International movies that are based on deadly virus outbreaks

Contagion 

The coronavirus outbreak bears a striking resemblance to the plot of the 2011 Steven Soderbergh movie, Contagion. The film starred Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon in key roles. Fans have been comparing Contagion to the current coronavirus outbreak, with many plot elements mirroring what is going on in real life. In the movie, there is an outbreak of an fictional epidemic called MEV-1 virus which kills millions of humans.

 

The Flu

The Flu is an South Korean disaster film written and directed by Kim Sung su which is about an outbreak of a deadly virus called H5N1 that kills victims within 36 hours, throwing the district of Bundang in Seongnam, which has a population of nearly half a million people, into chaos. The movie tells the story of panic, despair, and sorrow of a hopless city that has been isolated and essentially left to be dead. 

12 Monkeys 

Terry Gilliam's 1995 film, 12 Monkeys starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt follows the story of a time traveller sent back to the 90s to identify the origin of a global pandemic that almost wipes out the human race due to the release of a deadly virus by a group known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. The film was shot mostly in Philadelphia and Baltimore, where the story was set. The film was released to critical praise and Brad Pitt was nominated for the  Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and won a Golden Globe Award for his performance.

Cabin Fever

Eli Roth's directorial debut follows a group of recent college graduates who become infected with a flesh eating virus during a camping trip. The inspiration for the film's story came from a real-life experience during a  trip to Iceland when Roth developed a skin infection. Upon release the movie opened to mixed reviews. The performance of the lead cast was appreciated by both audience and critics alike. 

Outbreak

When a new viral hemorrhagic disease breaks out in a small American town, CDC scientists race against time to stop it from spreading. Unfortunately, they also have to deal with a bloodthirsty Army general who wants the virus for a bioweapon and is determined to prevent a cure. The film which released in 1995 was helmed by director Wolfgang Petersen. 

28 Days Later

In Danny Boyle's 2003 original '28 Days Later' the world is beset by a viral pandemic that turns anyone infected into a permanently enraged monsters. While the mysterious and incurable virus spreads, those who managed to survive it, try their hardest to find sanctuary. The film, with a zombie apocalypse undertone, comes with sharp political allegory