Prime Video has made headlines with its truly awfulWar of the Worldsmovie, but those tempted to watch it out of curiosity should check a much better TV version ofWar of the Worldsinstead. Howard Overman’s three-season adaptation of the seminal sci-fi novel by H.G. Wells is the worthiest watch of any recent screen version.
Amazon appears to have made their new movie adaptation starring Ice Cube with precisely the reaction they’re getting in mind. The critical panningWar of the Worldshas received is bringing far more eyes to their streaming platform than any respectable version of the film would have.
This apparently cynical attention grab could usher in a new trend ofstreaming services producing worse movies and TV showson purpose, in order to bait viewers with car-crash content. By contrast, genuine fans ofThe War of the Worldsare pointing audiences towards the novel’s 2005 adaptation, which is one ofSteven Spielberg’s highest-grossing movies.
Yet, the TV version ofWar of the Worldsthat ran from 2019 to 2022 is superior to Spielberg’s rendering, too, as well as being more faithful to its source material. This is the version most deserving of fan recommendations.
Prime Video’s War Of The Worlds Movie Is The Worst Version Ever Made
The2025War of the Worldsmovie is so badthat, for many viewers, it crosses over into the territory of must-see movie fails, inhabited by such classics as Tommy Wiseau’s legendary cinematic disasterThe Room. It’s highly likely that Amazon planned for it to acquire this status.
Every TV & Movie Version of The War Of The Worlds
The War of the Worlds (1953)
89%
War of the Worlds (1988–1989)
-
60%
War of the Worlds(2005)
76%
17%
68%
War of the Worlds(2019–2022)
78%
War of the Worlds(2025)
3%
This sense that the film is so bad it’s good might explain howWar of the Worldshas narrowly avoided a 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, the movie’s shameless product placements and weaponization of government disputes with Amazon over data protection are enough to undermine the sense of irony with which people enjoy just how bad it is.
Howard Overman’s War Of The Worlds TV Show Is The Best Modern Screen Adaptation
On the other hand, Howard Overman’sthree-season TV adaptation ofWar of the Worldsstarring Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern is the best modern screen version of the story. This show is a proper sci-fi rendering, which is as visually accomplished as it is narratively captivating.
Howard Overman is best-known as the creator of the British sci-fi comedy seriesMisfits, as well as the fantasy showMerlinand crime dramaHustle.
It’s also more faithful to H.G. Wells’ original novel The War of the Worlds than Steven Spielberg’s 2005 movie starring Tom Cruise. What’s more, Overman’s version is better plotted than the BBC miniseries also released in 2019, with far superior visual effects thanks to its much larger budget.
Where To Stream All 3 Seasons Of This 78% RT Series
This iteration ofWar of the Worldsis one of the mostunderrated sci-fi shows of the 2010s, which didn’t get the audience it deserved when it was first released on Epix in the United States. However, the entire series is now available to stream on Disney+.
French viewers can also stream it on Canal+, since StudioCanal was involved in its production. Anyone who’s annoyed with all the attention Ice Cube’sWar of the Worldsis currently getting should find solace in this excellent TV adaptation of the same story, if they haven’t already.
War of the Worlds
War of the Worlds is a serialized sci-fi thriller television show that retells the classic invasion story from H.G. Wells. When astronomers detect evidence of extra-terrestrial life, the attempt to engage in meaningful contact is erased when the visitors from another world begin laying waste to the world, wiping out nearly all life on Earth. Humanity is now forced to band together in small societies while hiding from their alien assailants as they attempt to make sense of it all – and try to find a way to fight back.
Cast
Will Radford, a top Homeland Security cyber-security analyst, oversees surveillance to detect threats. After an attack by an unknown source, his trust in the system falters. Radford grows suspicious that the government is withholding vital information—not just from him, but from the world—forcing him to confront troubling questions about the truth behind his work.
