12 Movies Like Severance You Need to Watch
Craving more mind-bending picks? Explore 12 drama, mystery, sci-fi, thriller, and comedy titles with the same eerie, high-stakes vibe as Severance.
If you liked the tense, puzzle-box feel of Severance, this roundup points you toward 12 smart picks that play with identity, memory, surveillance, and reality itself. You’ll find modern sci-fi and mystery standouts like The Peripheral, Shining Girls, and Cassandra, plus eerie, high-concept choices such as Monolith and Last Light. Glitch and Omniscient bring their own strange, story-driven twists, while the mix of drama, thriller, and even comedy keeps the list from feeling one-note. Whether you want something sleek and cerebral or something a little more offbeat, these films and shows are built for viewers who enjoy stories that linger after the credits.
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01
The Peripheral
drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Stuck in a small Appalachian town, a young woman’s only escape from the daily grind is playing advanced video games. She is such a good player that a company sends her a new video game system to test…but it has a surprise in store. It unlocks all of her dreams of finding a purpose, romance, and glamour in what seems like a game…but it also puts her and her family in real danger.
Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Alrick RileyCast Chloë Grace Moretz, Gary Carr, Jack Reynor, JJ Feild, T'Nia MillerAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
02
Glitch
comedy · drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A young woman joins forces with a UFO enthusiast to investigate her boyfriend’s sudden disappearance and stumbles into a wild conspiracy.
Directed by Deok NohCast Jeon Yeo-been, Jung Da-bin, Lee Dong-hwi, Kim Han-na, Im Jin-ahNetflix -
03
Monolith
drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A desperate young journalist turns to podcasting to salvage her career, but her rush to make headlines leads her to an alien conspiracy.
Directed by Matt VeselyCast Lily Sullivan, Damon Herriman, Ling Cooper Tang, Janet Tan, Ansuya NathanAmazon Prime VideoAMC+ -
04
Last Light
drama · sci-fi · thriller
Separated across continents, petro-chemist Andy Yeats and his family must survive the deadly effects of a sudden global oil crisis and find the mastermind behind it all.
Directed by Dennie GordonCast Matthew Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Alyth Ross, Taylor Fay, Amber Rose RevahPeacock Premium -
05
Shining Girls
crime · drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Years after a brutal attack left her in a constantly shifting reality, Kirby Mazrachi learns that a recent murder is linked to her assault. She teams with veteran reporter Dan Velazquez to understand her ever-changing present—and confront her past.
Directed by Daina Reid, Michelle MacLaren, Elisabeth MossCast Elisabeth Moss, Wagner Moura, Phillipa Soo, Chris Chalk, Amy BrennemanApple TV Plus -
06
Cassandra
drama · horror · sci-fi · thriller
A family moves into a vintage smart home and discovers that it's under the control of a virtual assistant — who will stop at nothing to keep them there.
Directed by Benjamin GutscheCast Lavinia Wilson, Franz Hartwig, Mary Amber Oseremen Tölle, Elias Grünthal, Filip SchnackNetflix -
07
Omniscient
drama · sci-fi · thriller
In a city where citizens are monitored 24/7, a tech employee must outsmart her surveillance drone in order to investigate a murder.
Directed by Júlia Jordão, Isabel ValianteCast Carla Salle, Sandra Corveloni, Jonathan Haagensen, Guilherme Prates, Luana TanakaNetflix -
08
Devs
drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Young computer engineer Lily Chan investigates the secretive development division of her employer, a cutting-edge tech company based in San Francisco, which she believes is behind the murder of her boyfriend.
Directed by Alex GarlandCast Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Jin Ha, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley HendersonHulu -
09
Dark Matter
drama · sci-fi · thriller
Jason Dessen is abducted into an alternate version of his life. To get back to his true family, he embarks on a harrowing journey to save them from the most terrifying foe imaginable: himself.
Directed by Alik Sakharov, Jakob Verbruggen, Roxann Dawson, Logan George, Celine HeldCast Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo OkeniyiAmazon Prime VideoApple TV Plus -
10
Kindred
drama · fantasy · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A young aspiring writer discovers secrets about her family's past when she finds herself mysteriously being pulled back and forth in time to a 19th century plantation.
Directed by Ayoka Chenzira, Destiny Ekaragha, Amanda Marsalis, Alonso Alvarez, Janicza BravoCast Mallori Johnson, Micah Stock, Ryan Kwanten, Gayle Rankin, Austin SmithHulu -
11
Exception
animation · drama · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
In a distant future where humans are forced to leave Earth, a spacecraft carrying a 3D-printed crew of specialists is sent to terraform a new planet.
Directed by Makoto Honda, Yūzō SatōCast Nolan North, Robbie Daymond, Ali Hillis, Eugene Byrd, Nadine NicoleNetflix -
12
Descendent
drama · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
After a traumatic brain injury triggers terrifying visions of extraterrestrials and a newfound talent for drawing, a father-to-be begins to question his reality and becomes obsessed with the need to protect his family from an unseen threat.
Directed by Peter CilellaCast Ross Marquand, Sarah Bolger, Susan Wilder, Charlene Amoia, Dan O'BrienHuluAMC+
Wrapping Up
From mind-bending sci-fi to tightly wound mystery and thriller picks, this list is built for anyone who wants the same eerie momentum and layered storytelling that made Severance stand out. The 12 titles here offer a good mix of mood, genre, and perspective, so you can choose something unsettling, thoughtful, or unexpectedly funny. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you want a fresh recommendation that matches that cerebral, high-stakes vibe. We update this guide regularly so the selection stays current and worth revisiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Severance?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.
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Last updated: September 8, 2026