What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSplice
Vincenzo Natali · Film · 2010
If you loved Splice, start with Elfen Lied (2004) — a series on the same thread. Below: 3 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Splice across media.
If Splice hooked you, it is because you are fascinated by the chilling, intimate consequences of humans playing god with biology.
Books on the same thread
The Passage
Justin Cronin · Book · 2010
Explores: Government Conspiracy, Child Protagonist, Chosen One.
Like Splice, this story explores the terrifying fallout of a secret military experiment, centering on the dangerous, unpredictable evolution of a creature that threatens the survival of humanity.
The Windup Girl
Paolo Bacigalupi · Book · 2010
Explores: Corporate Power, Environmental Collapse, Genetic Engineering.
If the genetic hubris in Splice intrigued you, you will appreciate how this narrative uses bio-terrorism and corporate greed to examine the devastating cost of humanity’s obsession with genetic engineering.
Unwieldy Creatures
Addie Tsai · Book · 2022
Explores: Identity, Marginalization, Ambition.
Much like the creator-creature bond in Splice, this retelling interrogates the ethical boundaries of science and the complex identity of a being pushed to the margins by their own creation.
Series on the same thread
Elfen Lied
Series · 2004
Explores: Telekinesis, Government Conspiracy, Violence.
The mutated protagonist in this series mirrors the tragic, dangerous nature of Dren in Splice, highlighting the destructive potential inherent in beings created through illicit and secretive scientific intervention.
The Clone
Glória Perez · Series · 2001
Explores: Forbidden Love, Cultural Clash, Identity Crisis.
This series shares the central preoccupation of Splice regarding the ethical dilemmas of cloning, focusing on how the manufactured life form struggles to find its place within a human world.
Monster
Series · 2004
Explores: Moral Dilemma, Existentialism, Nature vs. Nurture.
Tenma’s struggle with the monster he helped survive parallels the regret felt by the scientists in Splice, grounding the horror in the profound moral weight of one's own scientific actions.
Fringe
Alex Kurtzman · Series · 2008
Explores: Parallel Universes, Government Conspiracy, Mad Scientist.
You will find the same unsettling tension of mad science found in Splice here, as investigators uncover the dark, unintended consequences of experiments that push far beyond reasonable ethical boundaries.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic audio stories mirror the moral ambiguity of Splice, offering short, intense explorations of the human condition that force you to confront the unsettling results of unchecked experimentation.
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama captures the same feeling of isolation and existential threat found in Splice, focusing on how beings with unprecedented emotions navigate a hostile universe shaped by human creation.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Splice a story about scientists creating a new life form?
Yes, Splice follows two rebellious scientists named Elsa and Clive who defy ethical boundaries to splice human and animal DNA. Their dangerous experiment results in the creation of Dren, a winged human-chimera that develops rapidly from an infant into a deadly creature.
What happens to the creature in Splice?
In Splice, the creature named Dren grows from a deformed infant into a beautiful but dangerous winged human-chimera. Dren forges a complex bond with her creators, Elsa and Clive, which ultimately turns deadly as the experiment spirals out of control.
Does Splice involve human and animal DNA?
Yes, the central premise of Splice involves two scientists who cross legal and ethical lines to combine human and animal DNA. This process creates Dren, a new organism that evolves into a winged human-chimera, leading to fatal consequences for her creators.
Is the relationship between the creators and Dren central to Splice?
The bond between the scientists and their creation is the core of Splice. Elsa and Clive develop a connection with Dren as she matures into a winged human-chimera, but the experiment becomes dangerous when that bond between the creators and their creation turns deadly.