What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedExtinction
Miguel Ángel Vivas · Film · 2015
If you loved Extinction, start with Extinction (Douglas Preston) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Extinction across media.
What hooked you in Extinction was the way the isolation of a post-apocalyptic world forces survivors to confront both monstrous threats and their own fractured humanity.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
Annihilation
Jeff VanderMeer · Book · 2014
Explores: Environmental Collapse, Exploration, Identity.
Like the desolate, frozen landscape of Extinction, this novel traps you in an environment where the unknown is as dangerous as the physical threats encroaching upon the isolated protagonists.
The Grinding
Matt Dinniman · Book · 2013
Shares a thread with Extinction: Survival Horror.
If the creature-driven dread in Extinction kept you on edge, this story of an urban catastrophe will resonate as it focuses on the visceral terror of losing one's humanity.
The Stand
Stephen King · Book · 1980
Shares a thread with Extinction: Survival.
You will appreciate the struggle for survival against impossible odds in this plague-ridden world, mirroring the desperate, high-stakes fight for redemption found in the characters of Extinction.
The Passage
Justin Cronin · Book · 2010
Shares a thread with Extinction: Post-Apocalyptic Horror.
The focus on a child caught in the middle of a world-ending military experiment parallels the protective father-daughter dynamic that serves as the emotional core of Extinction.
Series on the same thread
Attack on Titan
Series · 2013
Shares a thread with Extinction: Survival.
Just as the characters in Extinction are forced to survive against terrifying monsters, this series captures the same existential horror of humanity clinging to life behind fortified walls.
See
Steven Knight · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Extinction: Survival.
The protective instinct of the father in this series mirrors the bond in Extinction, as both stories navigate the brutal realities of survival within a decimated, dangerous world.
The Walking Dead
Frank Darabont · Series · 2010
Shares 3 threads with Extinction: Survival, Zombie Horror, Survival Horror.
The relentless survival horror and the focus on broken relationships among survivors in this series provide a perfect follow-up to the tense, creature-filled atmosphere of Extinction.
The Strain
Guillermo del Toro · Series · 2014
Explores: Viral Outbreak, Vampirism, Ancient Evil.
This narrative of a viral outbreak and an ancient evil will satisfy your interest in the humanity versus monster conflict that defined the desperate struggle in Extinction.
Podcasts on the same thread
The White Vault
Fool and Scholar Productions · Podcast · 2026
The premise of being trapped in a remote location while something waits in the ice mirrors the claustrophobic, isolated survival horror you experienced while watching Extinction.
The Adventure Zone
The McElroys · Podcast · 2026
Explores: improvised storytelling, group dynamics, high fantasy satire.
While lighter in tone than Extinction, the focus on a small group dynamics and battling monsters provides a thematic echo of the camaraderie found in survival scenarios.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Extinction based on a book?
Yes, Extinction is based on the book of the same name. While the 2015 movie adaptation directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas focuses on the two men and the child surviving in a forgotten landscape, the story originates from the source material found in the book titled Extinction.
What is the premise of the movie Extinction?
Extinction follows two men and a child who are survivors in a world that has come to a sudden halt. They are separated by hatred in a place forgotten by everyone, including the creatures inhabiting the Earth, until those creatures eventually return to threaten their existence.
Should I read the book Extinction before watching the movie?
Reading the book Extinction before watching the 2015 movie is a matter of preference. Both versions explore the same core narrative regarding the survivors and the creatures. Consuming the book first provides additional context for the world-building and the history of the characters depicted in the film.
Is the movie Extinction related to the book Extinction?
The movie Extinction is a direct adaptation of the book Extinction. Both titles share the same source material, which centers on the survival of two men and a child in a desolate environment occupied by creatures that have finally returned to hunt the remaining inhabitants of the Earth.