Maze Runner Movies in Order and How They Differ From the Books
There are three Maze Runner films, all directed by Wes Ball: The Maze Runner (2014), The Scorch Trials (2015) and The Death Cure (2018). They are best watched in release order, which is also the story order.
The first film follows the book closely. The two sequels change a great deal.
| Film | Released |
|---|---|
| The Maze Runner | September 2014 |
| Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials | 18 September 2015 |
| Maze Runner: The Death Cure | 26 January 2018 |
| The Kill Order and The Fever Code | Not filmed |
In what order do I watch them?
Watch them in release order. Each one continues directly from the last, and the books follow the same sequence. The two prequel novels, The Kill Order and The Fever Code, have not been adapted.
↑ Back to the topWhy did The Death Cure take so long?
The third film was first set for February 2017. Production stopped in March 2016 after star Dylan O'Brien was seriously injured in an on-set accident in Vancouver. Filming was delayed more than once while he recovered, and the release moved to January 2018.
The first two films earned roughly 348 million and 312 million dollars worldwide, according to published figures.
↑ Back to the topHow close is the first film?
Reviewers generally call the 2014 film a fairly faithful version of the novel, with changes in detail. The telepathic link between Thomas and Teresa is left out, and some scenes around the Gladers' fight with Gally are altered.
↑ Back to the topWhat changed in The Scorch Trials?
Most of the changes are here. The film drops the Thomas and Teresa telepathy, uses a smaller group of survivors than the book, shows the Right Arm earlier, and ends with a large fight that does not appear in the novels.
↑ Back to the topWhat changed in The Death Cure?
Fans counted more than twenty differences between The Death Cure and the book. The core story remains: Thomas works with rebels to break into WICKED and save his friends, and both Newt and Teresa die. But the way the events unfold is different, and the film's survivors escape to a safe haven by the sea, not the lush paradise of the novel.
The book also ends with an epilogue from Ava Paige, which the film does not use. Our book ending guide covers it in full.
↑ Back to the topMore about The Maze Runner
This guide covers the novels and the films as published and released. Page counts and reading-level scores vary by source and edition.