10 Movies like Mortal Engine You Must Watch: Mortal Engines is a 2018 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve, and it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where cities roam on tracks — we discuss 10 similar movies in this article. 

The film follows the mysterious young Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar) as she attempts to stop London — now a giant predator city on wheels — from devouring everything in its path. Hester joins Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), an outcast from London, and Anna Fang (Jihae)

While the film wasn’t a box office success, the book and fantasy setting is one that resonated with fans. So, if you liked Mortal Engines, here are 10 films like it you must watch.

10 Movies like Mortal Engines

1. The Maze Runner (2014)

An adaption of the book of the same name by James Dashner, the film follows Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), who arrives in the middle of a giant maze with no memory of his previous life. He quickly becomes part of the group of boys that live there and is promoted to a Runner, someone who patrols through the maze to find an escape route. Together with the only female Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), they must escape the maze.

2. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the drifter and survivor Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) must form an uneasy alliance with the warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) as they free the tyrannical Immortan Joe’s five wives and try to outrun the ruthless warlord and his fleet of henchmen by stealing a heavily armored truck.

3. The Hunger Games (2012)

In the land that was once North America, the new Capitol of Panem holds its grip on 12 districts by forcing them to select a boy and a girl called Tributes to compete in the national games called the Hunger Games. These games are broadcast live across the different districts until one champion remains. District 12 Tribute Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to compete and must use her hunting skills and sharp instincts to survive.

4. The 5th Wave (2016)

A series of alien attacks bring the human race to the brink of extinction. Ohio teenager Cassie Sullivan (Chloë Grace Moretz) gets separated from her family. She will do anything to find her brother Sam. She forms an alliance with a young man called Evan Walker (Alex Roe) and must fight for survival during the alien’s fifth attack.

5. Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Set centuries into the future, an abandoned battle cyborg called Alita (Rosa Salazar), is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a cyber-doctor. He takes the damaged cyborg to his clinic to fix her. Once Alita is fixed, she has no memory of her past or who she is. As Alita finds her way around Iron City, Ido tries to hide Alita’s past from her.

6. Ready Player One (2018)

In the year 2045, planet Earth is on the brink of collapse. People find salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When he dies, he promises his fortune to whoever can complete a digital Easter Egg hunt. Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) takes up this quest and must beat the evil businessman (Nolan Sorrento) to the treasure.

7. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Earth is locked in combat with invincible aliens. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is sent to fight them but is killed within moments. Cage finds himself stuck in a time loop, where he relives the same fight and brutal death again and again. Cage’s fighting skills improve even more, which brings him closer to victory. 

8. District 9 (2009)

30 years ago, aliens arrived on Earth to seek refuge. They’re put into District 9 by the Multi-National United, who are unconcerned with the aliens’ welfare but will do anything to master their advanced technology. A company agent (Sharlto Copley) gets an alien virus that begins to alter his DNA and hides in District 9. 

9. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is a blade runner for the Los Angeles Police Department. He finds a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge society into chaos. This discovery leads him to seek out Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

10. I Am Legend (2007)

Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a survivor of a plague that turns humans into bloodthirsty monsters. He wanders the ruined New York City alone, trying to find others and a cure. Robert is badly outnumbered and is watched by the infected, who know that one mistake will deliver Robert into their hands. 

11. Jupiter Ascending (2015)

In “Jupiter Ascending” (2015), Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), an ordinary cleaning woman, discovers her extraordinary destiny when she’s targeted by powerful cosmic forces. Genetically marked as the heir to the House of Abrasax, a ruling intergalactic dynasty, Jupiter is revealed to be the reincarnation of its matriarch.

Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, comes to her aid, setting off a galactic conflict among the Abrasax siblings who seek control over her and Earth, which they use to harvest a rejuvenating substance.

As Jupiter and Caine form a bond and uncover their pasts, they must navigate this perilous universe, making pivotal choices that will impact Earth’s fate and the destiny of the galaxy. With breathtaking visuals and action, the film is a space opera that combines adventure and romance while exploring themes of power, inheritance, and responsibility.

12. The Dark Tower (2017)

“The Dark Tower” (2017) is an adaptation of Stephen King’s series. Jake Chambers, a boy with prophetic dreams, discovers a parallel dimension, Mid-World, and meets Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger. They unite to confront the Man in Black, who seeks to destroy the Dark Tower, a nexus of all universes.

The film blends Western, fantasy, and sci-fi, as they traverse Mid-World, confronting strange creatures and danger. They also meet Arra Champignon, a seer who aids their quest.

The fate of Mid-World and Earth hinges on their battle with the Man in Black at the Dark Tower. Themes of destiny, sacrifice, and the eternal clash of good and evil are central.

While “The Dark Tower” condenses King’s epic narrative, it introduces audiences to his multiverse, providing action, mythology, and interdimensional adventures.

 

13. Elysium (2013)

“Elysium” (2013) is a dystopian sci-fi film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It is set in the year 2154 when Earth has become overpopulated and polluted, while the wealthy elite live on a pristine space station called Elysium. The film follows Max Da Costa (Matt Damon), a former convict living on Earth who is exposed to a lethal dose of radiation and given only days to live. In a desperate bid to save his life, Max embarks on a mission to reach Elysium, where advanced medical technology can cure him.

Max’s journey sets him against Elysium’s Secretary of Defense Delacourt (Jodie Foster) and her enforcer Kruger (Sharlto Copley), who are determined to maintain the station’s exclusivity at any cost. With the help of a childhood friend and a group of revolutionaries, Max becomes a symbol of hope for the oppressed on Earth, challenging the status quo and fighting for equality in a divided world. “Elysium” explores themes of class struggle, healthcare disparity, and immigration in a visually striking and action-packed narrative.

Do you have any other recommendations for movies like Mortal Engines? Let us know in the comments.