The Darkest Minds

After a mysterious illness wipes out most of the country’s children, a small band of teens survives with extraordinary abilities. They are rounded up and kept in government run camps under strict control. A sixteen year old girl discovers a dangerous power and, determined to avoid capture, escapes with the help of others who also hide from the authorities. The group forms a wary alliance, dodges patrols, and probes the system that treats them as threats. As they seek safety, they uncover clues about the disease and their own identities, and must decide who to trust in a world that fears their gifts. Together they reckon with danger and choose who they want to be.

Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, The Darkest Minds adapts Alexandra Bracken's novel. It released in 2018 from 20th Century Fox with a budget around 34 million and stars Amandla Stenberg, Harris Dickinson, Mandy Moore, and Patrick Gibson. The project marked a significant moment for director Jennifer Yuh Nelson as she steered a large tentpole in a YA era.

Critics offered mixed signals, praising the performances and the film’s energy while noting uneven pacing and familiar genre beats. The story wrestles with oppression and the costs of fear driven control, while themes of belonging, autonomy, and moral choice under pressure drive the teen ensemble's decisions.

The movie sits in the late 2010s wave of YA adaptations that explore power, survival, and civil rights under pressure. While it did not become a major cultural touchstone, it reinforced interest in teen led dystopias and helped shape expectations for future adaptations that mix action with social questions.

Worldwide box office gross totaled 41,142,379, against a production budget of 34,000,000, reflecting modest performance for a mid range YA adaptation that found a niche audience overseas.