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The Road adaptations: books & films
Every version of The Road — the books & films, compared across media.
A father and son move through a burned, ashen world where an unnamed catastrophe has scoured civilization to cinders. The Road follows their journey south through a ravaged landscape almost emptied of life, testing the bond between parent and child against relentless cold and danger. Cormac McCarthy's novel and the 2009 film adaptation carry the same story across two media, each arriving at that desolate world through its own form.
The Road films
The Road books
Frequently asked
Is The Road based on a book?
Yes. The Road originated as a novel by Cormac McCarthy — described in its own synopsis as his most harrowing and deeply personal work — set in a world devastated by an unnamed catastrophe.
How many versions of The Road are there?
Two versions are collected here: McCarthy's original novel and the 2009 film adaptation, both titled The Road and following the same father-and-son survival journey through a burned world.
What is the story of The Road?
A father and his son travel through a burned, post-catastrophe America. The world has been scoured to a cinder, cold enough to crack stones, and inhabited only by the last remnants of humanity. Their destination is the warmer south.