What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDorian Gray
Film · 2009
If you loved Dorian Gray, start with The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1908) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 2 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Dorian Gray across media.
If Dorian Gray captivated you, you will find these narratives mirror your fascination with the destructive intersection of vanity and moral decay.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Phantom of the Paradise
Brian De Palma · Film · 1974
Books on the same thread
Great Expectations
Charles Dickens · Book · 2009
Explores: social mobility, unrequited love, moral redemption.
Like Dorian Gray, this Victorian classic explores the heavy burden of social expectations and the way moral corruption influences the trajectory of a life marked by sudden, unearned fortune.
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2004
Explores: American Dream, Social Class, Love and Loss.
The Great Gatsby mirrors the hollow excess found in Dorian Gray, illustrating how obsession with image and status inevitably leads to a tragic collapse of one's carefully constructed world.
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 1991
Explores: The American Dream, Social Class, Wealth and Status.
This exploration of wealth and status echoes the decadence seen in Dorian Gray, focusing on the inevitable violence and loss that follow a life defined by superficial material pursuits.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson · Book · 2009
Shares a thread with Dorian Gray: Moral Corruption.
Much like the internal rot depicted in Dorian Gray, this psychological horror examines the duality of human nature and the dark consequences of suppressing one's true moral identity.
Series on the same thread
Penny Dreadful
John Logan · Series · 2014
Explores: Monsters, Moral Ambiguity, Loss of Innocence.
This series captures the same atmosphere of Victorian moral ambiguity found in Dorian Gray, placing the protagonist directly into a sinister, supernatural landscape filled with dark psychological thrills.
The Vampire Diaries
Julie Plec · Series · 2009
Explores: Forbidden Love, Brotherly Conflict, Doppelgangers.
The obsession and moral complexity driving the characters in Dorian Gray are mirrored here, as the narrative focuses on the consequences of eternal life and the weight of past actions.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dark History
Audioboom Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: untold narratives, institutional corruption, societal taboos.
Just as Dorian Gray peels back the veneer of polite society, this podcast exposes the institutional corruption and societal taboos hidden beneath the surface of seemingly respectable historical narratives.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
This deep dive into historical moral ambiguity echoes the themes of Dorian Gray by questioning how the consequences of power and human nature dictate the rise and fall of civilizations.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2009 Dorian Gray movie based on a book?
Yes, the 2009 film is based on the classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, originally published in 1908. While the movie portrays the aristocrat's descent into a living hell, the book provides the foundational source material for his obsession with the portrait and his eternal youth.
Should I read the book The Picture of Dorian Gray if I liked the movie?
If you enjoyed the 2009 film, reading the 1908 book The Picture of Dorian Gray is highly recommended. The novel explores the same dark themes of decadence and the supernatural portrait, offering a deeper look into the psychological spiral of the protagonist as he attempts to safeguard his secret.
What is the relationship between the 2009 Dorian Gray and the 2007 book titled Dorian?
Both the 2009 film Dorian Gray and the 2007 book titled Dorian are adaptations or interpretations inspired by the themes found in the original source material. They each focus on the concept of an individual maintaining youthful appearance while a portrait bears the burden of their aging and moral corruption.
Is Phantom of the Paradise similar to the 2009 Dorian Gray?
Phantom of the Paradise is a 1974 movie that shares thematic DNA with the 2009 Dorian Gray. Both films explore the consequences of a pact involving a supernatural object or situation that allows a character to remain youthful or successful at a terrible cost to their soul and sanity.