6 Best Quarantine and Plague Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 7, 2026

The terrifying spread of disease and the desperate isolation of quarantine have produced some of cinema’s most existential and suspenseful thrillers. In The Seventh Seal (1957): A disillusioned knight returning from the Crusades challenges Death to a game of chess during the plague. Also notable is 28 Days Later (2002): A man wakes from a coma to find Britain devastated by a rage-inducing viral outbreak.

World War Z (2013)

IMDb ★ 7.0 RT 67% Metacritic 63

A former UN investigator races around the globe to find a cure for a zombie pandemic.

Directed by Marc Forster · 1h 56m · Rated PG-13

3 wins & 25 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Contagion (2011)

IMDb ★ 6.8 RT 85% Metacritic 70

Scientists and health officials race to identify and contain a rapidly spreading deadly virus.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh · 1h 46m · Rated PG-13

2 wins & 14 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

28 Days Later (2002)

IMDb ★ 7.5 RT 87% Metacritic 73

A man wakes from a coma to find Britain devastated by a rage-inducing viral outbreak.

Directed by Danny Boyle · 1h 53m · Rated R

10 wins & 32 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Apple TV, Apple TV Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Outbreak (1995)

IMDb ★ 6.6 RT 59% Metacritic 64

Military doctors race to contain a deadly airborne virus threatening to devastate a small American town.

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen · 2h 09m · Rated R

5 wins & 5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Scientists race to contain a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism before it spreads uncontrollably.

Directed by Robert Wise · 2h 11m · Rated G

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Seventh Seal (1957)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 93% Metacritic 88

A disillusioned knight returning from the Crusades challenges Death to a game of chess during the plague.

Directed by Ingmar Bergman · 1h 36m · Rated NR

9 wins & 2 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Quarantine and Plague Movies

World War Z (2013)

Contagion (2011)

28 Days Later (2002)

Outbreak (1995)

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

The Seventh Seal (1957)

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