If you loved
Dorian
Will Self · Book · 2007
If you loved Dorian, you are drawn to the intoxicating, precarious intersection of vanity, moral decay, and the ruthless pursuit of status.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Phantom of the Paradise
Brian De Palma · Film · 1974
Adaptation
Dorian Gray
Film · 2009
Films on the same thread
Boogie Nights
Paul Thomas Anderson · Film · 1997
Much like Dorian, this film captures a golden era of excess and indulgence, examining the hollow promise of fame and the inevitable loss of innocence that follows such hedonism.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Anthony Minghella · Film · 1999
This psychological thriller mirrors the obsession with surface-level perfection found in Dorian, exploring how a calculating desire for a better life leads to profound moral ambiguity and identity theft.
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat · Film · 2024
This film echoes the central vanity of Dorian, using a dark, visceral lens to explore how the desperate, shallow pursuit of eternal youth and beauty ultimately destroys the human psyche.
Don't Be Bad
Claudio Caligari · Film · 2015
The moral decay and drug-fueled desperation depicted here provide a gritty, contemporary reflection of the same reckless search for success and pleasure that defines the protagonist in Dorian.
Series on the same thread
Industry
Mickey Down · Series · 2020
The cutthroat ambition and blurred boundaries between friend and enemy in this series reflect the same toxic, high-stakes social climbing that you encountered in the art scene of Dorian.
The Deuce
David Simon · Series · 2017
This series captures the same urban decadence and volatile social shifts seen in Dorian, documenting a hedonistic subculture before it is irrevocably changed by the arrival of a devastating epidemic.
The Boy's Word: Blood on the Asphalt
Zhora Kryzhovnikov · Series · 2023
The moral decay and instability of this era mirror the social rot in Dorian, illustrating how a collapsing society drives young people toward dangerous paths in pursuit of status.
POSE
Brad Falchuk · Series · 2018
This musical drama offers a vibrant, nuanced exploration of the same 1980s social and literary scenes that Dorian navigates, highlighting the contrast between extreme wealth and marginalized survival.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2025
The obsession with civilizational collapse and the consequences of power in these historical analyses resonates with the underlying sense of moral decay that permeates the world of Dorian.
Dan Does Footy
Podcast
While distinct in subject, the unfiltered commentary here mirrors the bold, satirical voice of Dorian, providing an unapologetic look at the vanity and effort behind public-facing professional life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Dorian by Will Self a direct sequel to The Picture of Dorian Gray?
No, Dorian is not a sequel. It is a reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s 1908 novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Will Self updates the narrative to the London art scene of the early 1980s, focusing on themes of decadence and appearance during that specific cultural era.
Should I read The Picture of Dorian Gray before reading Dorian?
While not strictly required, reading The Picture of Dorian Gray provides the necessary context for Will Self’s work. Dorian functions as a shameless imitation of the original story, and understanding the source material helps clarify the thematic parallels between the Victorian era and the 1980s art scene.
Does Dorian relate to the 2009 film Dorian Gray?
Dorian by Will Self and the 2009 film Dorian Gray are both adaptations of the same original source material, The Picture of Dorian Gray. While both works interpret the classic story, they are separate projects and the book does not serve as a novelization of the film.
What historical period does Dorian depict?
Dorian depicts the London art scene of the early 1980s. The narrative explores a period of intense sex, drugs, and decadence within the homosexual community before the onset of the AIDS epidemic. This setting serves as the backdrop for the book's examination of vanity and appearance.