What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedKin
Josh Baker · Film · 2018
If you loved Kin, start with Kin (Peter McKenna, 2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Kin across media.
What hooked you in Kin was the way high-stakes genre mysteries are grounded by the visceral, protective bond between family members.
Books on the same thread
Kin
Tayari Jones · Book
Explores: female friendship, generational trauma, coming-of-age.
Like Kin, this story explores the complexities of brotherhood and shared history, proving that the most powerful narratives are those rooted in the deep, unbreakable ties of kin.
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
If the young protagonist’s journey in Kin resonated with you, you will appreciate how this story forces a child into a high-stakes conflict where survival demands extreme personal sacrifice.
Kim
Rudyard Kipling · Book · 2017
Explores: The Great Game, Cultural Identity, Colonialism.
The adventurous spirit and focus on formative relationships found in Kin find a classic counterpart here, where a young boy navigates a dangerous landscape while finding his identity.
The Maze Runner (Book 1)
James Dashner · Book · 2014
Explores: Survival, Memory Loss, Conspiracy.
Much like the boys on the run in Kin, the characters here must navigate a lethal conspiracy and rely on their wits and teamwork to survive a hostile world.
Series on the same thread
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
Explores: Government Experiments, Telekinesis, Monsters.
If you enjoyed the government conspiracies and otherworldly threats in Kin, this series mirrors that tension by blending suburban mystery with dangerous, secret experiments and the power of friendship.
Kin
Peter McKenna · Series · 2021
Explores: family loyalty, gang violence, power struggles.
Sharing the title and the core focus on intense family loyalty, this drama expands on the dangerous consequences of criminal life that the brothers faced in Kin.
Locke & Key
Meredith Averill · Series · 2020
Explores: Magical Objects, Family Secrets, Grief and Loss.
The discovery of otherworldly technology in Kin is echoed here through magical objects that pull a family into a dangerous mystery involving loss, secrets, and their shared heritage.
Moving
Park In-je · Series · 2023
Shares a thread with Kin: Government Conspiracy.
This series captures the same protective family dynamic seen in Kin, focusing on children with extraordinary abilities who must stay hidden while facing immense dangers from the outside world.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
If the survival-focused atmosphere of Kin kept you watching, this audio drama offers an even more expansive look at navigating a harsh, unpredictable universe alongside unexpected companions.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
The cinematic, high-concept approach to storytelling in Kin is present in these short, immersive tales that explore moral ambiguity and the human condition across diverse, imaginative settings.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Kin based on a book or other source material?
Kin is an original film directed by Josh Baker. It is not an adaptation of a book, comic, or previously existing source material. The story centers on a young boy who discovers an otherworldly weapon and goes on the run with his older adoptive brother.
What is the central conflict in Kin?
The central conflict in Kin follows a young boy and his older adoptive brother as they are pursued by federal agents and mysterious mercenaries. The group is attempting to reclaim a powerful otherworldly weapon that the boy discovered and used to save his brother from a crew of thugs.
Does Kin feature a protagonist who discovers an alien weapon?
Yes, the plot of Kin focuses on a young boy who finds a powerful otherworldly weapon. He uses this item to protect his older adoptive brother from a group of thugs, which subsequently leads to both of them being hunted by mercenaries and federal agents seeking the weapon.
Is Kin about two brothers on the run?
Kin depicts the journey of a young boy and his older adoptive brother as they flee from multiple threats. After the boy uses an otherworldly weapon to save his brother, they are pursued by both federal agents and mysterious mercenaries who are determined to reclaim the weapon.