YA dystopian movieadaptations were a major trend during the 2010s. It all started withThe Hunger Gamesmoviesin 2012, which, based on the books by Suzanne Collins, have made $3.3 billion at the box office and lived on even after the trend has died, withThe Ballad of Songbirds & Snakesbecoming a hit in 2023 and a sequel,Sunrise on the Reaping, set for 2026.
Other examples that found success include the threeMaze Runnermovies, based on the books by James Dashner, which made $949 million at the box office, and the threeDivergentmovies, based on the books by Veronica Roth, which, despite being panned by critics, made $765 million at the box office.
Other examples includeI Am Number Four(2011),Ender’s Game,The Host,The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones(all 2013),The Giver(2014), andThe Darkest Minds(2018). Steven Spielberg even got in on the trend withReady Player One(2018). However,it’s a different dystopian YA movie adaptation that has become a streaming hit.
The 5th Wave Becomes A Streaming Hit
The Film Stars Chloë Grace Moretz And Nick Robinson
The 5th Wavehas become a streaming hit. Based on the book by Rick Yancey, the 2016 adaptation followsa series of increasingly devastating alien invasions that ravage Earth, leaving it in ruins. Asa teenager flees through the chaosin a desperate attempt to rescue her younger brother, she must fight to survive the dreaded fifth wave.
Themovie stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Ron Livingston, Maggie Siff, Alex Roe, Maria Bello, Maika Monroe, Zackary Arthur, Liev Schreiber, Tony Revolori, Talitha Bateman, Nadji Jeter, Alex MacNicoll, and Parker Wierling. It was directed by J Blakeson, with a script written by Susannah Grant, Akiva Goldsman, and Jeff Pinkner.
$38 million
$109 million
17%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
38%
Now, nine years after its release, the YA dystopian movie has become a streaming hit.The 5th Waveranks eighth on Netflix’s Top 10 moviesin the United States for today, August 6. It ranks belowKPop Demon Hunters,Happy Gilmore 2,My Oxford Year,Freelance,Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation,Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,After the Sunset, and aboveDespicable Me 2andMegamind.
Our Take On The 5th Wave’s Netflix Success
It’s Far From The Best YA Dystopian Films Of The 2010s
The 5th Waveis far from the best film produced by the dystopian YA trend of the 2010s, indicated by its dismal 17% score on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics. The film features lackluster visual effects and a story that feels cobbled together from other dystopian YA sci-fi movies, resulting in a weak and uninspired imitation. Rick Yancey’s book is much better, but the film falls flat and completely fails to capture the essence of its source material.
