10 Movies To Watch if You Like 'Severance' (2024)

Featuring top-notch writing and striking cinematography that evokes Stanley Kubrick's unmatched work, Severance has become a fan-favorite series in the science fiction genre ever since its release on Apple TV, establishing itself as one of the best original series on the streaming service. Over time, the Dan Erickson series collected many accolades and even earned Emmy nominations, which is not shocking considering its astounding quality.

While a new season is in the works, many fans may find themselves in need of filling the Severance-shaped hole in their hearts. As such, we look back at some of the best movies like Severance, ranging from existentialist psychological dramas like Persona to thought-provoking science fiction romance tales such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and examine what makes each worth the watch.

10 'eXistenZ' (1999)

Director: David Cronenberg

Starring Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh in the lead roles, eXistenZ is an absorbing science fiction film following a video game designer on the run from assassins who must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.

Through its creative premise, David Cronerberg's captivating science fiction horror movie paints a scary near-future scenario and examines corporate espionage and mind control, analyzing the virtual reality of the world of video games and its consequences on the outside world. While perhaps not the finest film in the category, eXistenZ is a thoughtful exploration of the relationship between human beings and virtual reality, questioning the concept of realities, just like Severance.

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9 'Mulholland Drive' (2001)

Director: David Lynch

Mulholland Drive, a mystery thriller that follows an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) in the aftermath of escaping a car crash, remains one of David Lynch's most iconic works. The story centers around the disoriented Rita, who meets an aspiring Hollywood actor (Naomi Watts) with whom she joins forces in the search for clues and answers across Los Angeles, marking the beginning of a journey beyond dreams and reality.

It's not surprising that Mulholland Drive has gathered a huge cult following from sci-fi fans over the years — Lynch's incredible film is a stunning showcase of his talents, perfectly illustrating what is so dreamy and haunting about the director's unforgettable features. Although the themes it tackles are distinct, Mulholland Drive is a bit like Severance in that it provides audiences with an intriguing, dream-like, and surrealist atmosphere that can even feel unsettling at times.

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8 'The Lobster' (2015)

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Yorgos Lanthimos' tale of societal pressure features one of Colin Farrell's best roles to date. Set in a dystopian future, it explores an innovative concept: single people are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in 45 days, or else they're transformed into the beast of their choice and sent off into The Woods.

While other films by Lanthimos, such as Dogtooth, are also worth checking out for anyone who enjoys the series, The Lobster's surrealist setting and shocking narrative resembles Severance's complex plot and is very likely to appeal to the enthusiasts of the science fiction television show. Anchored by great performances, deadpan humor — a characteristic trait in the filmmaker's work — and a sharp screenplay, The Lobster is definitely worth one's attention.

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7 'Memento' (2001)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan has come up with many interesting narratives through the years, and Memento, which earned him international recognition and acclaim, is at the top of the list. The engrossing story centers around an unnamed protagonist (Guy Pierce) with short-term memory loss who attempts to track down his wife's murderer.

On top of featuring top-notch acting and masterful direction from the British filmmaker, Memento is the perfect pick for anyone who enjoys puzzling, non-linear narratives that keep one guessing. Like Severance, the Christopher Nolan movie, which has, too, earned a massive cult following over the years, manages to hook audiences from the very beginning through its gradually intense premise and the suspense it builds. Furthermore, much like the Apple TV+ series, Memento is also a great examination of memory (or the lack of it).

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6 'Synecdoche, New York' (2008)

Director: Charlie Kaufman

This postmodern psychological drama by Charlie Kaufman centers around a movie theater director, played by the talented late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who tries to balance his work and his relationships with the women in his life while creating a life-size replica of New York City inside a warehouse as part of his new play.

Kaufman's play-within-a-play plot mirrors Severance's trippy concept of the "outie" and "innie" worlds quite well. Meditating about life and death, Kaufman's directorial debut Synecdoche, New York blurs the line between fiction and reality, providing audiences with an intellectually stimulating narrative elevated by top-notch acting efforts. Furthermore, the movie's titular figure of speech could easily be applied to the television series for the way it depicts a "synecdoche" life within a life.

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5 'Being John Malkovich' (1999)

Director: Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze's bizarre absurdist masterpiece written by Kaufman (both making their feature film debut) may not appeal to everyone's taste. However, those who enjoy out-of-the-box, trippy premises probably want to give this a watch. Being John Malkovich tells the unconventional story of a puppeteer (John Cusack) who discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of the movie star JohnMalkovich.

Jonze's intriguing and existentialist Oscar-nominated movie — it earned nods for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress — delves deep into the dehumanization of celebrities while also focusing on the desire of wanting to be someone else other than yourself. Like Severance, which also provides audiences with an immersive and surrealist plot, Being John Malkovich analyzes identity in an intriguing manner, shedding light on alienation in the meantime.

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4 'Sorry to Bother You' (2018)

Director: Boots Riley

Boots Riley's razor-sharp dark comedy film illustrates an alternate present-day version of Oakland where telemarketer Cassius Green (LaKeith Stanfield) discovers a magical key to professional success when he starts adopting his "white man" accent (voiced by David Cross). When he is propelled into a universe of greed and corporate conspiracy, Cassius must choose between profit or joining his activist friends.

Featuring drama, comedy, and sci-fi elements, Sorry to Bother You depicts the negative side of corporate life in a similar vein to Severance. Even though the topics it deals with are slightly different, Riley's captivating movie shares a few similarities with the acclaimed series, especially in how it provides audiences with a thoughtful examination of capitalism, labor, and exploitation. No doubt, it is the right choice for those who enjoy well-crafted dark comedies.

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3 'Persona' (1967)

Director: Ingmar Bergman

It's not for no reason that this avant-garde psychological drama by Ingmar Bergman remains an essential all film fans should watch at least once (and is often studied in film class). Starting with its incredible directing and top-notch performances by BibiAndersson and LivUllmann in the lead roles, there is a lot to love about Persona. The story centers around a nurse who is put in charge of a mute actress and finds that their personae are melding together.

Persona resembles Severance in that it explores identity, disassociation, and the merging of two different personalities quite well. From the writing to the stunning black-and-white cinematography, there are tons of great aspects of this Bergman masterpiece. However, its examination of duality makes it a thought-provoking and stimulating existentialist movie, which may appeal to fans of the beloved series for all the right reasons.

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2 'The Truman Show' (1998)

Director: Peter Weir

Directed by Peter Weir, The Truman Show has become a treasured film in the dark comedy genre for its unforgettable plot that sends out messages about the power of the media and how manipulative it can be. Jim Carrey plays an insurance salesman who learns that his life is part of a massive TV set and everyone has been watching him all along.

Although both Weir's movie and the Apple TV show address different topics, they share some similarities: just like in The Truman Show, Severance deals with topics of surveillance and identity, each providing audiences with unique premises that keep audiences invested throughout their entirety. This Jim Carrey-lead Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated movie remains mandatory viewing in the genre for good reason.

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1 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)

Director: Michel Gondry

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the obvious pick when it comes to movies like Severance, especially considering that memory is a central topic for both. In the Michel Gondry picture, Carrey and Kate Winslet play two lovers whose relationship turns sour. The two decide to resort to a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever.

Based on Charlie Kaufman's screenplay developed from a story by Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is nothing short of an incredible science fiction romance tale. It is difficult to remain indifferent to this entrancing, though heartbreaking Black Mirror-ish story that reflects on the conscious and the subconscious mind while also exploring destiny and memories, and the amazing acting performances from both leads elevate it to another level.

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