What To Watch
26 Sci-Fi Movies to Stream in Any Universe
Defeat (or befriend) aliens, travel through time, or save the world in these films.
By Jen A. Miller and Erin Corbett
March 20, 2026
26 Sci-Fi Movies Like Project Hail Mary to Watch on Netflix - Netflix Tudum
Science fiction is limitless — and not just because of the potential for time travel. Whether you’re searching for a space adventure, a psychological thriller, something that will make you laugh, or an adventure suitable for the entire family, the sci-fi genre has you covered. The breadth becomes obvious by looking at just a few of this year’s epic offerings: Alan Ritchson tackles an alien threat in War Machine, Ryan Gosling journeys to space on a mysterious world-saving mission in Project Hail Mary, and Timothée Chalamet fights off Robert Pattinson on Arrakis in Dune: Part Three.
No matter what kind of experience you’re looking for, there are all kinds of science-fiction options from across the movie universe that will help you slip into another reality, or timeline, or even a new dimension — all by just settling in on your couch and hitting play. Here are 26 such films you can pull into your orbit right now. Grab some popcorn, start the countdown clock, and prepare for liftoff.
Popular Now
If you want to watch a sci-fi movie…
The Adam Project
It’s not every day you can team up with your younger self, but you’re also not fighter pilot Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds), who goes back in time from 2050 to try to save his wife (Zoe Saldaña) and ends up in the wrong place and, well, time. Despite being a movie about grief, it’s also a funny and heartwarming film with assists from Mark Ruffalo and Catherine Keener, along with Walker Scobell, who plays 12-year-old Adam.
Bird Box
At the opening of the thriller Bird Box, Marloie Hayes (Sandra Bullock) puts two children into a boat, with blindfolds covering their eyes, and gives them stern instructions to not take them off, trying to stress without terrifying them that it’s a matter of life or death. But why? That’s what you’ll find out as this sci-fi horror-thriller jumps back in time to show how they got to this point, and the grave threat to their lives if they remove the cloth and take a peek at the world beyond the shield. Watch (or rewatch) it now, and then let follow-up film Bird Box: Barcelona unleash a wrath of its own.
Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro returns to sci-fi’s roots with a bold adaptation of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic. Oscar Isaac stars as Victor Frankenstein, a tortured scientist consumed by the belief that death can be conquered. Through forbidden experiments, he creates a living being — the Creature (Jacob Elordi). But when Victor rejects his own creation, the Creature is left to face the unknown and navigate a world that fears him.
In the Shadow of the Moon
In 1988, Philadelphia police officer Thomas Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook) encountered an alleged serial killer (Cleopatra Coleman), who seemed to have caused the deaths of several people across the city. All the victims had strange puncture wounds on their necks, and then died from brain hemorrhages. When Lockhart eventually caught up with the killer, they seemingly fell in front of a train and died. Nine years later, the same mysterious deaths begin again — and the same woman seems to have returned from the grave. Lockhart, now a detective, must unravel this time-tripping mystery in order to save the future from a world-altering event. This time-travel thriller, directed by Jim Mickle, also stars Michael C. Hall and Bokeem Woodbine.
JUNG_E
After Earth is made just about uninhabitable due to climate change in the 22nd century, humans are forced to live in space-based shelters in this South Korean sci-fi film. It’s not all harmony, as many of the same problems that plagued Earth are transported into space, including violence and war; plus plenty of thorny questions about the ethics of robots and AI. That’s the focus of the movie: After a series of bad breaks, Captain Yun Jung-yi’s (Kang Soo-yeon) brain is cloned. She and her family are told it’s for good. As you can imagine, that’s not entirely the case.
The Midnight Sky
After surviving the end of the world, scientist Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney) has one primary mission from his remote Arctic outpost: Despite his own failing health, he sets out to save the crew of a space mission that doesn’t know most of the world’s population has been wiped out. If he can’t make contact and convince them to go back to the Jupiter moon that was their original mission target, he knows that they could be wiped out too. Lofthouse is helped along by a little girl (Caoilinn Springall) — or is he?
Rim of the World
A shy, socially awkward boy named Alex (Jack Gore) is sent to the summer camp for which this sci-fi adventure, directed by McG, is named. It's not long before he bands together with a group of fellow misfits. While wandering the woods one day, the group misses an evacuation call and returns to camp to find it empty. Alien ships were seen invading the valley. As luck would have it, a spacecraft returning from the International Space Station lands nearby. The dying astronaut gives Alex a key and tells him he must save the world.
See You Yesterday
Soon after science prodigy C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) invents a way to travel through time, her older brother Calvin (Astro) is shot and killed by police. Why not go back in time to save him? Well, for a lot of reasons. The fact that high school teacher Mr. Lockhart is played by Back to the Future’s Michael J. Fox might be a clue as to the implications of time travel, and how going back can affect the future in ways you’d never expect.
Spiderhead
Would you turn yourself into a test subject in order to shorten a prison sentence? In the psychological thriller Spiderhead, that’s exactly what inmates, including those played by Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett, have agreed to do. They volunteer themselves for chemical experimentation, as part of a program overseen by an eccentric scientist (Chris Hemsworth), because they think the trade-off of getting out of prison early will be worth it. But will that be the case — if they survive at all? They might not be getting what they bargained for.
If you want to watch a sci-fi comedy…
Blasted
A lot can go wrong at a bachelor party — a missed dinner reservation, a groomsman imbibing one too many, or the groom wandering off with someone who’s not his betrothed can derail everything. But what about an alien invasion? That’s the case in this sci-fi comedy, where the obvious solution to save the world is for childhood friends Sebastian (Axel Bøyum) and Mikkel (Fredrik Skogsrud) to do what they did best as kids: laser tag. It’s an out-of-this-world premise, but that’s the fun of this Norwegian romp.
Don't Look Up
A comet is set to destroy the planet in six months. The world should unite to stop it and save humanity, right? Not necessarily, as happens in this star-packed satire. Between a president (Meryl Streep) who can’t seem to care, a greedy billionaire (Mark Rylance) who wants to harvest the comet’s materials, competing public relations campaigns (Just Look Up vs. Don’t Look Up) and an accompanying media spectacle, it’s a darkly funny film that’s both a spoof and reflection of our current world. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, and Timothée Chalamet also star.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Can AI get revenge? That’s what happens in this animated film about the Mitchell family, who are driving cross-country together when a rogue AI assistant named PAL decides to use robots to start launching humans into space. After evading capture, the Mitchells band together to stop the robots’ rampage. This isn’t a dour movie; it’s sci-fi, but family friendly. You’ll laugh, maybe cry — and absolutely never think of Furbys the same way again.
We Can Be Heroes
We can’t always leave the job of saving the world up to adults. Kids can be heroes too, as is the case in this film, which is a sequel to the 2005 movie The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3-D. But if you haven’t seen that one, don’t worry. We Can Be Heroes also works as a standalone flick. In it, Missy Moreno (YaYa Gosselin) is called into action along with the other Heroics’ children to battle — of course — aliens. Learning the kids’ powers, like super-strength, altering time and, in a nod to the first film, shark strength, is fun, as are their training montages, courtesy of Moreon’s grandmother (Adriana Barraza). It’s a family movie with real action chops thanks to writer-director Robert Rodriguez. Pedro Pascal and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also star.
If you want to watch some action sci-fi…
Army of the Dead
If you’re a fan of zombie and heist movies, Army of the Dead combines both in a thrilling adventure. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film follows a ragtag team led by mercenary Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) that sets out to recover $200 million from a vault in a Las Vegas casino overrun by zombies. Of course, nothing goes to plan, but it’s a wild ride to get to the final battle. Go all in on all things Dead by also streaming the prequel, Army of Thieves.
The Electric State
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame, The Gray Man) and set in an alternate, retro-futuristic America, this action-adventure film follows Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), a young woman traveling with a mysterious robot companion. On a cross-country mission to find Michelle’s younger brother, they team up with drifter Keats (Chris Pratt) and journey through a world powered by machines — with eerie parallels to our present day.
Jurassic World
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard lead director Colin Trevorrow’s follow-up to Steven Spielberg’s 1993 sci-fi classic, Jurassic Park. The all-new Jurassic World is a luxury resort in which guests can observe dinosaurs in their secure habitats. But when the newest exhibit, the Indominus Rex — a towering beast smarter and more vicious than any other animal on the island — gets loose, it’s up to ethologist and raptor trainer Owen Grady (Pratt) to stop the apex predator before it hurts anyone. In the midst of the havoc, the stakes become personal when operations manager Claire Dearing (Howard) realizes her nephews have wandered into the creature’s path alone.
This dino romp’s sequels — Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic World: Dominion, and Jurassic World Rebirth — are also available to watch on Netflix.
The Old Guard
A group of centuries-old warriors use their skills and regenerative ability to do good, working as mercenaries to save people from the worst of humanity. But because of their skills, they’re also a target. They’re set up by a former client (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who wants to figure out the underpinnings of their superhuman ability to heal themselves after what would, for everyone else, be deadly attacks. It’s a standout role for Charlize Theron, who stars as Andy, leader of the warrior group that also includes KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli. And if you just can’t get enough of these immortal mercenaries, you’re in luck — there’s a sequel.
Outside the Wire
Can a drone pilot (Damson Idris) and an android posing as a person (Anthony Mackie) stop a nuclear attack? That’s the question posed in this action movie set in the not-too-distant future of 2036. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something in the sci-fi realm that takes place in another reality, but one not too completely removed — in years, at least — from our own. It’s a serious topic, but given Mackie’s comedic chops, you can also expect a few laughs along the way.
War Machine
Alan Ritchson stars as a combat engineer who endeavors to realize his brother’s childhood dream by entering the elite US Army Ranger selection. During the final stage of the rigorous training program, the candidates face a giant, otherworldly killing machine and must work together to survive. Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Blake Richardson, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber also star in this sci-fi action flick, directed by Patrick Hughes.
If you want to watch some space sci-fi…
I Am Mother
After a mass extinction event on earth, life can still go on, because of a robot named Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne) located in a bunker that can grow a human embryo she names Daughter (Clara Rugaard). Mother tells Daughter that the world outside is not safe, but Daughter realizes this might not be true when she hears a voice (Hilary Swank) outside calling for help. Meeting this stranger upends Daughter’s life — and the world Mother has tried to cultivate — with a twist you may not be expecting.
Oxygen
A woman (Mélanie Laurent) wakes up in a cryogenic chamber, without remembering who she is, where she is or how she got there. What she does know is that she’s about to run out of oxygen, and that an advanced AI assistant M.I.L.O. (which stands for Medical Interface Liaison Officer) doesn’t want to help her. Her attempt to get the air she needs, and figure out why she’s in the chamber in the first place, makes for a thrilling ride in this French sci-fi film.
Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire
Director Zack Snyder launches his work into space with this epic sci-fi fantasy, in which a peaceful, distant moon settlement finds itself threatened by a tyrannical army. In Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire, the moon colony sends Kora (Sofia Boutella), a young woman with a mysterious past, to find warriors from across the galaxy to help. In Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver, the saga continues — and concludes — in spectacular space opera fashion, with an A-list cast that also includes Djimon Hounsou, Michiel Huisman, Charlie Hunnam, Anthony Hopkins, Jena Malone, Ed Skrein, and more.
Spaceman
When Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) sets off on a six-month space mission, his goal is to investigate a mysterious dust and particle cloud on the far side of Jupiter. But at the same time, he’s also running away from his personal life, which includes a wife (Carey Mulligan) and unborn daughter, and their marriage continues to fray while he’s away. Is the mysterious spider-like creature who emerges from his ship and offers to help real? Or a figment of Jakub’s imagination as he tries to fix his marriage?
Space Sweepers
Space might seem endless to us in this world, but in Space Sweepers, set in an alternate 2092 when the world’s elite have fled a climate-changed Earth to homes orbiting it, space debris can be a problem. Someone has to take care of it, which falls on a space sweeping crew that collects this trash and sells it to the mega corporation that created the Earth-orbiting abodes. In the process, they find a child robot named Dorothy that holds a weapon of mass destruction. What do they do now? That’s what you’ll find out in this Korean sci-fi adventure.
Stowaway
Any trip to Mars will have to be meticulously planned, down to how much oxygen will be needed to support whatever crew is onboard. That plan is ruined on this fictional trip to the Red Planet when a support engineer (Shamier Anderson) accidentally ends up on board, and also accidentally destroys the carbon dioxide scrubbers –– which clean the air for humans to breathe –– in the process. The race is on to try and figure out a solution that will enable all four people on the ship (including roles played by Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, and Toni Collette) to survive in this high-wire space thriller.
Warriors of Future
When a meteor crashes into Earth, it doesn’t just bring metals and minerals with it. In this sci-fi epic from Hong Kong, the meteor crashing into Earth in 2055 is also carrying a predatory alien plant called Pandora that can take down entire communities, and also clean up pollutants that have already ruined the planet. It’s up to an elite fighter squad to stop the plant’s path of destruction to save what’s left of the Earth, and possibly reverse the climate change damage already inflicted on it.
Mind-Bending Movies & Shows To Stream NowFrom 'Russian Doll' to 'Love, Death & Robots', these surreal watches will take you on a trip.
Shop
Discover More What To Watch
What To WatchThe bees disappear along with everyone’s sanity in the 2025 comedic thriller.By Krutika MallikarjunaApril 26
What To WatchGo inside these gripping stories of power, truth and survival.By Ananda Dillon and Leah CarrollApril 24
What To WatchStream How to Train Your Dragon, You've Got Mail, Train to Busan, and more before the month ends.By Ashley LeeApril 24
What To WatchClear eyes, full hearts, screens on.By Tudum StaffApril 24
What To WatchThese comedies understood the assignment.By Ananda Dillon and Jessie MooneyApril 24
What To WatchThe Oscar winner co-stars with Taron Egerton in a new survival thriller.By Caitlin BuschApril 24
What To WatchFor when you’re seeking a thrill ride from the comfort of your own home.By Allison Picurro & Derek LawrenceApril 24
What To WatchDiego Luna and more star in these new previews.By Caitlin BuschApril 24
Discover More Sci-Fi
First LookThe sci-fi thriller is coming Aug. 7.By Stephan Lee5:26 am
NewsA new adventure awaits Hawkins.By Keisha HatchettYesterday 7:00 pm
NewsHere’s everything to know about the series set in the Stranger Things universe.By Tara Bitran and Thea GlassmanApril 23
NewsWatch the teaser for the upcoming series starring Park Eun-bin and Cha Eun-woo.By Natalie MorinApril 23
Who’s WhoGet to know the actors returning to the show for its second run.By Olivia HarrisonApril 22
First LookWinter has settled in, along with a terrifying new threat.By Keisha HatchettApril 21
Related Videos
Skip IntroGoth shares what it was like to receive a phone call from Guillermo del Toro.Nov. 2829:27
Making OfWatch the latest edition of Film School.Nov. 1411:06
TrailerThere are two sides to every story.Oct. 12:12
Behind the ScenesTake a peek under the hood and discover what makes this little guy tick.March 14, 20257:42
PodcastsGo behind the scenes with Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt.March 7, 202521:04
TrailerIt’s humans and bots against the world.March 3, 20251:57
Sneak PeekStarring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, The Electric State is out March 14.Jan. 30, 20251:58
TrailerMillie Bobby Brown stars in the aftermath of the robot war.Dec. 18, 20241:30
