Twisted Metalis adapted from a videogame of the same name and features a lot of larger-than-life characters put into the most absurd situations, a combination that you can only find in a handful of movies and TV shows.The main characters inTwisted Metalhave very distinctive looks, with Samoa Joe’s clown-masked antagonist, Sweet Tooth stealing the show. Still, Anthony Mackie is also excellent as John Doe, the show’s amnesia-stricken milkman hero, who is given a mission to transport a mysterious package across the United States.
Twisted Metalis not a strictly faithful adaptation of the videogame, but this works in the show’s favor, allowing the characters to become more well-rounded than they originally were. That said, many of theTwisted Metalvideogame characters appear in the TV adaptation. The show is just as gory as could be expected, with the “destruction derby-style” lethal competitions that form a central part of the plot, yet it keeps its sense of fun throughout. While waiting forTwisted Metalseason 2, there are a few movies and TV shows with similar themes to watch next.
Alita: Battle Angel
Cast
Produced by James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel adapts the manga Gunnm to live-action, featuring Rosa Salazar as the titular cyborg who quests to rebuild her identity as she faces the dark forces that plague Iron City. With the help of Christoph Waltz’s Dr. Ido and Keean Johnson’s Hugo, Alita learns to play the futuristic game of Motorball, which could be her ticket to enter the floating city of Zalem. Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems in the year 2563.
Alita: Battle AngelandTwisted Metalare set in two different post-apocalyptic worlds.While the world ofTwisted Metalis more of a wasteland,Alita: Battle Angelis a cyberpunk story, with the main character being a cyborg with a human brain.
People who want to see another game in a different environment should watch this next.
That said, bothTwisted MetalandAlitafeature a brutal game as a major plot point. Alita’s game is Motorball, which is like giving life-or-death stakes to roller derby. Just like inTwisted Metal, both games involve modifications and extra weapons. People who want to see another game in a different environment should watch this next.
The Boys
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
Twisted Metalis both gory and funny, and often at the same time. The violent comic book adaptationThe Boyshas a similar sense of humor, andthe goriest deaths inThe Boyscan be so grisly and ludicrous that they can cross the line into absurd humor.Twisted MetalandThe Boysalso have a similar theme, with both shows questioning what happens when characters are given access to seemingly limitless power. The answer both the shows offer is chaos.
Death Race
Death Race is a 2008 action film set in a near-future dystopia where prisons are privatized and inmates participate in a deadly televised car race. The narrative follows a falsely convicted man forced to compete in the high-stakes Death Race, designed as a violent entertainment spectacle for global audiences.
WhiletheTwisted Metalseries made some changes to the source material, the movieDeath Raceis very similar to theTwisted Metalvideo game.Death Raceis about a violent TV show in which prisoners must race to death in specially modified cars for the chance to win their freedom.
The Perfect Twisted Metal Season 2 Celebrity Cameo Probably Won’t Happen
Peacock’s Twisted Metal could have included the perfect celebrity cameo in season 2, but the chances are unfortunately slim.
Jason Statham’s character is brought in to replace a mask-wearing driver who died during the last race but discovers that there is an even darker backstory to the show. For a more faithful adaptation of theTwisted Metalgames,Death Raceis the movie to watch.
Halo
A live-action adaptation of the video game franchise of the same name, Halo follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (Pablo Schrieber) as he fights his part in a war between humanity’s United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the Covenant, an alliance of multiple hostile races of aliens intent on destroying the human race. The Master Chief is supported by Cortana (Jen Taylor) - an AI construct based on the personality of Dr. Catherine Halsey, who created the Spartan supersoldier program - implanted in his brain.
At first glance, the sci-fi war storyHaloandTwisted Metalare very different shows. However, under the surface, both have similar features.BothHaloandTwisted Metalare adaptations of video games, and whileHalowas a first-person shooter, it did feature some excellent vehicle battles. Both have some iconic weapons associated with them, and they each feature a theme in which one character feels as though they are taking on impossible odds.
Blood Drive
Set in a dystopian future, Blood Drive follows a former cop as he is forced to participate in a brutal cross-country race where the vehicles are fueled by human blood. The series explores the dark and gritty challenges faced in a society teetering on the edge of chaos.
Blood Driveis a show that was canceled much too earlydespite having a very interesting premise. It aired on SyFy, and likeTwisted Metal, had a very improbable premise and a lot of extreme vehicle chases.
The show was Alan Ritchson’s first lead action role beforeReacher.
Blood Drivehas been described as a “grindhouse for Mad Max fans,“and is about an underground death race featuring cars that run on human blood. This makesBlood Driveeven gorier thanTwisted Metal, and the show was Alan Ritchson’s first lead action role beforeReacher.
Fallout
Set 200 years after an apocalypse, Fallout follows residents of luxury shelters as they re-enter a post-nuclear world. Confronted with a bizarre and violent landscape, the series explores the stark contrasts between their sheltered existence and the harsh realities of the outside universe.
Videogame adaptations can be risky, but bothTwisted MetalandFallouthave been major successes, withFalloutbeing given a 92% positive audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes andTwisted Metalreceiving a 93% rating.
The show centers on Lucy, who is out of her depth after emerging from a safe bunker to cross the wasteland of a chaotic post-apocalyptic world.
People who enjoyed the character-driven story and over-the-top atmosphere inTwisted Metalshould watchFalloutnext.The show centers on Lucy, who is out of her depth after emerging from a safe bunker to cross the wasteland of a chaotic post-apocalyptic world.
Blindspot
Blindspot is an American crime drama series that aired on NBC between 2015 and 2022. There are five seasons in total, which between them boast exactly 100 episodes. The story centers around a heavily tattooed woman who is discovered naked inside a travel back in Times Square. She has no memory of who she is or how she got there, but her tattoos may hold some of the answers.
BlindspotandTwisted Metalare similar in terms of their main characters, who are both called Doe. LikeTwisted Metal’s amnesiac John Doe,Blindspotcenters on Jane Doe. Jane is a heavily tattooed woman who is found naked inside a duffel bag in Times Square, with only her tattoos to offer clues as to who she is. The show is not as frenetic or bizarre asTwisted Metal, butviewers who liked the central mystery aspect of it more than the post-apocalyptic vehicle chases should watchBlindspotnext.
The Movies Share The Same Fast-Paced Frantic Style With Twisted Metal
Fast & Furious
The Fast & Furious franchise revs through the adrenaline-fueled lives of Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers turned global heroes. From the neon-lit streets of Los Angeles to the bustling cities and remote outposts worldwide, they take on high-stakes heists, espionage, and the underground world of street racing. Bound by loyalty and driven by the need for speed, they confront mercenaries, corrupt officials, and personal vendettas all in the name of their found family.
TheFast & Furiousseriesbegan with a simple story involving undercover cops and illegal street racing. A few changes later,Fast and the Furiousis now an 11-movie franchise, and with the vehicles involved improbably modified and the genre verging into sci-fi, the chases often have the same feel as some inTwisted Metal. It is not hard to imagine thatTwisted Metalis what theFast and the Furiousuniverse could become in a few hundred years.
2012 Doomsday
2012 Doomsday is a science fiction film directed by Nick Everhart. Released in 2008, it follows four strangers as they converge on an ancient temple in Mexico on June 07, 2025. Their journey unfolds amidst speculation around the end of the Mayan calendar and a potential polar shift.
Doomsday’s premise sounds about as wild as that ofTwisted Metal, andpeople who enjoy movies with a lot of campy fun scenes as well as action should watchDoomsdaywhile waiting for season 2 ofTwisted Metal.Doomsdayfeatures cannibal punks who are in a conflict with medieval knights, in a post-apocalyptic Scotland that was quarantined to fight a gruesome virus. Rhona Mitra plays Major Eden Sinclair, who has been sent to cross the country looking for a cure.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road is a post-apocalyptic film set in a desolate desert landscape where society has collapsed. Released in 2015, the story follows two rebels, Max Rockatansky and Imperator Furiosa, as they attempt to survive and bring balance to a world torn by chaos and strife.
Mad Max: Fury RoadandTwisted Metalboth feature over-the-top villains and high-octane car chases.Fury RoadrevivedtheMad Maxfranchise, and it has earned numerous awards and a 97% positive critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. WhileTwisted Metalhas its serious moments,Fury Roadis much more of an epic and emotive story, though it also has its funny scenes. BothTwisted MetalandFury Roadcenter on vehicle battles in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and both are well worth watching.
