What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedIt's Only the End of the World
Xavier Dolan · Film · 2016
If you loved It's Only the End of the World, start with The End of the F***ing World (Jonathan Entwistle, 2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to It's Only the End of the World across media.
What hooked you in It's Only the End of the World is the way impending mortality forces a painful, necessary confrontation with family dynamics.
Books on the same thread
Journey to the End of the Night
Louis-Ferdinand Céline · Book · 2014
Explores: Misanthropy, Existential dread, War trauma.
Much like the suffocating atmosphere of It's Only the End of the World, this novel explores the bitter, existential revulsion that surfaces when one confronts the inherent failures of society.
The Cabin at the End of the World
Paul Tremblay · Book · 2018
Explores: Moral dilemma, Isolation, Apocalyptic cults.
If the claustrophobic tension of It's Only the End of the World resonated with you, this home invasion thriller mirrors that sense of inescapable dread and impossible moral decision-making.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Atul Gawande · Book · 2015
Explores: Mortality, Aging, Dying.
While It's Only the End of the World dramatizes the emotional fallout of a terminal diagnosis, this book provides a grounding, medical perspective on the same profound end-of-life realities.
When Breath Becomes Air
Paul Kalanithi · Book · 2016
Explores: mortality, meaning of life, patient-doctor perspective.
This memoir captures the same intimate, devastating intersection of professional life and terminal diagnosis found in It's Only the End of the World, offering a poignant look at mortality.
Series on the same thread
The End of the F***ing World
Jonathan Entwistle · Series · 2017
Shares a thread with It's Only the End of the World: Dysfunctional Family.
This dark road trip echoes the dysfunctional family communication breakdowns of It's Only the End of the World, utilizing a similar blend of existential angst and sharp, character-driven comedy.
Six Feet Under
Alan Ball · Series · 2001
Shares 2 threads with It's Only the End of the World: Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama.
You will find the same preoccupation with death and family dysfunction that defined It's Only the End of the World in this series, which explores life through the lens of grief.
Doom at Your Service
Im Meari · Series · 2021
Shares 2 threads with It's Only the End of the World: Existential Crisis, Terminal Illness.
This series shares the central preoccupation of It's Only the End of the World, using a terminal illness diagnosis to force characters into a deep, transformative existential crisis.
The Big C
Darlene Hunt · Series · 2010
Shares 2 threads with It's Only the End of the World: Terminal Illness, Existential Crisis.
If you appreciated the way It's Only the End of the World navigates family dynamics under the shadow of death, this dramedy offers a similarly raw, yet humorous, approach.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
Explores: survivalism, artificial consciousness, existential dread.
This audio drama captures the same sense of existential dread and isolation found in It's Only the End of the World, translating those internal struggles into a vast, cinematic landscape.
Dooms
Podcast
Explores: Personal Reflections, Introspection, Identity.
This podcast mirrors the introspective, personal search for meaning that drives the protagonist of It's Only the End of the World, focusing on the core of individual identity and reflection.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the primary conflict in It's Only the End of the World?
The primary conflict in It's Only the End of the World centers on Louis, a terminally ill writer who returns to his family home after a long absence. He intends to inform his family that he is dying, which serves as the central emotional tension of the film.
Is It's Only the End of the World about a writer returning home?
Yes, It's Only the End of the World follows the story of Louis, a writer who has been absent from his family for a long time. He returns to his home specifically to reveal his terminal illness to his family members.
Does Louis reveal his illness in It's Only the End of the World?
The plot of It's Only the End of the World is driven by Louis's intention to tell his family that he is dying. The film captures the return of this terminally ill writer to his home to share this news after a long period of absence.
Why does the protagonist return home in It's Only the End of the World?
In It's Only the End of the World, Louis returns home after a long absence because he is a terminally ill writer. He makes the journey back to his family specifically to inform them that he is dying.