In times of global crises, the topic of building personal vaults or bunkers sounds increasingly relevant – and not only in science fiction films or TV series. If underground vaults were once associated with the times of World War II or the Cold War, now bunkers are becoming a real "plan B" for the rich and famous. In recent years, billionaires and stars have begun to build private shelters all over the world: from New Zealand to Hawaii. It is known that Mark Zuckerberg is building an underground complex on the island of Kauai, Jeff Bezos is also investing in safe vaults, even Shaquille O'Neal is named among the owners of bunkers.
But is an underground bunker really a guarantee of salvation? On the one hand, it can give a chance to survive during a disaster. On the other hand, life in a confined space itself creates many problems: isolation, psychological pressure, conflicts, struggle for resources. Ultimately, a bunker becomes not only protection from the outside world, but also a test of human relationships and endurance.
It is this duality – the hope for salvation and the threat of a confined space – that is most vividly demonstrated by films about bunkers. Therefore, we offer you, dear readers, a selection of films and TV series where the bunker becomes a key location and a symbol of our fear and, at the same time, the desire to survive. The films in the list are sorted by year of release.
Blast from the Past
Release year: 1999 | IMDb: 6.7
And the first film in our selection is an unusual romantic comedy with a trio of Oscar-winning actors: Brendan Fraser, Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek. The plot revolves around Adam, who has spent his entire life in an underground bunker with his parents, who have been hiding there since the Cuban Missile Crisis, convinced that a nuclear strike by the USSR has already taken place. After 35 years, the guy finally has to rise to the surface to replenish his supplies, but discovers that the world outside is completely different. The naive and honest Adam with the manners of the 1960s finds himself in the cynical world of the 1990s, which becomes a source of funny and touching situations.
The film combines satire on the fears of Americans during the Cold War, the popularity of family bunkers, retro style of clothing and decor, and at the same time a light romantic comedy, where the naivety of the main character contrasts with the new reality of the outside world.
Der Untergang / The Bunker
Release year: 2004 | IMDb: 8.2
This film tells the story of the last days of Adolf Hitler and his inner circle in an underground bunker in Berlin in April 1945. The film conveys the chaos, fear and tension that reigned among the Nazi leaders as the Soviet army approached the capital of the Reich. The film immerses the viewer in the closed world of the underground bunker, where conflicts, despair and attempts to maintain at least some control over the situation before the inevitable end reign.
The film skillfully combines historical accuracy and dramatic effect: the scenes were shot in an exact copy of Hitler's real bunker, created according to plans and archival materials, and the script is based on eyewitness memoirs and historical research. The film shows not only political and military events, but also human emotions – fear, fanaticism and loss of hope. Der Untergang became a model of psychological drama, where the confined space of the bunker symbolizes not only the physical, but also the moral closure into which the Nazi leadership fell.
Hidden
Release year: 2015 | IMDb: 6.4
This film was the feature-length debut of the Duffer brothers, known as the creators of the series Stranger Things. The film tells the story of a family who took refuge in a radiation shelter after a mysterious global catastrophe, hiding from mysterious monsters outside. The heroes have to survive in a confined space, with limited supplies and in constant fear of an external threat.
The film plays wonderfully on the fear of the unknown and tension, and the twist at the end turns the viewer's perception of events upside down, forcing a new look at what happened throughout the film, and leaving an unsettling feeling after watching.
10 Cloverfield Lane
Release year: 2016 | IMDb: 7.2
This is a science fiction post-apocalyptic thriller about a girl named Michelle who wakes up in an underground bunker after a car accident, where she is being held by Howard. He claims that the outside world has become uninhabitable due to a mysterious catastrophe, and assures that all his actions are aimed at her safety. However, it gradually becomes clear that Howard is very unpredictable: his control over the situation is combined with paranoid behavior and incomprehensible logic.
Howard is also unique in that he is the only one armed and has power inside the bunker, which creates constant tension and a sense of threat. Michelle must balance trust and suspicion, not knowing what is really happening outside. The confined space and uncertainty make her constantly wonder: can Howard be trusted, and what is really happening outside the underground vault.
This film is part of the Cloverfield universe. It also includes Cloverfield (2008) and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018). Although these films are not direct sequels, they are united by the concept of an unknown threat and apocalyptic events, creating the feeling of a single world where danger is always nearby.
The Rain
Release year: 2018 | IMDb: 6.3
A Danish post-apocalyptic series from Netflix, the platform's first original Danish TV production. The story follows Simone and her younger brother Rasmus, who spend six years in a bunker after a deadly rain-borne virus wipes out most of Scandinavia's population. When they finally emerge, they embark on a perilous journey across a devastated world in search of their father, answers to what happened, and hope for a cure.
The series combines a survivalist atmosphere with coming-of-age drama and elements of science fiction. Filming took place in Denmark and Sweden, among dense forests, abandoned buildings and purpose-built bunkers, which adds a sense of realism to the story and immersion in a cold, dangerous world after the disaster.
I Am Mother
Release year: 2019 | IMDb: 6.7
A science fiction thriller set in a post-apocalyptic future. In an underground bunker, a robot named Mother operates, keeping an eye on thousands of human embryos. One day, she revives one of them and raises a child, naming her Daughter. Mother teaches the girl science, morality, and discipline, convincing her that she is the only living person on the planet. But when an unknown woman from the outside world appears in the bunker, Daughter's reality collapses: everything she believed in is called into question.
The film explores themes of trust, control, and the true nature of motherhood, blending a psychological thriller with philosophical questions about humanity and technology. Interestingly, the Mother was not created solely through computer graphics: Weta Workshop (known for The Lord of the Rings) developed a real exoskeleton suit. Thanks to this, the actors were able to interact with a real robot, which added a special believability to the story.
Silo
Release year: 2023 | IMDb: 8.1
The series is based on the book series of the same name by Hugh Gowey "Wool". The story centers on a giant underground bunker, consisting of 144 levels, where about ten thousand people live. They have been told since childhood that the surface of the Earth is poisoned and uninhabitable, and any questions about the past, the outside world or the authorities are strictly forbidden. Among the inhabitants of the bunker, Juliet, an engineer from the lower levels, stands out. Investigating a series of mysterious deaths, she gradually gets closer to the dangerous truth about the world she lives in and the secrets that their shelter hides.
Paradise
Release year: 2025 | IMDb: 7.9
A political thriller that combines a post-apocalyptic plot with elements of detective and drama. The series takes place in a huge underground bunker in Colorado, where the world's elite live three years after a global catastrophe. The peace of this closed community is disturbed when one of the most influential people is killed – President Cal Bradford, played by James Marsden. Secret Service agent Xavier Collins, played by Stirling K. Brown, begins an investigation that turns into a dangerous game of secrets, betrayal and manipulation.
The series was nominated for four Emmy Awards in 2025, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.
The Atomic Shelter
Release year: 2025 | IMDb: none
On September 19, 2025, Netflix will release a new series from the creators of La Casa de Papel / Money Heist – Alex Pina and Esther Martinez Lobatu. This thriller tells the story of a group of billionaires who, due to the threat of World War III, hide in a luxurious underground bunker, Kimera Underground Park. In a confined space, former enemies are forced to coexist, preparing for the catastrophe and trying to protect themselves. However, the closed world of the vault becomes a stage for intrigue, conflict and a struggle for power, which awakens an old feud between two influential families.
The eight-episode series promises to combine a tense post-apocalyptic atmosphere with deep drama and social criticism. Filming took place in Spain, including at the Colmenar Viejo studio, where over 8,000 m² of sets were created - the largest production project of its kind in the history of Spanish television.
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As it turns out, there aren't that many truly exciting and high-quality works about life in a closed post-apocalyptic space – although perhaps we've missed something? In your opinion, which is better – to hide in a bunker and survive, limiting yourself to a tight space and the company of other people, or to stay out in the open, where there's more freedom, but danger is right around the corner?