Apocalyptic movies show what we worry about most
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - 06:40
in Mathematics & Economics
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, movies about post-apocalyptic worlds—often brought about by deadly, fast-spreading viruses—drew millions of eyeballs. Now, with millions of people at home because of the COVID-19 outbreak, many are flocking to such narratives. The 2011 thriller "Contagion," which depicts the spread of a lethal virus from China, has recently become one of the most popular movies on iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, and in the Warner Bros. library. The 1995 blockbuster "Outbreak," about a killer virus in the U.S., consistently made Netflix's top 10 most-watched list in March.