What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedEx Machina
Alex Garland · Film · 2015
If you loved Ex Machina, start with Humans (Jonathan Brackley, 2015) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Ex Machina across media.
You were captivated by the unsettling intimacy of Ex Machina, where the lines between human consciousness and mechanical design blur dangerously.
Books on the same thread
The Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: Techno-Thriller.
Just as Ex Machina traps you in a high-stakes psychological game, this story demands the same level of analytical problem-solving and grit from its isolated protagonist.
The Machine Stops
E. M. Forster · Book · 2011
Explores: Technology Dependence, Social Isolation, Loss of Individuality.
If the technological dread in Ex Machina unsettled you, this classic story offers a chillingly prophetic look at how total dependence on systems eventually erodes human autonomy.
Flowers for Algernon
Daniel Keyes · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: The Nature of Consciousness.
This narrative mirrors the ethical experiments of Ex Machina by examining the tragic, transformative consequences of artificially accelerating intelligence within a vulnerable human subject.
Darwin Among The Machines
George Dyson · Book · 1997
Shares 2 threads with Ex Machina: Artificial Intelligence, Technological Singularity.
For those fascinated by the theoretical dangers of consciousness in Ex Machina, this historical analysis provides the real-world context for our march toward the technological singularity.
Series on the same thread
Serial Experiments Lain
Series · 1998
Shares 3 threads with Ex Machina: Existentialism, Technological Singularity, Psychological Thriller.
This series captures the same existential disorientation found in Ex Machina, plunging you into a surreal landscape where the barrier between reality and digital existence dissolves.
Westworld
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2016
Shares 3 threads with Ex Machina: Artificial Intelligence, Existentialism, Moral Ambiguity.
Much like Ex Machina, this series masterfully explores the awakening of artificial consciousness and the moral volatility that arises when humans play god with their creations.
Devs
Alex Garland · Series · 2020
Shares 3 threads with Ex Machina: Technological Singularity, Existentialism, Techno-Thriller.
Helmed by the same creator as Ex Machina, this story echoes its signature blend of corporate conspiracy and the haunting philosophical implications of controlling future outcomes.
Humans
Jonathan Brackley · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Ex Machina: Technological Singularity, Artificial Intelligence.
This show expands on the domestic tension presented in Ex Machina, forcing you to question the humanity of the synthetic beings we invite into our private spaces.
Podcasts on the same thread
Lex Fridman Podcast
Lex Fridman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, technological ethics, deep thinking.
If the intellectual debates in Ex Machina left you wanting more, these deep-dive conversations provide the philosophical framework necessary to understand the future of artificial intelligence.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: moral ambiguity.
These stories deliver the same sharp, atmospheric suspense found in Ex Machina, utilizing immersive audio to explore the moral ambiguities of our rapidly evolving modern world.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Ex Machina based on a book?
Ex Machina is a 2015 film written and directed by Alex Garland. It is not an adaptation of a book, but rather an original screenplay focusing on a coder participating in an artificial intelligence experiment at a private mountain retreat.
What is the premise of Ex Machina?
Ex Machina follows a coder named Caleb who wins a competition to visit the reclusive CEO of his company. Upon arrival at a remote mountain retreat, he is tasked with interacting with the world's first true artificial intelligence to participate in a fascinating experiment.
Who directed the movie Ex Machina?
The film Ex Machina was directed by Alex Garland in 2015. The story centers on a high-stakes experiment involving a coder and a reclusive CEO testing the capabilities of a new artificial intelligence housed in a physical body.
What happens to the protagonist in Ex Machina?
In Ex Machina, the protagonist Caleb travels to a private mountain retreat to engage in an experiment. He is required to interact with an advanced artificial intelligence created by the CEO of the world's largest internet company, leading to a strange and complex series of events.