The long awaited second season of “The Last of Us” premiered April 13 on Max, with new episodes releasing weekly. The new season is receiving the same high praise garnered from the first season. So, if you’re impatiently waiting for a new episode to come out each week, here are five movies to keep you entertained.
“The Gorge” (2025)
In this sci-fi romance movie, two trained operatives are tasked with protecting either side of a secret gorge. They start communicating with each other from across the chasm and fall in love but end up in a perilous situation where they must rely on each other to survive. While this is definitely not the best sci-fi movie ever, it might scratch your “The Last of Us” itch, as I would describe it as a dollar store version of the show with a twist of romance. If you’re not looking for something to be quite on the same level as “The Last of Us,” but are looking for a similar premise and something entertaining, this could be for you.
“Alien: Romulus” (2024)
This space sci-fi film follows a group of space colonists who end up trapped on an abandoned space station with hundreds of parasite-like aliens. I think any film from the “Alien” franchise could also be a good pick, but I personally find this new addition to be the most nerve-wracking and frightening. This movie would be good if you’re looking for a thrilling, creature-driven movie and if you may be wanting to venture more into a more hard-core sci-fi plot.
“A Quiet Place: Day One” (2024)
This prequel to the franchise “A Quiet Place” shows the events of an alien invasion in New York City. The creatures are drawn to sound, so people must figure out how to adapt and survive in one of the loudest cities on Earth. Again, you could watch any of the movies from this franchise but I personally think this one is the best, and I think it best matches the vibes of “The Last of Us” as it is very reminiscent of the first episode of the first season. This would be a good movie if you’re looking for both the high action and thrill of “The Last of Us,” but also want some more emotional depth (and if you’re a fan of cats).
“Civil War” (2024)
This dystopian film follows a crew of journalists as they attempt to make their way to the White House to get an interview with the president of the United States before a coup d'état. This film probably stands out the most from this list as it doesn’t have any sci-fi elements, however, it has the same intensity and thrill that “The Last of Us” has and will elicit a similar emotional reaction. If you’re looking for a dystopian film that will get your heart racing and makes some important commentary on political polarization, this would be a good movie for you.
“28 Days Later” (2002)
Probably the film with the closest plot to “The Last of Us” on this list, “28 Days Later” takes place four weeks after a virus that makes people lose their minds and start murdering people spread throughout the U.K. as a group of survivors try to find sanctuary amidst the chaos. If you’re really just looking for more of “The Last of Us,” this will get pretty close, and there is a third film in the series, “28 Years Later,” coming out later this year, so it could be a good time to dive into this series if you’re on a “The Last of Us” kick.
