What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Wandering Earth II
Frant Gwo · Film · 2023
If you loved The Wandering Earth II, start with The Wandering Earth (Frant Gwo, 2019) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Wandering Earth II across media.
What hooked you in The Wandering Earth II was the tension between massive, planetary-scale survival efforts and the personal sacrifices required to succeed.
Start with the source
The source
The Wandering Earth
Frant Gwo · Film · 2019
Books on the same thread
The Three-Body Problem
Cixin Liu · Book
Shares a thread with The Wandering Earth II: Hard science fiction.
Like The Wandering Earth II, this story examines existential threats to humanity and the complex, often desperate societal responses required to prevent total collapse on a global scale.
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir · Book · 2021
Shares a thread with The Wandering Earth II: Hard Science Fiction.
If you appreciated the technical problem solving in The Wandering Earth II, this narrative delivers a similar focus on human ingenuity against overwhelming odds in the depths of space.
The Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with The Wandering Earth II: Hard Science Fiction.
This story mirrors the scientific determination found in The Wandering Earth II, highlighting how individual resourcefulness remains the ultimate tool for survival when facing a hostile, isolated environment.
From the Earth to the Moon
Jules Verne · Book · 1967
Explores: Space Travel, Technological Advancement, Human Ambition.
Much like the grand ambitions depicted in The Wandering Earth II, this classic explores the intersection of human courage and technological advancement during an epic journey into space.
Series on the same thread
The Ark
Dean Devlin · Series · 2023
Explores: catastrophic failure, resource scarcity, leadership crisis.
This series captures the same atmosphere of catastrophic failure and resource scarcity that drives the desperate survival missions seen throughout the narrative of The Wandering Earth II.
Three-Body
Liu Cixin · Series · 2023
Shares a thread with The Wandering Earth II: Hard Science Fiction.
Fans of the scientific mysteries in The Wandering Earth II will find a similar depth in this investigation into the existential threats facing our species and planet.
Planet Earth III
Series · 2023
Explores: Animal Behavior, Conservation, Biodiversity.
While grounded in reality, these stories of species survival echo the themes of adaptation and conservation that underpin the urgent, high-stakes mission portrayed in The Wandering Earth II.
The Expanse
Mark Fergus · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with The Wandering Earth II: Hard Science Fiction.
The political maneuvering and large-scale conspiracies here provide a compelling companion to the global logistical challenges faced by the characters in The Wandering Earth II.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama explores the same intense focus on human survival in a harsh, unforgiving universe that defines the core journey of The Wandering Earth II.
The Realignment
The Realignment · Podcast · 2026
Explores: institutional change, populism, technological disruption.
This podcast explores the real-world institutional and technological shifts that mirror the societal transformations necessary for the global engineering feats seen in The Wandering Earth II.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Should I watch The Wandering Earth before The Wandering Earth II?
Watching the 2019 film The Wandering Earth provides important context regarding the earth engines and the mission to find a new home. While The Wandering Earth II serves as a prequel, viewing the original film first helps establish the perilous nature of the universe presented in the series.
Is The Wandering Earth II a direct sequel to the 2019 film?
The Wandering Earth II is not a direct sequel but functions as a prequel to the 2019 film The Wandering Earth. It explores the events leading up to the construction of the huge engines on the surface of the earth and the initial race against time for human survival.
What is the premise of The Wandering Earth II?
In The Wandering Earth II, humans build massive engines on the surface of the earth to find a new home. The plot follows young people who step forward to save the planet, facing a perilous road through the universe during a critical race against time for life and death.
How does The Wandering Earth II relate to the original movie?
The Wandering Earth II expands upon the universe established in the 2019 movie The Wandering Earth. By focusing on the earlier efforts to save the planet through surface engines, the film deepens the narrative of the original story regarding the dangerous journey through space to relocate humanity.