could happen if we had a pandemic.
Luckily for us, we have some genius people always working on preventing something like this from happening. Now, though we don’t want this to actually happen, it does make for one hell of a movie!
We have gone and gathered the best movies about disease outbreaks and placed them on this list for you to decide what to watch next. Some of these are more realistic than others but they will all keep your eyes glued to that screen.
We do have some older films here which you may not have heard of and are definitely worth a watch! Just Keep on scrolling to see what horrors we have in store for you!
1. Contagion
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To kick off our list of movies about disease outbreaks we have a film which people have used as an example of what could happen with the current Corona Virus outbreak. If there’s a movie that makes you fear diseases it’s definitely this one.
Contagion Movie Description
Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home to Minnesota after a business trip in Hong Kong. She doesn’t feel well, but she dumbs it down to it being jet lag causing her these sickly feelings. But, only two days later, Beth dies and the doctors break the news to her husband Mitch (Matt Damon), leaving him distraught. Nobody in the medical field knows what killed her.
Not long after, numerous people begin acquiring the same symptoms Beth had. This leads to a global pandemic which only escalates due to a blogger (Jude Law)Â causing even more of a panic.
2. World War Z
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It’s only right that we add World War Z to a list of movies about disease outbreaks. It’s a major staple in the genre!
Everybody knows and loves this movie. It’s one of the best disease/zombie movies that exists! If you haven’t seen it you are really missing out.
World War Z Movie Description
Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), a former U.N. investigator, ends up stuck in traffic with his family. However, he senses something is wrong and doesn’t believe this is a usual traffic jam. His suspicions are confirmed when everything around him quickly goes to chaos with people getting attacked by zombie-like creatures.
A virus has begun to turn people into something which sole goal is to spread itself through a single bite. The virus threatens the survival of humanity. Leading the world’s last chance at survival, Gerry Lane and a team attempt to find the source of the infection and a possible cure to stop it from spreading anymore.
3. 28 Days Later
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Here we have another incredible zombie outbreak movie. We can’t believe this movie came out in 2002! It was definitely ahead of its time. And if you like this one, then there is a sequel called 28 Weeks Later that is also really good!
28 Days Later Movie Description
A group of animal activists has released a chimp from confinement who has the “Rage” virus in its system. One month later, Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma and finds himself wandering the city alone with no one in sight. He quickly realizes the only people around have turned into bloodthirsty zombies who have fallen victim to the released Rage virus.
Luckily, Jim runs into a group of survivors. Jim, a cab driver named Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and Selena (Naomie Harris) continue their search for safety in this new horrific and dangerous world.
4. Twelve Monkeys
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It doesn’t get better than a movie that revolves around a disease that nearly wiped out all of humanity and time travel! Also, look at the cast for this movie! What more could you possibly want?
12 Monkeys Movie Description
In 2030 James Cole (Bruce Willis) has been chosen to travel back in time for a mission that could save mankind. He must go back to the 1990s to gather information about a plague that nearly wipes out the human race in the future.
With the help of the insane Jeffrey (Brad Pitt) and Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe), the odds of the mission seem stacked against them.
5. I Am Legend
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Would life even be worth living alone in a world where nothing but killers are in sight? It would definitely be depressing we can tell you that much.
Even if you were looking for a cure, you have no clue if anyone else is alive, so what’s the point. Either way, it makes for a great movie!
I Am Legend Movie Description
Scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith) is one of the few that has survived a plague that turns humans into bloodthirsty creatures. He makes his way through New York City alone looking for other survivors like him while he attempts to make a cure using his own immune blood.
With all odds against him, Neville does his best not to lose hope and makes sure he doesn’t make any mistakes that could cost him his life.
6. Children of Men
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When you are searching for movies about disease outbreaks, usually a film about zombies or a disease that kills you in a horrible way comes to mind.
However, this movie isn’t like any other. This movie takes you into a dystopian society where something has prevented women from giving birth. It makes for one hell of a movie.
Children of Men Movie Description
One of the biggest dangers to ever come upon now threatens the rest of mankind. Infertility now threatens to slowly wipe out the rest of the human race. it has been 18 years since the birth of the last child who recently passed away causing panic across the globe.
However, when a woman mysteriously becomes pregnant, Theo Faron (Clive Owens) vows to help her reach safety as she is the last hope for the survival of mankind.
7. Outbreak
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To wrap out our list of movies about disease outbreaks, we have a classic. Outbreak is one of those movies that made the genre what it is when it came out. Just to think that a damn monkey threatened thousands of lives!
Outbreak Movie Description
An airborne virus now threatens mankind as we know it. Due to an African monkey being smuggled into the U.S., an outbreak takes place in a California town. A group of doctors and disease specialists has been brought in to attempt to control the virus from spreading.
With the army trying to take over the situation, the doctors must work against time to save the town and stop this virus from spreading any further.
