What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedARQ
Tony Elliott · Film · 2016
If you loved ARQ, start with Mr. Robot (Sam Esmail, 2015) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to ARQ across media.
What hooked you in ARQ is the claustrophobic tension of being trapped within a repeating cycle of corporate-driven technological catastrophe.
Books on the same thread
Arrival
Ted Chiang · Book · 2016
Explores: Alien Contact, Linguistics, Time Perception.
Like the time-bending stakes in ARQ, this narrative explores how shifting your perception of time can fundamentally alter your understanding of reality, loss, and personal destiny.
"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman
Harlan Ellison · Book · 2016
Shares a thread with ARQ: Rebellion.
The struggle against an all-encompassing system defines ARQ, and this classic story captures that same spirit of rebellion against a cold, ticking, and oppressive totalitarian authority.
Divergent trilogy
Veronica Roth · Book · 2011
Shares a thread with ARQ: Rebellion.
If you enjoyed the high-stakes survival against a restrictive regime in ARQ, this trilogy offers a similar focus on identity and resistance within a controlled, dystopian landscape.
The Maze Runner (Book 1)
James Dashner · Book · 2014
Explores: Survival, Memory Loss, Conspiracy.
Much like the protagonists in ARQ, you will find yourself navigating a forced, mysterious environment where uncovering the truth behind a conspiracy is the only way out.
Series on the same thread
Arcane
Christian Linke · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with ARQ: Dystopian Society.
The moral ambiguity and intense conflict between rebels and powerful technological forces seen in ARQ are masterfully mirrored in this struggle for survival between two divided cities.
Mr. Robot
Sam Esmail · Series · 2015
Explores: Hacking, Anti-capitalism, Mental Illness.
If the corporate conspiracy and techno-thriller elements of ARQ drew you in, you will appreciate how this series uses hacking to expose the rot within powerful institutions.
Dark
Baran bo Odar · Series · 2017
Shares a thread with ARQ: Existential Crisis.
The recursive, time-loop nature of ARQ is expanded here into a complex mystery that demands you piece together how the past and future are inextricably linked.
Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with ARQ: Existential Crisis.
This anthology captures the same dread regarding the unintended consequences of technology found in ARQ, offering dark, speculative looks at how innovation can dismantle human life.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic audio stories mirror the suspense and experimental narrative structure of ARQ, providing intense, self-contained worlds that challenge your expectations with every new episode.
Class of 09
Podcast
Explores: Artificial Intelligence, Technological Singularity, Career Trajectory.
The technological dread and focus on a bleak future in ARQ resonate here, as the narrative explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and human survival.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is ARQ a movie about a time loop?
Yes, ARQ is a 2016 film centered on two old friends who find themselves trapped in a mysterious time loop. This temporal anomaly is set against the backdrop of a dystopic future where a battle rages between an omnipotent corporation and a group of rebels.
What is the primary conflict in ARQ?
The primary conflict in ARQ involves a struggle between an omnipotent corporation and a band of rebels. This ongoing battle serves as the central setting for the time loop experienced by the two main characters as they navigate the complexities of their dystopic future.
Who directed the film ARQ?
The film ARQ was directed by Tony Elliott and released in 2016. The story follows two old friends caught in a time loop while living in a dystopic world defined by a conflict between a powerful corporation and a rebel group.
Does ARQ take place in a dystopic future?
Yes, ARQ is set in a dystopic future. The narrative follows two old friends trapped in a time loop, which appears to be connected to an ongoing war between a band of rebels and an omnipotent corporation that controls their world.