What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
If you loved The Martian, start with The Martian (Ridley Scott, 2015) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Martian across media.
What hooked you in The Martian was the way scientific problem-solving turns life-or-death isolation into a triumph of human ingenuity.
Start with the source
Adaptation
The Martian
Ridley Scott · Film · 2015
Films on the same thread
Gravity
Alfonso Cuarón · Film · 2013
Shares a thread with The Martian: Isolation.
Like Mark Watney in The Martian, Dr. Stone faces the crushing silence of space, relying entirely on her engineering expertise and sheer willpower to survive against impossible odds.
Project Hail Mary
Phil Lord · Film · 2026
Shares 2 threads with The Martian: scientific problem solving, Hard Science Fiction.
This story mirrors the scientific problem-solving of The Martian, featuring a protagonist who must use his knowledge and resourcefulness to navigate a life-threatening crisis far from home.
The Matrix
Lana Wachowski · Film · 1999
Explores: Artificial Intelligence, Reality vs. Illusion, Free Will vs. Determinism.
While the setting shifts to a dystopian simulation, the core struggle against a rigid, hostile system reflects the same desperate fight for survival found in The Martian.
Interstellar
Christopher Nolan · Film · 2014
Shares a thread with The Martian: Hard Science Fiction.
The film echoes the technical ambition of The Martian, focusing on the high-stakes application of complex physics and space travel to ensure the survival of the human race.
Series on the same thread
The Expanse
Mark Fergus · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with The Martian: Hard Science Fiction.
The Expanse captures the same gritty, realistic approach to space travel and resource management that made The Martian feel so grounded, despite the scope of its solar-system-wide conspiracy.
Mars
Ron Howard · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with The Martian: Hard Science Fiction.
This series serves as a direct companion to The Martian, focusing on the grueling, innovative work required to establish a sustainable human colony on the harsh Martian surface.
The Mandalorian
Jon Favreau · Series · 2019
Explores: Lone Gunfighter, Redemption, Protecting the Innocent.
Though set in a different galaxy, the protagonist's lone journey through a lawless frontier evokes the same sense of isolated self-reliance that defined Mark Watney's experience in The Martian.
For All Mankind
Ronald D. Moore · Series · 2019
Explores: Space Exploration, Cold War, Technological Advancement.
If the technical ingenuity of The Martian captured your imagination, you will appreciate this alternate history that celebrates the problem-solving spirit and dedication of the early space program.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
This narrative history explores the macro-level consequences of human struggle and systemic failure, offering a thematic parallel to the intense, high-stakes perseverance depicted in The Martian.
Search & Rescue NZ
Podcast
Explores: search and rescue operations, wilderness survival, human resilience.
These stories of wilderness survival strip away the science fiction, leaving behind the same raw, human resilience and courage under pressure that made The Martian so deeply compelling.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Martian book by Andy Weir the same as the 2015 movie?
Yes, the 2015 motion picture is an adaptation of the 2015 book The Martian by Andy Weir. The film follows the same core premise of astronaut Mark Watney struggling to survive on Mars after being stranded by a dust storm.
How long is the story told in The Martian?
The Martian begins six days after Mark Watney becomes one of the first people to walk on Mars. The narrative follows his attempts to survive on the planet after a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate, leaving him behind as the first person to die there.
What is the primary theme of The Martian by Andy Weir?
The Martian is described as a celebration of human ingenuity and a pure example of real-science science fiction. The plot focuses on the scientific and technical challenges astronaut Mark Watney must overcome to survive alone on the surface of Mars.
Should I read The Martian before watching the 2015 movie?
You can enjoy either version independently as the 2015 movie is a direct adaptation of The Martian book. Both formats explore the same narrative of Mark Watney's isolation and his efforts to survive on Mars following the departure of his crew.