Wall-E is an animated example of our post-apocalyptic theme. I guess, in a backwards sort of way, so is Terminator a post-apocalyptic film. Even though the majority of the action is in the current time before the apocalyptic events, the flash forwards certainly depict the "after" world. It's also very popular on the smaller screen with past examples like Dark Angel starring Jessica Alba, and, of course, currently, Revolution and Defiance. I think the challenge of these films from a writing standpoint is simply what does the last man/woman/garbage collecter *do* all alone. Makes dialogue a bugger, that's for sure! The Boy doesn't just have a dog, it's a telepathic dog! While a lone, or almost-alone, character can be made to work in the post-apocalyptic movie, that simply can't play on television. It certainly does seem to be a perennial favourite though, and, if the lone survivors have been fighting the zombie hordes since 1964's The Last Man on Earth, well, it doesn't even seem to require that much of a twist to get butts in the seats. :) A lot of these films seem to straddle the sci-fi/horror/mainstream action genres, so, it's potential audience seems likely to be mostly male - but, perhaps a few more female-centric leads might help change that. Really, if the Terminator was a gal come back to save a father and brilliant daughter, wouldn't it work just as well - maybe even better? So, if nothing else, a few gender-bending twists still exist for the well-used boilerplate.

Does The Matrix count? Escape From New York?