Disaster movies have long been a staple of Hollywood, offering thrilling tales of survival and heroism in the face of unimaginable catastrophe. One of the most memorable entries in this genre is the 2004 film The Day After Tomorrow, which depicts a sudden and catastrophic climate shift that plunges the world into a new ice age. Directed by Roland Emmerich, known for his blockbuster spectacles, the movie follows paleoclimatologist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) as he races to save his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) amid the chaos of superstorms, flash freezes, and crumbling cities.
The Day After Tomorrow tapped into growing concerns about climate change and delivered a chilling vision of an apocalyptic future. While its science may have been questionable, the film’s stunning visuals, tense set pieces, and emotional core struck a chord with audiences. For fans of this eco-disaster thriller, there are plenty of other movies that offer similar thrills, chills, and epic tales of survival against the odds. Here are 30 of the best disaster movies like The Day After Tomorrow:
1. Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich
Deepwater Horizon dramatizes the real-life disaster that occurred on the titular offshore drilling rig in 2010, resulting in the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Mark Wahlberg stars as Mike Williams, an electronics technician on the rig who fights for survival when a massive blowout sparks explosions and fires. Director Peter Berg brings his signature intensity and attention to detail, immersing viewers in the harrowing ordeal faced by the crew. While smaller in scale than The Day After Tomorrow, Deepwater Horizon is no less gripping, offering a powerful tribute to the real-life heroes and a sobering look at the perils of our reliance on fossil fuels.
2. The Towering Inferno (1974)
Director: John Guillermin
Cast: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden
A classic of the disaster movie genre, The Towering Inferno imagines the opening night of the world’s tallest skyscraper going horribly wrong when a small fire erupts into an uncontrollable blaze. As the building’s emergency systems fail and the flames climb higher, a diverse group of characters, including the architect (Paul Newman), a fire chief (Steve McQueen), and the builder (William Holden), must work together to evacuate survivors and prevent total collapse. With its all-star cast, spectacular pyrotechnics, and nail-biting suspense, The Towering Inferno set the template for the modern disaster epic and remains a thrilling watch nearly 50 years later.
3. Independence Day (1996)
Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman
Before The Day After Tomorrow, Roland Emmerich perfected his formula for global destruction with the alien invasion blockbuster Independence Day. Will Smith stars as a Marine Corps pilot who joins forces with a satellite technician (Jeff Goldblum) and the President of the United States (Bill Pullman) to repel an extraterrestrial attack on Earth. With jaw-dropping scenes of landmarks being vaporized, cities laid to waste, and humanity uniting to fight a common foe, Independence Day is peak ’90s spectacle. It may be more sci-fi than eco-thriller, but it shares The Day After Tomorrow‘s flair for epic visuals and rousing heroics.
4. Contagion (2011)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law
Contagion takes a chillingly realistic approach to the disaster movie, imagining the global spread of a deadly virus and the race to contain it. An ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law, portray various characters affected by the pandemic, from a grieving husband to a dogged CDC investigator to a conspiracy-mongering blogger. Director Steven Soderbergh keeps the focus on the human drama while still conveying the scale and urgency of the crisis. Released long before COVID-19, Contagion now feels eerily prescient, offering a thought-provoking look at how society copes (or fails to cope) with an invisible threat.
5. Titanic (1997)
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
Titanic may be better known as an epic romance, but it’s also a masterful disaster movie, meticulously recreating the sinking of the “unsinkable” ship on its maiden voyage in 1912. Director James Cameron seamlessly blends fact and fiction, using the forbidden love story of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) to explore the human tragedy of the disaster. With groundbreaking visual effects, heart-pounding action sequences, and an emotionally devastating finale, Titanic is a stunning achievement that set a new standard for the genre. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it shows how even the mightiest of human creations are no match for the forces of nature.
6. San Andreas (2015)
Director: Brad Peyton
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario
San Andreas imagines a worst-case scenario for California, as the infamous fault line finally gives way, triggering a massive earthquake that levels Los Angeles and San Francisco. Dwayne Johnson stars as a helicopter rescue pilot who must navigate the destruction to save his estranged wife (Carla Gugino) and daughter (Alexandra Daddario). While the science is shaky and the plot is predictable, San Andreas delivers exactly what you want from a disaster movie: spectacular CGI mayhem, non-stop thrills, and a charming lead performance from The Rock. It may not be as ambitious as The Day After Tomorrow, but it’s a fun, popcorn-friendly ride.
7. Armageddon (1998)
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler
Armageddon takes the disaster movie into space, as a massive asteroid hurtles towards Earth, threatening to wipe out all life on the planet. NASA recruits a team of deep-sea oil drillers, led by Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), to land on the asteroid, drill into its core, and detonate a nuclear bomb to split it in two. With its over-the-top action, cheesy one-liners, and Aerosmith-powered soundtrack, Armageddon is pure Michael Bay excess. But it’s also an undeniably entertaining ride, with genuine moments of tension and emotion amid the explosions. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it imagines an extinction-level event and the unlikely heroes who rise to the challenge.
8. Poseidon (2006)
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Cast: Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Emmy Rossum
A remake of the 1972 classic The Poseidon Adventure, Poseidon updates the story of a capsized luxury liner for the CGI era. Kurt Russell stars as a former New York City mayor who leads a group of survivors, including his daughter (Emmy Rossum) and a professional gambler (Josh Lucas), on a perilous journey through the upside-down ship to escape before it sinks completely. Director Wolfgang Petersen, who previously helmed the submarine thriller Das Boot, brings a visceral sense of claustrophobia and danger to the proceedings. While it may lack the character development of its predecessor, Poseidon is a tense, visually impressive disaster movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
9. The Impossible (2012)
Director: J.A. Bayona
Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland
Based on the true story of a family caught in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, The Impossible is a harrowing and emotionally devastating disaster movie. Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star as Maria and Henry, a married couple vacationing in Thailand with their three sons when the tsunami strikes. Separated and injured, the family members struggle to find each other amid the chaos and destruction. With its raw, unflinching depiction of the tsunami’s impact and the incredible performances from its cast (including a young Tom Holland in his film debut), The Impossible is a powerful testament to the human spirit and the bonds of family. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it shows how disaster can strike suddenly and without warning, upending lives in an instant.
10. Snowpiercer (2013)
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton
Snowpiercer takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where a failed climate change experiment has frozen the Earth, making it uninhabitable. The last survivors live aboard a perpetually moving train, divided by class, with the wealthy in the front and the poor in the tail. Chris Evans stars as Curtis, a member of the tail section who leads a rebellion to take control of the engine and create a more equal society. Director Bong Joon-ho creates a visually stunning and thematically rich world, using the train as a microcosm for societal collapse and class warfare. While more allegorical than The Day After Tomorrow, Snowpiercer shares its concerns about climate change and its potential to reshape human civilization.
11. Knowing (2009)
Director: Alex Proyas
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury
Knowing blends disaster movie tropes with supernatural mystery, as astrophysicist John Koestler (Nicolas Cage) discovers a time capsule containing a list of dates and coordinates that seem to predict every major disaster of the past 50 years, with three more yet to come. As he races to prevent the final catastrophes, John uncovers a deeper conspiracy that may hold the key to humanity’s fate. Director Alex Proyas brings a sense of dread and otherworldly menace to the proceedings, leading to a mind-bending finale that rivals The Day After Tomorrow in its apocalyptic imagery. Knowing is a thought-provoking and unsettling film that questions our place in the universe and the nature of destiny.
13. Greenland (2020)
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Cast: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd
Greenland follows a family’s desperate attempt to reach a safe haven as a comet hurtles towards Earth, threatening to cause an extinction-level event. Gerard Butler stars as John Garrity, a structural engineer who receives a presidential alert that he and his family have been selected for emergency sheltering. As they navigate the growing panic and lawlessness, the Garritys must confront impossible choices and overcome incredible odds to stay together and survive. Director Ric Roman Waugh keeps the focus on the human drama, grounding the apocalyptic scenario in relatable emotions and moral dilemmas. Like The Day After Tomorrow, Greenland is a tense and harrowing thriller that shows how disaster can bring out both the best and worst in people.
14. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Director: Ronald Neame
Cast: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters
The original Poseidon Adventure is a classic of the disaster movie genre, setting the template for many of the films that followed. When a tidal wave capsizes a luxury liner on New Year’s Eve, a group of survivors, led by a rebellious preacher (Gene Hackman), must navigate the upside-down ship to reach the hull and escape. With its all-star cast, groundbreaking special effects, and memorable set pieces, The Poseidon Adventure is a thrilling and influential film that still holds up today. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it shows how disaster can strike suddenly and without warning, testing the limits of human endurance and ingenuity.
15. Dante’s Peak (1997)
Director: Roger Donaldson
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Charles Hallahan
Dante’s Peak imagines the eruption of a long-dormant volcano in the Pacific Northwest, and the race to evacuate a small town in its path. Pierce Brosnan stars as a volcanologist who warns of the impending disaster, while Linda Hamilton plays the town’s mayor, initially skeptical but eventually convinced of the danger. Director Roger Donaldson builds suspense through the ominous signs of the volcano’s awakening, leading to a climactic eruption that rivals The Day After Tomorrow in its destructive spectacle. Dante’s Peak is a tense and entertaining disaster movie that showcases the awesome and terrifying power of nature.
16. War of the Worlds (2005)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins
Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the classic H.G. Wells novel updates the story for the post-9/11 era, imagining an alien invasion as a metaphor for terrorism and societal collapse. Tom Cruise stars as a divorced dockworker struggling to protect his children as the world descends into chaos around them. With its gritty, handheld cinematography and intense set pieces, War of the Worlds is a harrowing and visceral film that taps into primal fears of the unknown and the breakdown of civilization. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it shows how disaster can bring out both the best and worst in people, as they fight for survival in a world turned upside down.
17. Twister (1996)
Director: Jan de Bont
Cast: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes
Twister follows a team of storm chasers as they pursue the most powerful tornadoes in Oklahoma, hoping to launch a new type of weather alert system. Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton star as a recently divorced couple who reunite for one last chase, facing off against rival chasers and the awesome power of nature. With its groundbreaking visual effects and thrilling action sequences, Twister set a new standard for the disaster movie genre and remains a beloved classic today. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it shows the fascination and terror of extreme weather, and the lengths people will go to understand and predict it.
18. Earthquake (1974)
Director: Mark Robson
Cast: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy
Earthquake imagines a massive quake striking Los Angeles, and the various characters caught up in the destruction, from a troubled engineer (Charlton Heston) to a fading movie star (Ava Gardner). With its innovative sound design and impressive practical effects, Earthquake was a groundbreaking film that paved the way for later disaster movies like The Day After Tomorrow. While some of its subplots and characterizations may feel dated today, Earthquake remains a thrilling and influential film that captures the chaos and terror of a major urban disaster.
19. Volcano (1997)
Director: Mick Jackson
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, Don Cheadle
Volcano imagines the sudden birth of a volcano in the heart of Los Angeles, and the race to stop the lava flow from consuming the city. Tommy Lee Jones stars as the head of the city’s emergency management department, who must work with a seismologist (Anne Heche) to find a way to divert the lava and save lives. With its impressive pyrotechnics and tense set pieces, Volcano is a fun and entertaining disaster movie that showcases the resourcefulness and resilience of its characters. Like The Day After Tomorrow, it shows how even the most unlikely of disasters can strike a major city, and how people come together in times of crisis.
20. The Core (2003)
Director: Jon Amiel
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Delroy Lindo
In The Core, the Earth’s core has stopped rotating, leading to catastrophic weather events and the collapse of the planet’s magnetic field. A team of scientists and astronauts embark on a mission to drill to the center of the Earth and detonate nuclear bombs to restart the core. While the science is preposterous, The Core delivers impressive visuals and over-the-top disaster movie thrills in the vein of The Day After Tomorrow.
21. Geostorm (2017)
Director: Dean Devlin
Cast: Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish
Geostorm imagines a future where satellites control the global climate, preventing natural disasters. When the system starts malfunctioning, causing devastating weather events, a satellite designer (Gerard Butler) must work with his estranged brother (Jim Sturgess) to uncover a conspiracy and save the world. With its mix of disaster spectacle and political intrigue, Geostorm offers a twist on the formula established by The Day After Tomorrow.
22. The Wave (2015)
Director: Roar Uthaug
Cast: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro
This Norwegian disaster film depicts a mountain collapse that triggers an 80-meter tsunami, threatening a tourist town. A geologist (Kristoffer Joner) races against time to save his family and warn the residents before the wave hits. With its stunning fjord setting, impressive special effects, and focus on a small community facing an overwhelming natural threat, The Wave is a gripping and emotionally resonant disaster movie that should appeal to fans of The Day After Tomorrow.
23. The Wandering Earth (2019)
Director: Frant Gwo
Cast: Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie, Ng Man-tat
In this Chinese sci-fi blockbuster, the sun is dying, and humanity unites to propel the Earth out of the solar system in search of a new home. When the planet’s thrusters malfunction, a group of astronauts and rescue workers fight to save the world from collision with Jupiter. With its mind-bending premise, jaw-dropping visuals, and themes of global cooperation, The Wandering Earth is an ambitious and imaginative disaster epic that expands the genre’s possibilities.
24. The Quake (2018)
Director: John Andreas Andersen
Cast: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Kathrine Thorborg Johansen
A sequel to The Wave, The Quake follows geologist Kristian Eikjord (Kristoffer Joner) as he investigates seismic activity in Oslo, Norway. When he realizes a massive earthquake is imminent, Kristian must navigate the crumbling city to rescue his family trapped in a collapsing skyscraper. Like its predecessor, The Quake combines large-scale destruction with intimate human drama, delivering a tense and moving disaster movie experience.
25. The Finest Hours (2016)
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster
Based on a true story, The Finest Hours follows the daring 1952 Coast Guard rescue of the SS Pendleton, an oil tanker torn in half by a massive storm off the coast of Cape Cod. Chris Pine stars as Bernie Webber, who leads a small crew on a perilous mission to save the surviving sailors. With its period setting, incredible maritime sequences, and themes of courage in the face of impossible odds, The Finest Hours is a gripping and inspiring disaster movie.
26. The Meg (2018)
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Cast: Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson
The Meg pits a group of scientists and a grizzled rescue diver (Jason Statham) against a 75-foot prehistoric shark known as the Megalodon. When the creature escapes from the depths of the Mariana Trench and terrorizes a crowded beach, the team must find a way to stop it before it’s too late. While more of a creature feature than a traditional disaster movie, The Meg delivers plenty of oversized thrills and mayhem that should satisfy fans of The Day After Tomorrow.
27. Crawl (2019)
Director: Alexandre Aja
Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, Ross Anderson
Crawl traps a young woman (Kaya Scodelario) and her injured father (Barry Pepper) in the crawl space of their Florida home during a Category 5 hurricane. As the floodwaters rise, they must fight off a pack of giant alligators that have invaded the house. With its claustrophobic setting, intense jump scares, and a simple but effective premise, Crawl is a lean and mean disaster movie that ratchets up the tension to almost unbearable levels.
28. The Hurricane Heist (2018)
Director: Rob Cohen
Cast: Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten
The Hurricane Heist combines disaster movie spectacle with a high-stakes crime thriller. As a massive hurricane bears down on a coastal Alabama town, a band of thieves infiltrates a U.S. Treasury facility to steal $600 million. A meteorologist (Toby Kebbell) and a Treasury agent (Maggie Grace) must work together to thwart the robbers and escape the wrath of the storm. With its over-the-top action, scenery-chewing performances, and ludicrous plot, The Hurricane Heist is a gleefully ridiculous disaster movie that knows exactly what it is.
29. Hard Rain (1998)
Director: Mikael Salomon
Cast: Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Randy Quaid
Hard Rain takes place during a massive flood in the Midwest, as an armored car guard (Christian Slater) tries to protect $3 million from a gang of thieves led by a charismatic preacher-turned-criminal (Morgan Freeman). With the town submerged and the waters still rising, the two sides engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. While not as well-known as other disaster movies, Hard Rain delivers solid B-movie thrills and an interesting spin on the genre by combining it with a heist film.
30. Outbreak (1995)
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman
Outbreak follows a team of scientists and military personnel racing to contain a deadly virus that originated in Africa and has spread to a small town in California. As the outbreak spirals out of control and threatens to become a global pandemic, the team must find a way to stop it before it’s too late. With its tense, paranoid atmosphere and all-too-plausible scenario, Outbreak is a chilling and prescient disaster movie that hits even harder in the wake of COVID-19.
These 30 movies offer a wide range of disaster scenarios, from climate catastrophes to alien invasions to rampaging creatures. But they all share the key ingredients that made The Day After Tomorrow so compelling: spectacular visuals, high stakes, and human drama in the face of overwhelming odds. Whether you’re in the mood for a pulse-pounding thrill ride or a more contemplative exploration of the human condition, these disaster movies deliver the goods. So stock up on supplies, hunker down, and prepare to be entertained and unnerved in equal measure.
