Why are people fascinated by what the world would be like after an apocalypse of some kind? You'd think there would be a shortage of TV shows and movies depicting these kinds of stories, but there isn't. In fact, there have been so many produced, I will never be able to remember them all. Some of the stories are about the world after plagues wipe out all the people and some of the stories are about the world after a nuclear war of some kind. Some of the stories never tell you what caused the apocalypse in the first place (except in a sequel or something).

Planet of the Apes (1968)

This story of a post nuclear society, where apes have evolved into intelligent beings and humans have devolved into barbarism (and can't talk), spawned four sequels, a short-lived TV series and a remake in 2001. Having been born in 1960, this is the first movie of this kind that I can remember.

A Boy and His Dog (1975)

In a post nuclear world, a young man has a telepathic dog as his best friend. While scavenging for food and sex, the dog helps him deal with the barbarism the world has devolved into.

Logan's Run (1976)

In this story, the human race is confined to domes due to the radiation levels outside the domes. A single "sandman" is converted by the city's computer into a "runner" and is supposed to escape the city seals and find "sanctuary", where the real runners have been fleeing to escape termination on "Last Day" because they don't believe in "renewal". It spawned a short-lived TV series the following year.

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Neither the original "Night of the Living Dead" (1968) or the remake of 1990 explain why corpses are being reanimated. It isn't until this sequel to the original that we learn it's radiation from a passing comet to blame for all the problems. More sequels, with "of the Dead" in the title, continue to show the apocalyptic effects of zombieism.

The 2004 remake has similarities to the original, but it isn't radiation from a passing comet that causes the affliction. A simple bug bite is killing people and then reanimating them.

Mad Max (1979)

It isn't explained in the first Mad Max movie of 1979, but there's a worldwide shortage of oil that causes the apocalypse to occur in this series of movies. We don't find that out until the first sequel in 1981. The stories all take place in Australia.

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Originally intended as a parody of the "Night of the Living Dead" series of movies, this one spawns its own series of sequels. I won't mention the titles individually, but they all started with "Return of the Living Dead" in the titles. Not one of them was as decent as the first (not by a long shot). The first one tells the story of how a chemical invented for the US Army got out of control and inspired the first "Night of the Living Dead" movie

Waterworld (1995)

In a world where the polar ice caps have melted and the earth is covered by water, the remaining people travel the seas or live on atolls. A story focuses on a single, mutated mariner who is supposed to help some people find a mythical place called "Dryland".

The Matrix (1999)

After a war between man and machine, the human race is confined to "sleep pods" and used as living batteries to fuel the machine-ruled planet. Those that managed to escape this predicament are using technology to enter the "hive mind" of the sleeping people in order to learn how to defeat the programs that run the matrix.

Equilibrium (2002)

After the third world war, the surviving human race is controlled by using a drug which inhibits "feeling". The senior cleric ends up being the guy that takes down the leadership of this cold society.

I Am Legend (2007)

The character of Robert Neville has been portrayed in at least three movies and he always dies in the end. I've never seen "The Last Man on Earth" (1964), but I've seen both "The Omega Man (1974)" and this movie, which shares the title of the book that inspired all three movies. Despite the differences in the stories, the same plot is used: A plague has wiped out most of civilization and Robert Neville is looking for a cure to save the remaining survivors from becoming zombies.

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

The "Resident Evil" series of movies, based on the video game, is another story of a plague that wipes out civilization. That doesn't actually happen, though, until the third movie. The first one just started the process.

WALL-E (2008)

An animated feature film, this is the story of how the human race fled a garbage-covered Earth and now live in space ships with more creature comforts than anyone really needs.

Knowing (2009)

It took me a while to figure out that this apocalyptic movie about the Earth burning up due to solar flares is more about the lead character getting his faith back than anything else, and not nearly as obvious as it is in Signs (2002).

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Taking place in the time line of the "Terminator" series of movies after the events of the first movie (the events of the second and third haven't happened yet), John Connor becomes the leader of the human survivors of "Judgment Day".

Zombieland (2009)

A fun movie about zombie-like people (because they aren't dead yet) infected with "mad people disease". They behave like cannibals, except they only attack people who aren't infected. One of the characters (Woody Harrelson) is willing to risk his life for a Twinkie, which he seems to have trouble finding.

2012 (2009)

This is the latest doomsday movie I've seen. In it, the Earth suffers a tectonic plate shift and magnetic pole reversal (another story in which solar activity causes it) which causes a cataclysm of epic proportions. Survivors escape on "arks" built for the elite.

More?

I know there are more apocalyptic movies and TV shows, but I can't seem to remember them right now. Feel free to list the ones you've seen in the comments.

• Cartoons Turned Into Movies
• Video Games Turned Into Movies
• Parody Movies (Spoofs) – The Good, The Halfway Decent and the Disasters
• Supernatural Stories
• Comic Books Turned Into Movies