What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSamaritan
Julius Avery · Film · 2022
If you loved Samaritan, start with The Boys (Eric Kripke, 2019) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Samaritan across media.
You loved how Samaritan grounded high-stakes superhero mythos within the gritty, intimate reality of a mentor-mentee relationship and urban decay.
Books on the same thread
The Adventures of Sam Spade and other stories
Dashiell Hammett · Book · 2022
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Corruption, Seduction.
Just as Samaritan explores the moral weight of a reclusive legend, these stories ground you in the cynical, hard-boiled streets where justice is often a difficult personal choice.
Doc Savage
Lester Dent, various authors · Book · 1933
Shares a thread with Samaritan: Superhero Fiction.
If the iconic, larger-than-life presence of the hero in Samaritan captured your attention, you will appreciate this classic archetype who defines the very foundation of heroic justice.
Shatter Me
Tahereh Mafi · Book
Shares a thread with Samaritan: superhero fiction.
Like the young protagonist in Samaritan who finds himself caught in a dangerous superhuman conflict, you will find a similar theme of weaponized identity within a crumbling world.
Fairy Tale
Stephen King · Book
Explores: coming of age, good versus evil, interdimensional travel.
The connection between an ordinary youth and a hidden, extraordinary force in Samaritan finds a perfect mirror in this story about a boy discovering a darker reality.
Series on the same thread
The Boys
Eric Kripke · Series · 2019
Explores: Anti-Hero, Corporate Corruption, Abuse of Power.
If you enjoyed the street-level grit and the deconstruction of heroic tropes found in Samaritan, you will recognize that same raw, blue-collar approach to fighting corrupt, powerful figures.
Invincible
Series · 2021
Explores: Father-Son Relationship, Superhero Legacy, Brutal Superhero.
This series mirrors the central mentor-mentee dynamic of Samaritan by focusing on the complex, often brutal relationship between an aging hero and a young person inheriting a legacy.
The Sandman
Neil Gaiman · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Samaritan: Redemption.
The theme of redemption and the struggle to reclaim a lost sense of purpose present in Samaritan are explored here through a grander, more mythic lens of responsibility.
Marvel's Daredevil
Drew Goddard · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Samaritan: Urban Decay, Redemption.
Much like the urban decay and vigilante justice that define Samaritan, this series captures the intense, grounded reality of a hero fighting to save his city from ruin.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
The cinematic, short-form storytelling found here echoes the focused intensity of Samaritan, offering you a variety of perspectives on the human condition and the nature of moral ambiguity.
Grumpy Old Geeks
Jason DeFillippo & Brian Schulmeister with Dave Bittner · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cynicism, digital culture, corporate skepticism.
If the cynicism toward power structures in Samaritan resonated with you, this podcast offers a similar no-filter critique of those who abuse their influence in the modern world.
Common questions
Is Samaritan based on a book or original screenplay?
Samaritan is a 2022 film directed by Julius Avery. It is not an adaptation of a book or existing source material, so there is no source material to compare the movie against.
Who is the main character in Samaritan?
The story of Samaritan focuses on thirteen-year-old Sam Cleary. Sam suspects his reclusive neighbor, Mr. Smith, is actually the legendary vigilante Samaritan who was reported dead twenty-five years before the events of the film.
What is the conflict in Samaritan?
In Samaritan, the city is on the brink of chaos due to rising crime rates. Sam Cleary attempts to coax his neighbor out of hiding because he believes Mr. Smith is the legendary vigilante capable of saving the city from total ruin.
Is Samaritan a story about a retired hero?
Yes, Samaritan centers on a reclusive neighbor named Mr. Smith who is suspected to be the legendary vigilante Samaritan. The plot follows the mystery of his identity and his potential return to action after being reported dead for twenty-five years.