What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Blue Lagoon
Randal Kleiser · Film · 1980
If you loved The Blue Lagoon, start with Return to the Blue Lagoon (William A. Graham, 1991) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Blue Lagoon across media.
If The Blue Lagoon captivated you, explore these stories that examine the profound transformation of humans stripped of societal expectations.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Return to the Blue Lagoon
William A. Graham · Film · 1991
Adaptation
Blue Lagoon: The Awakening
Jake Newsome · Film · 2012
Books on the same thread
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Scott O'Dell · Book · 2010
Shares a thread with The Blue Lagoon: Isolation.
Like the isolated protagonists in The Blue Lagoon, the heroine of this survival story must rely entirely on her own resilience to endure years of solitary life on land.
Robinson Crusoe
Daniel Defoe, D. K. Swan · Book · 1976
Shares a thread with The Blue Lagoon: Isolation.
Just as the characters in The Blue Lagoon adapt to their tropical environment, this classic tale focuses on the practical mastery required to survive alone on an island.
The Island
Peter Benchley · Book · 1980
Shares a thread with The Blue Lagoon: Isolation.
While The Blue Lagoon finds beauty in isolation, this thriller mirrors the tension of being trapped on a remote island where nature and external threats create constant, lingering dread.
Treasure Island
R. L. Stine, Robert Louis Stevenson · Book · 1982
Explores: buried treasure, treachery and mutiny, loss of innocence.
This adventure captures the same sense of youthful discovery found in The Blue Lagoon, though it replaces the quiet romance with the high-stakes danger of piracy and treasure.
Series on the same thread
Gilligan's Island
Sherwood Schwartz · Series · 1964
Explores: Stranded, Castaways, Fish Out of Water.
This sitcom offers a lighter perspective on the predicament presented in The Blue Lagoon, focusing on how a group of castaways manages life on an uncharted desert island.
Reading Rainbow
Series · 1983
Explores: Literacy, Imagination, Cultural Exploration.
If the immersive world-building of The Blue Lagoon sparked your imagination, this series continues that journey by exploring diverse narratives and cultural landscapes through the power of storytelling.
Lost
Jeffrey Lieber · Series · 2004
Explores: Survival, Secrets, Moral Ambiguity.
This drama expands on the survivalist themes of The Blue Lagoon, showing how a group of people forced into isolation must navigate secrets and moral ambiguity to stay alive.
Lord of the Flies
Jack Thorne · Series · 2026
Explores: social breakdown, loss of innocence, human nature and morality.
This narrative echoes the loss of innocence seen in The Blue Lagoon, illustrating how young people left without adult guidance struggle to maintain order and their own humanity.
Podcasts on the same thread
Raiders Of The Lost Podcast
Podcast
Explores: film criticism, television criticism, blockbuster movies.
If you enjoyed dissecting the themes of The Blue Lagoon, this podcast provides the critical analysis needed to better understand the nuances of classic survival and adventure cinema.
Desert Island Discs
Podcast
Explores: life stories, personal narratives, musical influence.
This podcast leans into the fantasy of the desert island setting central to The Blue Lagoon, inviting guests to curate their own essential items for a life apart.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch The Blue Lagoon movies in?
You should start with the 1980 version of The Blue Lagoon, followed by the 1991 sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon. The 2012 film Blue Lagoon: The Awakening is a separate adaptation and does not follow the chronological order of the original two films.
Is The Blue Lagoon: The Awakening a direct sequel to The Blue Lagoon?
No, Blue Lagoon: The Awakening is not a direct sequel to the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon. While it shares a similar premise involving shipwrecked teenagers on an island, it is a standalone adaptation rather than a continuation of the story featuring Richard and Emmeline.
How many films are in The Blue Lagoon series?
There are three films associated with the title. The original 1980 film The Blue Lagoon was followed by the 1991 sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon. Additionally, the 2012 movie Blue Lagoon: The Awakening serves as a modern adaptation of the same core concept.
Should I watch Return to the Blue Lagoon if I liked The Blue Lagoon?
If you enjoyed the setting and themes of The Blue Lagoon, you can watch Return to the Blue Lagoon as it continues the cinematic franchise. It serves as the official 1991 sequel to the original story about children surviving on a tropical island.