The Colour Out of Space
Though based on the original novel by VanderMeer, for some critics the film betrays obvious similarities with the science-fiction novel "Roadside Picnic" and its 1979 movie adaptation, "Stalker". While Nerdist Industries' Kyle Anderson noted even stronger resemblance with the 1927 short story "The Colour Out of Space" by H. P. Lovecraft (also adapted for the screen on several occasions, including as "Color Out of Space" in 2019), about a meteorite that lands in a swamp and unleashes a mutagenic plague, Chris McCoy of the "Memphis Flyer" found the film ("Annihilation") reminiscent both of "The Colour Out of Space", as well as the novel ("Roadside Picnic") and its film adaptation ("Stalker"). VanderMeer categorically stated that the original novel "is 100% NOT a tribute to Picnic/Stalker" but this has been met with considerable skepticism.