For now, it looks like the new coronavirus (COVID-19) isn’t going anywhere. We’re hearing about new cases every day, and many cities are quarantining patients and those connected to them. Many more citizens have chosen to self-quarantine — and when we hear “self-quarantine,” we’re thinking it’s cancel all your plans and binge a movie marathon time. Yes, these are anxiety-provoking times, but beyond basic measures like washing our hands, there’s not a ton we can do. We might as well have some fun with it, and watch all the scariest virus movies we can think of during this trying time.
GOOP founder Gwyneth Paltrow, who starred in 2011’s Contagion, knows what we’re talking about. In the movie, she plays patient zero of a virus that quickly spreads across the globe. The actress posted a photo of her mask-covered face on Instagram, writing: “En route to Paris. Paranoid? Prudent? Panicked? Placid? Pandemic? Propaganda? Paltrow’s just going to go ahead and sleep with this thing on the plane. I’ve already been in this movie. Stay safe. Don’t shake hands. Wash hands frequently.”
Many pandemic movies do start out eerily close to our current times when a relatively small number of people have been infected. Of course, they then spiral out of control beyond anything we’ve ever actually seen happen. So please, remember to take these movies with a grain of salt.
In the end, there’s (usually) a hopeful message to these movies too — little glimpses of how humans take care of each other in times of need and fight for survival. But really: if you’re already freaking out, we can’t emphasize strongly enough that you shouldn’t be watching these movies. If, on the other hand, you’re really leaning into this COVID moment, there’s no better list of disease-spreading movies than these right here.
Enjoy — and pick up some apocalypse-surviving tips for the rest of us.
‘Contagion’ (2011)
This terrifying tale of an airborne virus with swift, deadly consequences will keep your heartrate up while you track the latest COVID news.
‘The Crazies’ (2010)
When a small town in Iowa is overtaken with a toxin that turns its citizens into crazed killers, the residents are quarantined inside, and the healthy few struggle to escape.
‘Cabin Fever’ (2002)
This viral classic involves five college students, an isolated cabin, and a flesh-eating virus. What could be better?
’28 Days Later’ (2002)
When a chimpanzee infected with “Rage” is set loose, the virus ravages the citizens of London. An eclectic group of survivors try to escape.
‘Twelve Monkeys’ (1995)
Bruce Willis travels back in time to the 1990s to try and stop an epidemic poised to take over the globe — but finds the people around him unwilling to listen.
‘Pandemic’ (2007)
This 2007 series features Tiffani Thiessen as CDC Dr. Kayla Martin, fighting to save Los Angeles from an unknown virus.
‘Outbreak’ (1995)
Dustin Hoffman and Cuba Gooding Jr. are Army medical researchers fighting to stop a virus from spreading across the globe.
‘World War Z’ (2013)
In this apocalyptic thriller, Brad Pitt, former UN employee, is called in to try and stop the virus ravaging the globe.
‘The Andromeda Strain’ (2008)
A group of specialists is tasked with stopping a deadly microbe before it wreaks havoc on the population.
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‘Carriers’ (2009)
Best Virus Movies: Chris Pine and his three friends are racing away from a virus taking over the world — until they discover their biggest danger is each other.
‘Pandemic’ (2020)
Netflix’s 2020 docuseries Pandemic introduces the people fighting influenza and trying to prevent a global outbreak.
Watch here.
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