Post-apocalyptic movies find a home on Netflix

The number of post-apocalyptic themed movies in theaters has slowed and Netflix is picking up the slack.
So far this year, no English-language post-apocalyptic movies have opened in theaters. But two have premiered on Netflix: “Io” and “The Silence.”
Netflix also acquired the streaming rights to China’s hit post-apocalyptic movie “The Wandering Earth.” Plus, Netflix picked up the streaming rights to the upcoming Australian thriller “I Am Mother” starring Hilary Swank.
Last year, Netflix premiered four original post-apocalyptic movies on its service: “Bird Box,” “Cargo,” “Extinction” and “How It Ends.” Presumably the genre is a reliable viewership draw.
Meanwhile, the end-of-the-world genre isn’t getting any major theatrical releases until “Zombieland: Double Tap” on Oct. 11.

Photos: Promotional posters “The Silence” and “Bird Box.”

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