The maze was only the beginning. In Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, the young survivors who escaped the labyrinth discover that freedom is just another kind of trap. The film pushes the series into darker, dustier territory – a post-apocalyptic odyssey of trust, betrayal, and the will to endure when the world itself burns.
Directed by Wes Ball and starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, this second chapter of the blockbuster trilogy transforms claustrophobic tension into widescreen chaos. With its mix of kinetic action and moral unease, it’s one of the most visually intense YA adaptations of the 2010s. Here is everything you need to know about Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – from the plot and cast to reviews and release date. The trailer is at the bottom of the article.
All the key details about Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
- Title: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
- Format: Film
- Length: 131 minutes
- Genre: Sci-fi thriller, dystopian action
- Year of release: 2015
- Director: Wes Ball
- Main cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Giancarlo Esposito
- Produced by: 20th Century Fox
What happens in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials?
After escaping the deadly maze, Thomas and his fellow Gladers believe safety is finally within reach. But the outside world – known as “the Scorch” – is a sun-blasted wasteland filled with deadly storms, collapsed cities, and the infected remnants of humanity.
As they uncover WCKD’s sinister experiments and the truth about their own existence, the group must cross the Scorch to find a rumored resistance movement. Along the way, shifting loyalties and impossible choices test who they can trust – and who they’ll have to become to survive.
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Who’s in the cast of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials?
Dylan O’Brien anchors the film as Thomas, torn between leadership and rebellion. Kaya Scodelario brings quiet resolve to Teresa, whose choices haunt the group, while Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Newt) and Ki Hong Lee (Minho) deepen the emotional pulse of the story.
The sequel adds powerful new faces: Giancarlo Esposito as the enigmatic Jorge and Rosa Salazar as the fierce, unpredictable Brenda – both standouts who expand the universe beyond the Glade.
Is Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials based on a true story?
No – it’s adapted from James Dashner’s 2010 novel of the same name, part of the bestselling Maze Runner book series. The screenplay by T.S. Nowlin streamlines the dense source material, intensifying the chase narrative and exploring what freedom costs in a dying world.
What are the reviews on Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials?
Critics praised its relentless pacing and expansive world-building, noting the leap in scale from the first film. While some found the plot sprawling, many highlighted its bleaker, grittier tone and the stunt-driven physicality of Dylan O’Brien’s performance. Audience reception remains mixed-positive, with fans calling it the franchise’s most intense entry. The visual effects and production design drew particular attention for giving the desolate Scorch a tangible, lived-in feel. Others commended the sequel’s willingness to dive into moral ambiguity, turning a straightforward escape story into a tale about trust, manipulation, and survival in a world without heroes.
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Where was Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials filmed?
The production turned New Mexico’s deserts and industrial relics into the Scorch’s sand-blasted wasteland. Notable spots include the Albuquerque Rail Yards, the former Winrock Mall courtyard for a key attack sequence, and the Gilman Tunnels north of Jemez Pueblo for the rebel outpost.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials: Behind the scenes and fun facts
The ruined-city look relied heavily on real locations and practical debris to capture heat, dust, and scale with minimal CGI. O’Brien performed many of his own chase and fight beats, amplifying the film’s raw, on-foot energy. As the bridge between the original and final chapters, this sequel broadens the mythology and sets the stage for The Death Cure (2018).
What’s Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials like?
If you enjoyed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire or Divergent: Insurgent, this is the right film for you — blending dystopian survival, found-family stakes, and nerve-jangling chases across a hostile desert.
When is Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials coming out on streaming?
Available now. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is already streaming on Netflix. Watch on Netflix.
Watch the trailer
In the meantime, here’s the trailer. Watch on YouTube.
