Movies & Shows Similar to The Thinning: New World Order

Description: Students are forced to fight to the death on an island, serving as brutal social commentary on youth violence and authoritarian control.

Fact: The film was initially banned in several countries due to its violent content. It's based on a controversial novel that was originally intended as adult fiction.

Description: A seemingly perfect society hides dark secrets about emotion and memory control, with a young protagonist challenging the status quo.

Fact: The film adaptation took nearly 20 years to make after the book's publication. The director used a gradual shift from black-and-white to color to represent the protagonist's awakening.

Description: A dystopian future where young people are forced to compete in a deadly game, highlighting themes of survival, rebellion, and societal control.

Fact: The book series was inspired by reality TV shows and ancient Roman gladiator games. The author, Suzanne Collins, also wrote for children's TV shows before penning the novels.

Description: A story of alien possession and human resistance, focusing on dual identities and the fight for individuality against overwhelming forces.

Fact: This was Stephenie Meyer's first adult novel adaptation after the Twilight series. The desert scenes were filmed in New Mexico's White Sands National Monument.

Description: Child prodigies are trained through intense simulations for an impending war, exploring themes of manipulation, leadership, and moral ambiguity in conflict.

Fact: The zero-gravity battle room scenes were filmed with actors on wires against a rotating set to simulate weightlessness. Orson Scott Card wrote the novel in 1985 as a short story first.

Description: A group of teens must navigate a deadly maze while uncovering the truth about their confinement, focusing on survival, mystery, and teamwork under pressure.

Fact: The maze walls were actually built as a massive practical set, not just CGI. The actors underwent intense physical training to perform their own stunts in the maze sequences.

Description: Set in a futuristic society divided into factions, the story follows a young woman who challenges the system, exploring themes of identity, conformity, and resistance.

Fact: The film's dystopian Chicago setting was partially shot in real abandoned buildings in the city. The faction symbols were designed to reflect each group's core values.

Description: An annual night of legalized crime explores societal breakdown and survival instincts when all rules are suspended.

Fact: The entire film was shot in just 20 days on a modest budget. The concept was inspired by creator James DeMonaco's frustration with Los Angeles traffic.

Description: Teens must survive successive waves of an alien invasion while questioning who they can trust, blending sci-fi with coming-of-age survival drama.

Fact: The film's apocalyptic scenes were shot in rural Georgia, standing in for Ohio. The novel's author Rick Yancey was inspired by classic invasion stories but wanted a teen perspective.

Description: Teens with dangerous abilities are hunted in a post-apocalyptic America, dealing with themes of persecution, found family, and rebellion.

Fact: The author Alexandra Bracken wrote the novel while working at a children's publisher. The film's highway scenes used a closed section of real interstate in Georgia.