What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedFantasy Island
Jeff Wadlow · Film · 2020
If you loved Fantasy Island, start with Alice in Borderland (2020) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Fantasy Island across media.
If Fantasy Island hooked you, it is because you crave the thrill of watching idyllic escapes descend into psychological nightmares.
Books on the same thread
The Island
Peter Benchley · Book · 1980
Explores: Isolation, Survival, Man vs. Nature.
Like the tropical setting of Fantasy Island, this novel weaponizes isolation, forcing you to navigate the terrifying boundary between a paradise getaway and a desperate struggle for survival.
Fairy Tale
Stephen King · Book
Explores: coming of age, good versus evil, interdimensional travel.
The portal dynamics mirror the wish fulfillment seen in Fantasy Island, replacing resort fantasies with a dark, high-stakes journey where moral choices determine your ultimate fate and survival.
The Mysteries
Bill Watterson · Book
Explores: existential dread, hero's journey, the unknown.
This fable captures the same sense of dread found in Fantasy Island, as a mission meant for glory transforms into an existential confrontation with the unknown.
The Midnight Feast
Lucy Foley · Book
Explores: class tension, unreliable narrator, isolated setting.
This story mirrors the luxury resort premise of Fantasy Island, turning a curated getaway into a claustrophobic nightmare where the guests are trapped by their own secrets.
Series on the same thread
Alice in Borderland
Series · 2020
Shares a thread with Fantasy Island: Psychological Thriller.
You will find the same high-stakes pressure from Fantasy Island here, where forced competition and deadly games push characters to reveal their true natures under extreme duress.
Lost
Jeffrey Lieber · Series · 2004
Explores: Survival, Secrets, Moral Ambiguity.
Much like the mysterious setting of Fantasy Island, this drama traps survivors on an island where the landscape itself seems to hold secrets that challenge their moral compass.
American Horror Story
Ryan Murphy · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Fantasy Island: Supernatural Horror.
This anthology series echoes the structure of Fantasy Island, utilizing shifting locations and psychological trauma to explore the dark consequences hidden beneath a facade of normality.
The White Lotus
Mike White · Series · 2021
Explores: Privilege, Class Conflict, Wealth Inequality.
This show takes the luxury resort backdrop of Fantasy Island and peels back the layers of privilege to reveal the dark, complex tensions simmering between the staff and guests.
Podcasts on the same thread
Baking A Murder
Podcast
Shares a thread with Fantasy Island: Psychological Thriller.
If Fantasy Island sparked your interest in the darker side of human psychology, this podcast provides the perfect deep dive into the morbid curiosity that drives horror fiction.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These stories reflect the anthology nature of Fantasy Island, offering brief, cinematic explorations of moral ambiguity and strange worlds that leave you questioning the characters at every turn.
Common questions
What is the premise of the 2020 Fantasy Island movie?
In the 2020 film Fantasy Island, directed by Jeff Wadlow, a group of contest winners arrives at an island hotel. They expect to live out their dreams, but they soon discover that they are trapped in nightmare scenarios instead.
Is Fantasy Island a horror movie?
Yes, Fantasy Island is a 2020 film that centers on a group of contest winners who find themselves trapped in nightmare scenarios. The film focuses on the transition from the promise of living out their dreams to experiencing terrifying and dangerous situations on the island.
Who directed the 2020 version of Fantasy Island?
The 2020 film Fantasy Island was directed by Jeff Wadlow. The plot follows a group of contest winners who arrive at an island hotel to live out their dreams, only to find themselves trapped in nightmare scenarios.
What happens to the contest winners in Fantasy Island?
In Fantasy Island, the contest winners arrive at an island hotel with the expectation of living out their dreams. However, the experience quickly shifts as they find themselves trapped in nightmare scenarios throughout their stay on the island.