What movies are similar to The 5th Wave?

Start with films such as Divergent, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Each title on this page is chosen to mirror the vibe, themes, and style that make The 5th Wave memorable, with short explanations to help you pick where to begin.

What should I watch if I liked The 5th Wave?

Use the ranked list above: it highlights 10 close cousins—similar tension, character dynamics, and storytelling ambition—so you can queue something tonight without endless browsing.

Are there movies with the same vibe as The 5th Wave?

Yes. The recommendations here lean into overlapping moods and motifs, not just shared genre labels, so you get films that “feel” related in pacing, tone, and emotional payoff.

What should I watch after The 5th Wave?

Try Divergent, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials—each shares DNA with The 5th Wave while changing the setting enough to feel fresh.

What genre is The 5th Wave?

The 5th Wave (2016) is best described as Science Fiction, Adventure, Action. Stores and algorithms use different labels, but that mix is what fans actually recognize on a rewatch.

Is The 5th Wave worth revisiting?

Viewer scores sit around 5.9/10 on TMDB—high enough that replays are common for people who like this science fiction lane.

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Loved The 5th Wave? Here Are 10 Films Worth Your Time

Where to Watch

The 5th Wave (2016) works because people revisit The 5th Wave for the same reason it broke through in 2016: clear stakes, memorable faces, and a adventure rhythm that doesn't stall in the middle. J Blakeson keeps the ensemble pointed in one direction. The science fiction and adventure blend is the engine: it lets the film shift registers without feeling like two different movies stitched together. The concrete hook is 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that, and that gives this guide a clear center of gravity. For movies like The 5th Wave, we prioritized science fiction, adventure, action films that share science fiction, adventure, action, divisive without flattening everything into one broad genre bucket. The strongest matches carry over the viewing mood while giving you a different dramatic engine. The notes under each title call out the exact overlap, so you can choose by mood instead of scrolling posters. These 10 recommendations are ordered to keep the The 5th Wave feeling intact while still giving you different characters, stakes, and endings.

At a glance

Science Fiction · Adventure · Action · 1h 52m · ★ 5.9

science fictionadventureactiondivisive

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96match
1.Divergent (2014)
★ 6.9 · Action · Adventure · Science Fiction · 2h 20m
Why it fits
What actually breaks in the third act is not the same beat: The 5th Wave pays off through 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that, while Divergent pushes resolution toward In a world divided into factions based on personality types, Tris.
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94match
2.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
★ 6.9 · Action · Adventure · Science Fiction · 2h 17m
Why it fits
A 2015 frame changes how As the war between the Capitol and the districts reaches its peak, Katniss Everdeen embarks on a perilous lands next to The 5th Wave (2016) and its 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that. science fiction,.
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92match
3.Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
★ 6.7 · Science Fiction · Action · Thriller · 2h 11m
Why it fits
Character pressure in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials accumulates around Thomas and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful, echoing how The 5th Wave tightened the screws with 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an.
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90match
4.Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
★ 6.6 · Adventure · Science Fiction · Action · 2h 17m
Why it fits
In the 28th century, Valerian and Laureline are special operatives charged with keeping order throughout the human territories. is the sharpest reason to queue Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets after The 5th Wave: it refracts the same curiosity 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by.
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88match
5.Ender's Game (2013)
★ 6.6 · Science Fiction · Action · Adventure · 1h 54m
Why it fits
The afterglow from Ender's Game is a tense, propulsive tone: different residue than The 5th Wave, even when science fiction, adventure, action read familiar. Trace the fork to 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that versus Based on the classic novel.
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86match
6.The Island (2005)
★ 6.7 · Action · Thriller · Science Fiction · 2h 16m
Why it fits
Surface texture differs—Action treatment of In 2019, Lincoln Six-Echo is a resident of a seemingly "Utopian" but contained facility. beside Science Fiction treatment of 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that—while science fiction, adventure, action stay legible. The Island commits to.
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84match
7.The Host (2013)
★ 6.3 · Action · Adventure · Science Fiction · 2h 6m
Why it fits
The 5th Wave and The Host split at the plot: 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that on one side, A parasitic alien soul is injected into the body of Melanie Stryder. on the other. science fiction, adventure, action keep the.
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82match
8.Predator: Badlands (2025)
★ 7.7 · Action · Science Fiction · Adventure · 1h 47m
Why it fits
science fiction, adventure, action surface in both films, yet Predator: Badlands keeps the temperature a tense, propulsive tone, not a tonal echo of The 5th Wave. Compare Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android and embarks against 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive.
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80match
9.Insurgent (2015)
★ 6.4 · Action · Science Fiction · Thriller · 1h 59m
Why it fits
Insurgent handles Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to with a Action bias that The 5th Wave did not foreground in its Science Fiction read of 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an.
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78match
10.War of the Worlds (2005)
★ 6.5 · Adventure · Thriller · Science Fiction · 1h 57m
Why it fits
In The 5th Wave, the spine is 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that; War of the Worlds finds its spine in Ray Ferrier is a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father.. science fiction, adventure, thriller explain why the pairing clicks even though the scene list diverges.
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Why You'll Love These Movies

Across these recommendations, you will see recurring fingerprints from The 5th Wave: science fiction, adventure, action, thriller, plus a tense through-line that keeps scenes charged even when the plots diverge. The emotional appeal is consistent—films that ask for attention, then reward it with momentum, specificity, and a clear point of view. As a viewing experience, the list is built to feel like a guided night at the movies: enough variety to stay surprising, enough overlap to feel intentional, and pacing that respects how The 5th Wave trained you to watch. If you want the same satisfaction you felt during The 5th Wave—that mix of craft, stakes, and atmosphere—these picks are meant to land in the same neighborhood without repeating the same story.

FAQ

What movies are similar to The 5th Wave?: Start with films such as Divergent, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Each title on this page is chosen to mirror the vibe, themes, and style that make The 5th Wave memorable, with short explanations to help you pick where to begin.
What should I watch if I liked The 5th Wave?: Use the ranked list above: it highlights 10 close cousins—similar tension, character dynamics, and storytelling ambition—so you can queue something tonight without endless browsing.
Are there movies with the same vibe as The 5th Wave?: Yes. The recommendations here lean into overlapping moods and motifs, not just shared genre labels, so you get films that “feel” related in pacing, tone, and emotional payoff.
What should I watch after The 5th Wave?: Try Divergent, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials—each shares DNA with The 5th Wave while changing the setting enough to feel fresh.
What genre is The 5th Wave?: The 5th Wave (2016) is best described as Science Fiction, Adventure, Action. Stores and algorithms use different labels, but that mix is what fans actually recognize on a rewatch.
Is The 5th Wave worth revisiting?: Viewer scores sit around 5.9/10 on TMDB—high enough that replays are common for people who like this science fiction lane.

More movie guides

Browse the movie guides currently prioritized for search discovery and editorial expansion.

Hand-picked guides from this page's data—same editorial lane as The 5th Wave.

MoviesLike Editorial TeamUpdated October 20, 2018

Cinematic essays Popular guides

Loved The 5th Wave? Here Are 10 Films Worth Your Time

Where to Watch

At a glance

Your 10 recommendations

Filter your results

1.Divergent (2014)

2.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)

3.Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

4.Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

5.Ender's Game (2013)

6.The Island (2005)

7.The Host (2013)

8.Predator: Badlands (2025)

9.Insurgent (2015)

10.War of the Worlds (2005)

Why You'll Love These Movies

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