What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHardcore Henry
Film · 2015
If you loved Hardcore Henry, start with Altered Carbon (Laeta Kalogridis, 2018) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Hardcore Henry across media.
If the relentless, high-octane adrenaline of Hardcore Henry hooked you, these picks maintain that same brutal, sensory-overload pace.
Books on the same thread
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
Much like the mission-driven survival seen in Hardcore Henry, this story traps you in a high-stakes, life-or-death struggle where every tactical decision determines whether you survive the day.
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir · Book · 2021
Explores: Amnesia, Planetary Survival, Xenobiology.
If you enjoyed the desperate, singular focus of Hardcore Henry, you will appreciate how this narrative forces a lone protagonist to fight against impossible odds to save humanity.
All Systems Red
Martha Wells · Book · 2017
Shares a thread with Hardcore Henry: Cyberpunk.
This story captures the same feeling of a lethal, cybernetically-enhanced entity navigating a hostile corporate landscape that defined the core experience of watching Hardcore Henry.
Ready Player One: A Novel
Ernest Cline · Book · 2017
Shares a thread with Hardcore Henry: Cyberpunk.
Hardcore Henry excels at immersive, fast-paced action, and this novel offers a similar level of intense, competitive stakes set within a visually dense and high-tech digital environment.
Series on the same thread
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Rafał Jaki · Series · 2022
Explores: Cybernetic augmentation, Dystopian society, Mercenary life.
This animation mirrors the gritty, mercenary-filled urban decay of Hardcore Henry, focusing on the reckless, high-speed survival of an individual caught in a corrupt and violent society.
Person of Interest
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Hardcore Henry: Cyberpunk.
If the vigilante-style combat of Hardcore Henry was your highlight, you will find this series matches that relentless pursuit of justice through high-tech, boots-on-the-ground tactical action.
Altered Carbon
Laeta Kalogridis · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with Hardcore Henry: Cyberpunk.
This show shares the cyborg-centric resurrection theme found in Hardcore Henry, thrusting you into a violent, neon-soaked world where a protagonist must fight to reclaim their own identity.
Arcane
Christian Linke · Series · 2021
Explores: Sisterhood, Dystopian Society, Technological Advancement vs. Social Decay.
The chaotic, tech-fueled warfare seen in Hardcore Henry is echoed here, where characters navigate a crumbling dystopia while caught in the middle of a brutal, high-stakes conflict.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
Hardcore Henry presents history as a series of violent, immediate consequences, and this podcast applies that same intense, no-holds-barred analysis to the most brutal moments of human civilization.
Kill List
Podcast
Explores: Dark Net, Murder for Hire, Technological Crime.
The dark, mercenary-heavy underworld that drives the plot of Hardcore Henry is explored here in a real-world investigative format that highlights the dangers of hidden, lethal digital lists.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Hardcore Henry set in a specific city?
Hardcore Henry takes place in Moscow, Russia. The entire story unfolds over the course of a single day as the protagonist fights to save his wife from a telekinetic tyrant and his army of mercenaries.
Who is the antagonist in Hardcore Henry?
The antagonist in Hardcore Henry is a psychotic tyrant named Akan. He possesses telekinetic powers and commands an army of mercenaries, serving as the primary obstacle for Henry as he attempts to rescue his wife and creator.
How long does the story of Hardcore Henry last?
The events of Hardcore Henry occur over the course of one single day. During this timeframe, the resurrected cyborg protagonist must navigate through Moscow to defeat Akan and his mercenaries with the help of his ally, Jimmy.
What is the primary mission in Hardcore Henry?
The primary mission in Hardcore Henry involves the protagonist, a newly resurrected cyborg, attempting to save his wife and creator. He must fight through a series of mercenaries led by a telekinetic tyrant named Akan to complete his goal.