What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedRED RISING
Pierce Brown · Book
If you loved RED RISING, start with Elysium (Neill Blomkamp, 2013) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to RED RISING across media.
If RED RISING captivated you, it is because you crave stories where individuals ignite systemic upheaval against entrenched, oppressive power structures.
Films on the same thread
Elysium
Neill Blomkamp · Film · 2013
Explores: Class Warfare, Immigration, Healthcare Disparity.
Much like Darrow’s mission in RED RISING, this film examines the brutal divide between the wealthy elite and the oppressed masses, highlighting the desperate, violent struggle for societal liberation.
Redline
Takeshi Koike · Film · 2009
Explores: Underdog, Rebellion, Anti-establishment.
The relentless, high-stakes defiance found in RED RISING is mirrored here, as an underdog takes on corrupt establishment forces to prove his worth in a galaxy-wide spectacle of rebellion.
The Hunger Games
Gary Ross · Film · 2012
Explores: Oppression, Rebellion, Sacrifice.
If the brutal competition and revolutionary stakes of RED RISING hooked you, this story of a girl forced into a lethal arena will satisfy your desire for systematic rebellion.
Edge of Tomorrow
Doug Liman · Film · 2014
Explores: Time Travel Paradox, Reluctant Hero, Fighting Destiny.
The visceral, high-stakes military combat that drives the momentum of RED RISING is central to this story, where a soldier repeatedly confronts death to alter the course of destiny.
Series on the same thread
Red Dwarf
Doug Naylor · Series · 1988
Explores: Existentialism, Slacker Humor, Male Bonding.
While lighter in tone than RED RISING, the experience of being a marginalized misfit struggling to survive in the vast, unforgiving reaches of space provides a similar thematic foundation.
The 100
Jason Rothenberg · Series · 2014
Explores: Survival, Moral Ambiguity, Sacrifice.
The desperate survival and moral complexities that define the character arcs in RED RISING appear here, as a group of expendable youths challenges the authority of their orbital home.
The Expanse
Mark Fergus · Series · 2015
Explores: Interplanetary Conflict, Corporate Conspiracy, Social Stratification.
The complex web of interplanetary politics and the fight against systemic corruption in RED RISING are reflected in this thriller, where disparate figures unite to expose a massive conspiracy.
For All Mankind
Ronald D. Moore · Series · 2019
Explores: Space Exploration, Cold War, Technological Advancement.
If the futuristic societal expansion of RED RISING captured your imagination, this series offers a grounded look at how technological ambition and political tension shape the future of humanity.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
This narrative history provides the real-world political framework for the Martian uprising depicted in RED RISING, analyzing the recurring patterns of power that define every great revolutionary movement.
The Realignment
The Realignment · Podcast · 2026
Explores: institutional change, populism, technological disruption.
The political theory and institutional disruption explored here provide the intellectual context for the power struggles in RED RISING, examining how societies shift under the weight of technological change.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is RED RISING about a revolution on Mars?
Yes, RED RISING follows Darrow, who belongs to the lowest social class on Mars. He infiltrates the society of humanity’s overlords to dismantle the existing power structure from within and liberate his people.
What is the primary motivation for Darrow in RED RISING?
Darrow acts to challenge the rigid hierarchy of his future society. By embedding himself among the ruling class in RED RISING, he seeks to destroy the oppressors who keep his people at the bottom of the social ladder.
Does RED RISING feature a protagonist from the lowest social rung?
Yes, the story of RED RISING centers on Darrow, who starts as a member of the lowest rung of Martian society. He disguises himself to infiltrate the upper echelons of humanity to fight against his overlords.
Is RED RISING set in the future?
Yes, RED RISING takes place in a future version of Mars. The narrative focuses on the conflict between the lowest social class and the ruling overlords who control the planet.