What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedRed Planet
Antony Hoffman · Film · 2000
If you loved Red Planet, start with Red Planet (Robert Anson Heinlein, 1990) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Red Planet across media.
If Red Planet gripped you, it is because you crave stories where human ingenuity faces the unforgiving hostility of alien environments.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
The Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with Red Planet: Hard Science Fiction.
Like Red Planet, this story centers on an isolated astronaut using technical expertise to survive on a desolate Mars, celebrating the same spirit of human problem-solving against all odds.
The Martian Chronicles
Ray Bradbury · Book · 1977
Explores: Colonialism, Nostalgia, Environmentalism.
If the colonization themes of Red Planet resonated with you, these stories explore the darker, psychological consequences of humanity attempting to settle and reshape the Martian landscape for survival.
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir · Book · 2021
Shares a thread with Red Planet: Hard Science Fiction.
This narrative mirrors the high-stakes survival mission found in Red Planet, focusing on a lone astronaut who must rely on scientific rigor to overcome a lethal extraterrestrial threat.
The Red Rover: Contingence
C. E. Whitaker, 3rd · Book · 2021
Explores: First Contact, Survival, Uncharted Worlds.
The search for survivors on an uncharted world in this story echoes the desperate mission in Red Planet, emphasizing the tension of contingency planning in a dangerous, unknown space.
Series on the same thread
Red Dwarf
Doug Naylor · Series · 1988
Explores: Existentialism, Slacker Humor, Male Bonding.
While Red Planet treats space survival with grim seriousness, this series shares the fundamental premise of being stranded in deep space, albeit with a cynical, comedic twist on isolation.
Mars
Ron Howard · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Red Planet: Hard Science Fiction.
This docudrama mirrors the grounded, technical focus of Red Planet, detailing the immense challenges and human perseverance required to establish a sustainable colony on the harsh surface of Mars.
Battlestar Galactica
Glen A. Larson · Series · 2004
Explores: Survival, Existential Threat, Humanity's Resilience.
The existential threat facing the crew in Red Planet is expanded here into a grand scale, where humanity fights for survival while fleeing toward a new home in space.
The Expanse
Mark Fergus · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with Red Planet: Hard Science Fiction.
The political conspiracies and interplanetary conflicts found here provide a broader context to the resource-starved future that initially forces the desperate mission seen in Red Planet.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
If you enjoyed the themes of humanity's hubris and resource depletion in Red Planet, this historical exploration of revolution offers a compelling look at the consequences of societal collapse.
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama captures the core feeling of Red Planet by placing castaways on a hostile, alien world where survival is the only priority in a vast, uncaring universe.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2000 Red Planet movie based on the 1990 book?
Yes, the 2000 film Red Planet is an adaptation of the 1990 book of the same name. Both versions explore the premise of astronauts traveling to Mars to find a solution for a dying Earth, though the mission outcomes differ between the two mediums.
What is the plot of the Red Planet movie?
In the 2000 film Red Planet, a team of astronauts travels to Mars in an attempt to save a dying Earth by finding new solutions for humanity. The mission goes wrong shortly after their arrival, leading to a desperate struggle for survival on the Martian surface.
Should I read the book Red Planet before watching the movie?
You can consume the 1990 book Red Planet and the 2000 film in any order. While the film is an adaptation of the book, they function as independent experiences regarding the mission to save Earth and the subsequent failure of the expedition on Mars.
Is Red Planet about saving Earth?
Yes, the core objective in both the 1990 book and the 2000 movie Red Planet is for astronauts to locate solutions on Mars to save a dying Earth. The story focuses on the catastrophic complications that occur once the mission begins.