10 Best Atomic Monster Movies

Throughout the years, there have been countless monster movies made about nuclear radiation and nuclear waste. Some of the world’s most popular movie franchises spawned from this incredibly niche genre, with monster movies going on to be popular for decades. Even today, monster movies still pull an incredibly large audience, with franchises like Godzilla and King Kong continuing to release films every few years or so. Still, the sorts of monsters that have made the biggest impact on this genre of kaiju-centric monster films are the ones born from the rise of nuclear power across the world.

Initially gaining popularity in the 1950s, these monster movies first rose to prominence out of the desire to portray the horrors of nuclear warfare. After the end of World War II, the terrors of nuclear war were fresh in filmmakers’ minds, and so many of film’s most iconic monsters were born. This golden era was only the beginning, however, with many different atomic monsters coming in the years that would follow.

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10 C.H.U.D. (1984)

Nuclear Waste Created Horrifying Monsters

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C.H.U.D. is a 1984 horror film directed by Douglas Cheek that delves into the mystery of missing homeless people in New York City. The film follows a photographer and a police captain who uncover a government cover-up involving mutated creatures, known as Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, living beneath the city. Starring John Heard and Daniel Stern, C.H.U.D. combines elements of horror and social commentary.

Director Douglas Cheek Release Date August 31, 1984 Cast John Heard , Daniel Stern , Christopher Curry , Kim Greist , Laure Mattos , Brenda Currin Runtime 88 minutes

The film C.H.U.D., short for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, is a science-fiction horror film centered around the monsters described in the title. As it turns out, these monsters were once human beings, previously the homeless population living beneath the city in the sewers. However, after extensive exposure to the radioactive waste dumped into the sewers by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, these people were transformed into terrifying monsters.

Although it initially released to less than stellar praise, in the years that followed it gained a relatively strong following as a cult classic. A few sequels to the original film would later be released with countless properties, including The Simpsons, Rick and Morty, and Futurama, even referencing the film. This cult status shot the film into the cultural lexicon, introducing C.H.U.D. to far more people than it reached upon release.

9 It Came From Beneath The Sea (1955)

This ’50s Monster Was The Scourge Of San Francisco

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It Came from Beneath the Sea is a 1955 science fiction film directed by Robert Gordon. The film stars Kenneth Tobey and Faith Domergue as a naval commander and a marine biologist, who confront a giant octopus that rises from the depths of the Pacific Ocean following nuclear testing. Using innovative stop-motion animation by Ray Harryhausen, the film emphasizes the dangers of atomic experimentation on oceanic life.

Director Robert Gordon Release Date July 1, 1955 Cast Kenneth Toby , Faith Domergue , Donald Curtis , Chuck Griffiths , Ian Keith , Dean Maddox Jr. , Harry Lauter , Richard W. Peterson Runtime 79 Minutes

Originally released as a double feature with Creature with the Atom Brain in 1955, It Came from Beneath the Sea depicts a giant octopus that had been exposed to too much radiation as a result of hydrogen bomb testing in the South Pacific. Throughout the film, the monster attacks several different installations and locations, including a nuclear submarine and the city of San Francisco itself. The monster’s attack on the Golden Gate Bridge is the most famous moment in the movie, later being shown as a quick cameo in Godzilla (1998).

The film was one of many monster movies of a similar make to release in the 1950s. Despite this, it was well received at the time and a general success, with its special effects and stop-motion animation being the elements of the film that garnered the most praise. The excellent filmmaking and the public’s positive reception to dramatic monster films shaped up to make It Came from Beneath the Sea an American classic.

8 Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Though Their Origin Was Left Unclear

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George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead did more than just invent the modern zombie, it revolutionized the horror genre. Following a small group of humans who hide in a secluded farmhouse when the dead begin to rise and crave human flesh, Night of the Living Dead examines the relationship between humanity and paranoia in times of crisis. 

Director George A. Romero Release Date October 4, 1968 Cast Judith O’Dea , Kyra Schon , Duane Jones , Marilyn Eastman , Karl Hardman Runtime 96 minutes

When atomic monsters are brought up, zombies are typically the last monster that comes to mind. Typically, zombies are created as the result of some sort of widespread pandemic, reducing the average person to nothing more than an undead creature that hungers for living flesh. Before Night of the Living Dead, zombies were typically depicted in problematic fashion as the thralls of voodoo magic.

The original Night of the Living Dead from 1968 removes this connotation entirely, separating the zombie from the films that came before. Instead of following the lead of the films that came before, this movie instead implied that the zombies that attacked were a product of radiation from space. Though this implicit explanation for why the zombies came to exist would be removed from later films in the franchise, it still offers a frightening possibility to think about.

7 The H-Man (1958)

Its Practical Effects Were Next Level

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The H-Man begins in what might be considered a unique manner for atomic monster movies, centering first on a mystery. Set in the rainy streets of Tokyo, everything kicks off when a drug smuggler named Misaki is pronounced dead, with his body somehow melting away after being killed. It is possible that this occurred due to the radiation lingering in the rain.

After this, a glowing figure is discovered to be roaming around, dissolving innocent people throughout the city. This is one of the eponymous H-Men, created as a result of deadly radiation from hydrogen bombs. The rest of the film follows the police force as they struggle to hunt down the H-Men in an attempt to save Tokyo, eventually eliminating the threat to the city.

6 The Incredible Hulk (2008)

This Hulk Origin Film Has Its Fans

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The second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is The Incredible Hulk, which was released in 2008. The film introduced a new backstory for the Hulk to differentiate it from the 2003 movie, Hulk. Actor Edward Norton played the role of the green hulk, and his alter ego Bruce Banner. He is joined by actress Liv Tyler who plays his love interest, Dr. Elizabeth “Betty” Ross. Betty’s father, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), is hoping to recreate a World War II supersoldier program and, in the process, exposes Bruce to gamma radiation that transforms him into the Hulk. He flees to find a cure for himself but is eventually tracked down by Thunderbolt, who forms an alliance with Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). After The Incredible Hulk, Mark Ruffalo took over the character for subsequent movies in the MCU. 

Director Louis Leterrier Release Date June 13, 2008 Cast Edward Norton , Liv Tyler , Tim Roth , William Hurt , Tim Blake Nelson , Ty Burrell , Lou Ferrigno Runtime 112 minutes

As a character, The Hulk has had a storied but ultimately rocky history in film. He has been depicted across the ages by actors such as Lou Ferrigno and Mark Ruffalo, but perhaps one of the most important performances of the character was Edward Norton’s rendition in The Incredible Hulk in 2008. Though divisive, this film has its fans despite mostly being struck from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, instead changing direction towards Mark Ruffalo’s performance in The Avengers.

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The Hulk is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, but surprisingly, this level of power has nothing to do with his strength.

From the very beginning, The Hulk has been a creature born from radiation. Developing inside of Bruce Banner as a result of what would otherwise be deadly gamma radiation, The Hulk would be considered a monster by some and a hero by others. His depiction in the 2008 film is considered to be one of the best in modern times, relying on the comics to tell the story of an unlikely hero.

5 The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Wes Craven’s Original Was Eventually Remade

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The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 horror film directed by Wes Craven. The plot centers on a suburban family whose car breaks down in a remote desert area, leaving them vulnerable to attacks by a brutal clan of cannibalistic mutants. The film is noted for its intense scenes of survival and confrontation as the family fights to stay alive against a relentless and savage enemy.

Director Wes Craven Release Date July 22, 1977 Cast Dee Wallace , Susan Lanier , Virginia Vincent , Russ Grieve , Michael Berryman Runtime 90 minutes

Following the story of the Carter family as they are stranded in Nevada while on vacation, The Hills Have Eyes explores a horrifying version of the effects of nuclear radiation. The Carter family has inadvertently strayed too close to an old nuclear testing sight, one where the effects of the radiation can still be felt by the people who live there. These people are the same ones who live in the titular hills, cannibalizing any passersby who are unlucky enough to stop there.

Paranoid and unexpected, this film manages to scare its audience all while being one of Wes Craven’s first films. While not a monster movie in the traditional sense, the film shows how monstrous this sort of atomic testing was through the tragedy of its characters, both the protagonists and the villains. It would later go on to be remade in 2006, a testament to how good the original really is.

4 Them! (1954)

It Was One Of Many ’50s B-Movies

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In groundbreaking monster movie Them! a nest of giant irradiated ants is discovered in the New Mexico desert and quickly become a national threat when the queen escapes to build a new colony. The national search that follows climaxes in a battle with Them in Los Angeles.

Director Gordon Douglas Release Date June 16, 1954 Cast James Whitmore , Edmund Gwenn , Joan Weldon , James Arness , Onslow Stevens , Sean McClory Runtime 94 minutes

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Although the premise might initially seem a bit silly, Them! was a foundational film during the trend of ’50s monster movies. Created by Warner Bros. in 1954, it was one of the first to feature a monster that grew to such enormous sizes as a result of nuclear radiation. Like many similar movies, it takes place in the New Mexico desert, featuring a colony of now carnivorous ants that has mutated as a result of atomic bomb testing.

The film was a smash hit at the time and is generally regarded as one of the best monster films of this era in film history. Them! would go on to inspire countless other projects, including the Japanese kaiju film Rodan as well as the video game series It Came from the Desert. Its special effects earned it an Oscar nomination, and though it was eventually beaten by another contender on this list, it just goes to show how incredible these effects were at the time.

3 Godzilla Minus One (2023)

It Is One Of Many Great Godzilla Films

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Godzilla Minus One is the first Godzilla film released by Toho since 2016’s Shin Godzilla. Minus One is a reimagining of the original 1954 Godzilla and takes the franchise back to its roots by exploring the harsh life of post-war Japan. The story follows Koichi Shikishima, a failed kamikaze pilot, who struggles with survivor guilt as a giant monster attacks the city.

Director Takashi Yamazaki Release Date December 1, 2023 Cast Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Minami Hamabe , Yûki Yamada , Munetaka Aoki , Hidetaka Yoshioka , Sakura Andō , Kuranosuke Sasaki Runtime 125 Minutes

When it comes to nuclear-inspired monster films, the Godzilla series easily takes the cake. Not only is Godzilla one of the most famous monsters of all time, but its creation was also inspired by the nuclear fears that were prevalent in Japan as a result of World War II. Godzilla Minus One is the series’ most recent Japanese-made film, with the 2024 release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire having been made in America.

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Godzilla Minus One is really a testament to how far these sorts of films have come. Set in a 1945 post-war Japan, the film explores the Japanese perspective on nuclear fallout, with Godzilla representing this horrible tragedy. It was released at a similar time to Oppenheimer, showing what would be an alternate perspective to the spectacle that many fans were hoping to see in that film.

2 The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

It Spawned Many Different Monster Movies

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The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is a science fiction film directed by Eugène Lourié. Released in 1953, the film follows the consequences of an atomic bomb test that awakens a prehistoric sea monster. Known for its special effects by Ray Harryhausen, the movie presents a thrilling narrative of a giant creature’s rampage in New York City, offering a blend of adventure and cautionary themes about the perils of nuclear experimentation.

Director Eugène Lourié Release Date June 13, 1953 Cast Paul Christian , Paula Raymond , Cecil Kellaway , Kenneth Tobey , Donald Woods , Ross Elliott , Steve Brodie , Jack Pennick Runtime 80 Minutes

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is often cited as having started the trend of monster films that would follow in later years, with even the titan of the genre, Godzilla, supposedly taking inspiration from it. Beginning north of the Arctic Circle at a nuclear testing site, a giant dinosaur once frozen in the ice is awakened from its slumber as the result of several atomic explosions. It would then go on a rampage, making its way all the way down the Hudson River and leaving countless dead in its wake.

Not only was it an incredible film, but it won accolades at the time, stealing the Oscar from Them! for the film’s noteworthy stop-motion special effects. It was praised for its science-fiction flavored drama, a drama that was only heightened by the distress of nuclear testing. It was a film influenced by the era it was set in, launching an entire genre along with it.

1 Godzilla (1954)

It Set The Standard For Everything That Would Come After

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A massive, ancient sea monster named Godzilla emerges from the ocean depths, awakened by nuclear testing. As Godzilla wreaks havoc on Tokyo, scientists and the military struggle to find a way to stop the creature’s destructive rampage. Dr. Serizawa devises a powerful weapon, the Oxygen Destroyer, which becomes humanity’s last hope.

Director Ishirô Honda Release Date November 3, 1954 Cast Akihiko Hirata , Akira Takarada , Momoko Kôchi , Takashi Shimura Runtime 96 Minutes

Although Godzilla Minus One was also briefly mentioned before, there is no better nuclear monster film than the original Godzilla from 1954. Originally living beneath the water as an ancient sea creature, Godzilla only comes up above ground once its peace is disturbed as a result of atomic testing. It then went on to terrorize Japan, taking on the entire Japanese Armed Forces and leaving countless innocents with radiation sickness as a result of its irradiated breath.

At its core, Godzilla is a representation of the atomic bomb itself and the terrible carnage that weapon left in its wake across Japan. It is a bleak story, but also so very true to life in a way many science fiction movies fail to capture. Godzilla is the bomb and the fears that came along with it, and because of this direct representation and the legacy it would leave, it is the best atomic movie monster of all time.

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