What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDark Matter
Series · 2024
If you loved Dark Matter, start with Dark Matter (Joseph Mallozzi, 2015) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Dark Matter across media.
What hooked you in Dark Matter was the unsettling way your own identity and reality can fracture under pressure.
Start with the source
The source
Dark Matter
Joseph Mallozzi · Series · 2015
Books on the same thread
The Three-Body Problem
Cixin Liu · Book
Explores: Existential threat, Technological singularity, Societal collapse.
Just as Dark Matter forces you to confront the vastness of existence, this narrative expands those existential threats into a global struggle for survival against an encroaching alien force.
Pieces of Her
Karin Slaughter · Book
Explores: hidden past, maternal secrets, identity crisis.
Much like the desperate journey in Dark Matter, this story centers on the sudden, violent unraveling of a familiar life when a hidden past finally demands to be acknowledged.
Recursion
Blake Crouch · Book · 2019
Explores: Memory manipulation, Existential dread, Butterfly effect.
Written by the same author as Dark Matter, this thriller explores the same obsession with memory and the terrifying consequences of playing with the fabric of your own timeline.
People Like Us
Jason Mott · Book · 2025
Explores: Gun Violence, Race and Identity, Belonging.
This novel mirrors the dreamlike, reality-bending atmosphere of Dark Matter, grounding its high-concept exploration of memory and identity in deeply personal experiences that refuse to let you go.
Films on the same thread
A Different Man
Aaron Schimberg · Film · 2024
Explores: Identity Crisis, Body Image, Obsession.
Like the protagonist of Dark Matter, this character faces a radical transformation that turns his life into a nightmare, highlighting the same existential dread found in losing oneself.
Enemy
Denis Villeneuve · Film · 2014
Explores: Identity Crisis, Existentialism, Paranoia.
If the doppelganger conflict in Dark Matter kept you on edge, this film will intensify that paranoia as a man becomes dangerously obsessed with his own physical double.
Oblivion
Joseph Kosinski · Film · 2013
Explores: Existential Crisis, Memory Manipulation, Questioning Reality.
This film echoes the existential crisis at the heart of Dark Matter, following a man who must question the very foundation of his reality and his own memories.
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat · Film · 2024
Explores: Identity Crisis, Obsession, Body Image.
The desperate search for a better version of self in this film reflects the darker, more visceral side of the identity crisis explored throughout the narrative of Dark Matter.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
Explores: unsolved homicide, seeking justice, historical mystery.
This investigative series captures the same mind-bending tension as Dark Matter, proving that looking back into the past is often the only way to solve a present mystery.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic stories mirror the speculative nature of Dark Matter, constantly shifting through new worlds and characters to challenge your perception of the human condition and moral ambiguity.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2024 Dark Matter TV series based on the 2016 book?
Yes, the 2024 Dark Matter TV series is an adaptation of the 2016 science fiction novel titled Dark Matter. Both versions follow the story of Jason Dessen as he navigates alternate realities to return to his true family.
Should I watch the 2015 Dark Matter series before the 2024 version?
You do not need to watch the 2015 series titled Dark Matter before starting the 2024 show. They are separate projects with different stories. The 2024 Dark Matter is specifically based on the 2016 book of the same name.
Is the 2024 Dark Matter show connected to the 2015 Dark Matter series?
No, the 2024 Dark Matter TV series and the 2015 Dark Matter series are not connected. They share a title but feature entirely different plots and characters. The 2024 version is an adaptation of the 2016 novel by Blake Crouch.
What is the plot of the 2024 Dark Matter TV show?
The 2024 Dark Matter series follows Jason Dessen after he is abducted into an alternate version of his life. He embarks on a journey through different realities to save his true family from a terrifying version of himself.