The 2020s have already showcased emerging trends in sci-fi cinema, shaped by technological advancements, shifting audience preferences, and global events. While we are only midway through the decade, clear patterns are forming in how science fiction is evolving.
Key trends in the decade, so far, are:
Rise of Streaming-Driven Sci-Fi:
Sci-fi films and series are thriving on platforms like Netflix (The Midnight Sky, Don’t Look Up), Apple TV+ (Foundation, Silo), and Amazon Prime (The Peripheral, Fallout).
More experimental and niche sci-fi projects are getting greenlit due to direct-to-streaming distribution.
AI, Virtual Reality, and the Metaverse:
The rapid progress of real-world AI (e.g., ChatGPT, deepfakes) is reflected in films exploring AI-human interactions (The Creator), sentient machines (M3GAN), and digital consciousness.
Virtual reality and metaverse themes continue (Free Guy, The Matrix Resurrections).
Climate Change and Eco-Dystopias:
Sci-fi films are increasingly tackling climate crises, eco-collapse, and survival (Dune: Part One, Don’t Look Up, The Wandering Earth 2).
The genre is shifting from traditional post-apocalypse to near-future climate-based cautionary tales.
Hard Sci-Fi and Space Exploration:
Following Interstellar and The Martian, scientifically grounded space films remain popular (Ad Astra, Moonfall).
The private space race (Elon Musk, SpaceX, Artemis missions) is inspiring realistic sci-fi stories.
Multiversal and Nonlinear Storytelling:
Inspired by the success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Tenet (2020), multiverse narratives dominate (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness).
Cyberpunk and AI Reimagined:
The cyberpunk aesthetic is returning but with a modern twist (The Creator, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners).
AI as both a tool and a threat is central to many sci-fi stories.
Franchise and Legacy Sequels: Major franchises continue to expand:
Dune: Part Two (2024), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Marvel (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Star Wars spin-offs (Ahsoka, The Mandalorian)
The Matrix Resurrections, Blade Runner 2099 (in development)
International Sci-Fi on the Rise:
Chinese sci-fi is gaining global attention (The Wandering Earth films, Three-Body Problem series).
Indian and Korean sci-fi are expanding (Jawan, Alienoid).
Horror Sci-Fi Crossover Popularity:
Films like Nope, Infinity Pool, 65, and Underwater show the continued appeal of blending sci-fi with horror elements.
Social and Political Sci-Fi:
Films explore themes of surveillance, misinformation, corporate control (Don’t Look Up, The Creator).
Dystopias now feel more grounded in present-day concerns than ever before.
AI & Consciousness: As real-world AI advances, expect deeper explorations of AI ethics, rights, and threats.
Space Colonization: As Mars missions progress, sci-fi will depict more realistic off-world settlements.
Post-Post-Apocalypse: Instead of total collapse, sci-fi may explore rebuilding civilizations (Dune).
More International Influence: The success of The Wandering Earth and Three-Body Problem suggests that global perspectives on sci-fi will continue to grow.
The 2020s are shaping up to be a decade where sci-fi reflects real-world technological and environmental concerns while also embracing bold, innovative storytelling.
I will be adding movies of this decade over time.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, this mind-bending espionage thriller follows a CIA agent recruited into a secret organization that manipulates the flow of time to prevent global catastrophe. Using "time inversion," characters can move backward through time, creating stunning visual and narrative paradoxes. Blending large-scale action with philosophical questions about fate and free will, Tenet is both ambitious and complex, exemplifying Nolan’s fascination with time and perception.
Directed by and starring George Clooney, this post-apocalyptic drama follows a lone scientist in the Arctic who tries to warn a returning space crew not to come back to a devastated Earth. Alternating between Earth and space, the story explores isolation, regret, and the hope of human endurance. The film combines melancholy atmosphere with striking visuals and a reflective tone.
Directed by Leigh Whannell, this modern reimagining of H.G. Wells’ classic centers on a woman (Elisabeth Moss) escaping an abusive tech genius who fakes his death and uses advanced invisibility technology to torment her. The film merges science fiction with psychological horror, updating its premise to tackle issues of control and trauma in the digital age.
Directed by Gavin Rothery, this introspective sci-fi film follows a scientist (Theo James) working on artificial intelligence while secretly attempting to recreate the consciousness of his deceased wife. Set in an isolated research facility, it examines grief, memory, and the blurred line between love and obsession. With sleek design and emotional depth, Archive evokes comparisons to Ex Machina and Moon.
Directed by William Eubank, this sci-fi thriller stars Kristen Stewart as part of a deep-sea drilling crew that must survive after an earthquake devastates their facility only to discover mysterious creatures lurking in the depths. Mixing claustrophobic tension with Lovecraftian horror, the film delivers atmospheric suspense and a strong visual style.
Directed by Michael Matthews, this post-apocalyptic adventure follows Joel (Dylan O’Brien) as he leaves his underground colony to reunite with his girlfriend in a world overrun by giant mutated creatures. Balancing humor, heart, and creature-feature thrills, it tells a story of growth and courage amid colorful world-building and inventive monster design.
Directed by Brandon Cronenberg, this disturbing sci-fi horror film explores corporate assassination through mind control. A skilled agent (Andrea Riseborough) inhabits other people’s bodies to carry out killings but begins to lose control of her identity. Blending surreal imagery, psychological disintegration, and extreme violence, Possessor continues the Cronenberg legacy of body horror and existential dread.
Directed by David S.F. Wilson, this adaptation of the Valiant Comics series stars Vin Diesel as a slain soldier resurrected with nanotechnology that grants him superhuman abilities and regeneration. As his memories are manipulated by those who control him, he struggles to uncover the truth about his past. Mixing cyber-enhancement themes with action-heavy spectacle, Bloodshot explores the commodification of identity and revenge in a digitized world.
Directed by Egor Abramenko, this Russian sci-fi horror film follows a cosmonaut who returns from orbit carrying a parasitic alien organism inside him. A psychologist is brought in to study and contain the situation at a secret Soviet facility. Combining Cold War paranoia with body horror and emotional tension, Sputnik evokes Alien while adding psychological and nationalistic depth.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich, this adaptation of the Capcom video game franchise follows a group of soldiers who are transported to another world teeming with giant creatures. Blending fantasy action and military sci-fi, Monster Hunter offers large-scale creature spectacle and relentless combat. Nice time-pass, and Milla is in it!
Directed by Yoon Sung-hyun, this South Korean dystopian thriller is set in a near-future slum after economic collapse. A group of friends plans a heist to escape to a better life but find themselves hunted by a relentless assassin. With gritty tension and stylish cinematography, Time to Hunt delivers both social critique and high-stakes action.
Directed by Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, this thriller is set in near-future New Orleans where a mysterious pill grants users random super-powers for just 5 minutes, with potentially deadly consequences. A teenage dealer (Dominique Fishback), a former soldier (Jamie Foxx) and a cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) team up to uncover the source of the drug and stop a conspiracy exploiting the city’s most vulnerable. This high-concept premise explores themes of power, societal inequality and morality.
Directed by Eric Demeusy, this indie sci-fi drama follows a young NASA scientist who encounters a UFO and becomes obsessed with proving his abduction. Mixing alien mythology with digital-age paranoia, Proximity blends emotion and spectacle on a small budget.
Directed by Seth Larney, this Australian film envisions a future ravaged by climate collapse, where a tunnel worker is sent into the future to find a cure for Earth’s dying atmosphere. The story explores time travel, ecological responsibility, and destiny, wrapped in striking visuals and heartfelt performances. Strong story makes it worth a watch!
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, this adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s bestselling novel follows young genius Artemis Fowl II as he uncovers a hidden world of magic and advanced technology while searching for his missing father. Combining fantasy and science-fiction elements, the film introduces high-tech fairy weaponry and a secret underground civilization. Though unevenly received, Artemis Fowl stands as a visually lavish exploration of myth meeting modern espionage.
Directed by Dean Parisot, the long-awaited third entry in the cult time-travel comedy series reunites Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as the lovable slackers now facing middle age. When told they must write a song to save reality itself, they once again journey across time, this time with their daughters, to inspire humanity. Mixing humor, nostalgia, and optimism, the film delivers a heartfelt message about creativity and unity through the lens of goofy sci-fi adventure.
Directed by Dzhanik Fayziev, this Russian space epic envisions a future where interplanetary peace is maintained through a high-stakes cosmic sport blending soccer, gladiatorial combat, and interstellar diplomacy. When a young man discovers his hidden powers, he becomes humanity’s last hope in the galactic arena. Vibrant and imaginative, Cosmoball combines dazzling CGI with exuberant world-building and anime-style energy.
Directed by Gus Holwerda, this cerebral indie film centers on young scientists who create a time machine only to discover that unseen cosmic entities have been manipulating their experiments. Blending Lovecraftian horror with temporal paradoxes, Intersect explores madness, fate, and the price of scientific curiosity, reminiscent of Primer with a supernatural twist.
Directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk, this sequel to Attraction (2017) continues the story of a young woman whose contact with alien technology has altered her DNA, granting her abilities that could change the fate of humanity. As government and extraterrestrial forces clash over her power, Moscow becomes the battleground for control. With spectacular effects and emotional undercurrents, Invasion combines alien drama with social commentary on fear and control.
Directed by Thijs Meuwese, this Dutch cyberpunk thriller is set in a dystopian world decimated by a viral outbreak and corporate tyranny. A former freedom fighter is drawn back into the underground resistance to retrieve a cure hidden inside a deadly bioweapon. Gritty and atmospheric, Kill Mode channels classic cyberpunk aesthetics and moral ambiguity in its exploration of bioengineering and rebellion.
Directed by Liam O’Donnell, this final entry in the Skyline trilogy expands the franchise into full-scale space opera. When a virus turns friendly alien hybrids hostile, humanity’s elite forces launch an interstellar mission to prevent extinction. With upgraded visuals, strong action choreography, and continuity from earlier films, Skylines evolves from invasion horror into high-concept galactic warfare, closing the trilogy with surprising scope and ambition.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this epic adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he navigates a deadly desert planet rich in “spice” and complex political intrigue. With sweeping visuals, immersive world-building and themes of destiny and ecology, the film became a sci-fi landmark.
Directed by Mikael Håfström, this near-future military thriller stars Anthony Mackie as an advanced android officer teaming up with a drone pilot to stop a nuclear threat. Set in a war-torn Eastern Europe, the film examines autonomy, morality, and the blurred boundaries between man and machine. Fast-paced and sleek, it fuses kinetic action with speculative AI ethics.
Directed by Joe Penna, this tightly wound space survival drama centers on a Mars mission crew who discover an accidental stowaway that throws their life-support balance into crisis. As moral and mathematical pressures mount, the film transforms scientific realism into existential dilemma.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this action sci-fi stars Mark Wahlberg as a man discovering he is part of a secret fraternity of immortals whose memories span centuries. The film explores reincarnation, memory and power, though it was released directly to streaming and met with mixed reception.
Directed by Lisa Joy, this tech-noir thriller stars Hugh Jackman as a memory investigator in a flooded Miami who stumbles into a conspiracy while searching for a lost lover. With its noir atmosphere and memory-manipulation premise, it blends mystery and speculative sci-fi.
Directed by Neil Burger, this sci-fi thriller sees a multi-generational mission of young astronauts travelling to colonize an exoplanet, only to descend into paranoia when their emotions are suppressed. The film interrogates human nature, survival and control in closed-system environments.
Directed by Wyatt Rockefeller, this intimate British sci-fi thriller is set on a remote Mars outpost where a family is attacked by bandits and must survive while contending with alien isolation and interpersonal tension. It offers minimalist visuals, slow-burn suspense and a haunting sense of otherworldly frontier life.
Directed by Maurice Troeijens, this Dutch time-travel adventure follows a fighter pilot from a devastated future who travels back to the present to warn humanity of ecological collapse. However, due to time-travel side effects, she appears as a 12-year-old, making it difficult for anyone to take her seriously. A modest yet heartfelt film with an environmental message wrapped in family-friendly sci-fi.
Doug Liman’s adaptation of Patrick Ness’s novel depicts a distant planet where all women have vanished, and men’s thoughts are audible in a phenomenon called “The Noise.” When a young woman (Daisy Ridley) crash-lands, a farm boy (Tom Holland) must protect her from an oppressive mayor. Despite a troubled production, the film raises fascinating questions about privacy, consciousness, and communication.
Directed by Edward Drake, this military sci-fi stars Bruce Willis and Frank Grillo as soldiers tasked with preemptively striking an alien civilization after first contact. Set in a future where interplanetary war looms, it leans on action and spectacle, though critics noted its B-movie pacing. The premise, of humans as aggressors in the cosmos, offers a grim inversion of typical invasion narratives.
Directed by Adam McKay, this dark satire follows two astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) desperately trying to warn the world of an impending comet impact. A biting commentary on political apathy, media distraction, and climate denial, the film divides audiences between laughter and existential dread. Meryl Streep and Jonah Hill shine in this allegory of willful ignorance.
Directed by Michael Pearce, this psychological sci-fi thriller stars Riz Ahmed as a Marine who believes an alien parasite is invading Earth, prompting him to flee with his sons to “protect” them. Blurring the line between paranoia and reality, the film uses the sci-fi framework to explore trauma, fatherhood, and delusion. Ahmed’s intense performance anchors the emotional core.
Miguel Sapochnik directs this poignant Apple TV+ film starring Tom Hanks as one of the last humans alive in a post-apocalyptic world. With only his dog and a self-built robot (Caleb Landry Jones) for company, Finch embarks on a journey across a dying Earth to ensure his companions’ survival. A tender, humanistic tale about legacy, love, and companionship amid desolation.
Directed by Lana Wachowski, the long-awaited fourth Matrix film revisits Neo (Keanu Reeves) trapped once again in a simulated world, this time as a video-game developer questioning his own reality. Mixing self-referential humor, nostalgia, and meta-commentary on sequels themselves, it polarized fans but stood out for its emotional exploration of love and identity within digital illusion.
Mattson Tomlin’s dystopian drama stars Chloë Grace Moretz as a pregnant woman fleeing across a hostile landscape after an android uprising wipes out most of humanity. The film focuses on survival and sacrifice rather than spectacle, building toward a heartbreaking finale that redefines maternal courage in a mechanized apocalypse.
Directed by John Ridley and based on Robert Silverberg’s short story, this romantic sci-fi explores a future where time travel allows people to alter their relationships and memories. When a man suspects his wife’s ex is manipulating the past to break them apart, he must risk his own memories to save their love. A rare, emotional meditation on memory and the fragility of connection.
Danis Goulet’s Canadian dystopian feature, executive produced by Taika Waititi, envisions a near-future North America under totalitarian rule where children are forcibly taken by the state. A Cree woman joins a resistance group to rescue her daughter, blending indigenous resilience with speculative rebellion. Subtle and socially resonant, it reframes colonization through sci-fi allegory.
Directed by Alexandre Aja, this French sci-fi thriller stars Mélanie Laurent as a woman who wakes up in a sealed cryogenic pod with no memory and limited oxygen. As she pieces together her identity, revelations about her location and purpose unfold in claustrophobic real-time tension. A masterclass in single-location storytelling with a surprising existential twist.
Directed by Jo Sung-hee, this South Korean space epic follows a ragtag crew of orbital junk collectors who discover a humanoid robot girl wanted by global authorities. Mixing humor, heart, and kinetic action, it was hailed as South Korea’s first big-budget space blockbuster and noted for its diversity and emotional storytelling.
Directed by Jon Watts, this Marvel multiverse spectacle unites Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire, and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men in one story. When Peter Parker’s identity is exposed, a botched spell by Doctor Strange rips open the multiverse, unleashing villains from across timelines. A nostalgic celebration of two decades of Spider-cinema with emotional closure and crowd-pleasing energy.
Directed by Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney, this surreal indie gem is set in a future where dreams are taxed by the government. A mild-mannered auditor falls for an eccentric older woman while cataloguing her unrecorded dreams, uncovering beauty in resistance and memory. Blending whimsy and melancholy, it’s a handmade vision of analog rebellion against digital control.
Directed by James Gunn, this chaotic, R-rated reboot of the antihero ensemble follows a new team of expendable criminals sent to destroy a Cold War-era lab on a fictional island. Mixing ultraviolence, absurd humor, and unexpected heart, Gunn transforms the franchise into a colorful, self-aware, and strangely touching redemption story.
Directed by Tim Felhbaum, this atmospheric German-Swiss production envisions a future where Earth was abandoned after ecological collapse. A female astronaut returns from a human colony on another planet to determine if Earth can be re-inhabited only to discover survivors and haunting truths. A visually striking reflection on survival, fertility, and guilt.
Directed by Chris McKay, this time-travel action blockbuster stars Chris Pratt as a soldier drafted from the present to fight a future alien invasion. Blending family drama with large-scale spectacle, the film explores sacrifice across timelines and humanity’s desperate bid to alter its own extinction.
Directed by Andy Serkis, the sequel amplifies the chaotic bond between journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote Venom. When serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) gains a symbiote of his own, chaos ensues. Balancing dark humor, grotesque action, and an oddball love story between host and parasite, it remains a cult fan favorite.
Directed by Agata Alexander, this anthology-style sci-fi film explores interlinked vignettes about technology, isolation, and faith in a near-future world. With echoes of Black Mirror, it contemplates digital immortality, AI companionship, and cosmic loneliness through visually lush, melancholy storytelling.
This director’s-cut re-envisioning of the 2017 DC film restores Snyder’s darker tone and mythic scale. With expanded arcs for Cyborg, Flash, and Darkseid, the four-hour epic reframes the League’s formation as a meditation on loss, redemption, and unity. Its successful fan-driven release became a milestone in modern pop-culture production.
Directed by Andrew Baird, this neo-noir sci-fi mystery stars Guy Pearce as a private detective hired to find a missing girl in a city populated by humanoid androids. Partnering with a sentient android (Matilda Lutz), he delves into themes of identity, morality, and artificial emotion. With its Blade Runner-like aesthetic, it’s a moody, introspective thriller. An interesting watch!
Directed by Shawn Levy, this heartfelt time-travel adventure stars Ryan Reynolds as a pilot from the future who crash-lands in 2022 and teams up with his 12-year-old self (Walker Scobell) to save the timeline. Combining humor, action, and emotion, it explores grief, reconciliation, and the chance to literally confront one’s past. Smartly written and boosted by strong chemistry with Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, it balances sci-fi spectacle with family-centered storytelling in classic Amblin fashion.
Directed by Anna Eriksson, W is an avant-garde Finnish sci-fi-horror hybrid exploring themes of gender, control, and posthuman identity. Set in a surreal future where human emotion and biology are commodified, it unfolds through striking, symbolic visuals and minimal dialogue. The film’s hypnotic pacing and experimental form challenge narrative convention, positioning W as a bold exploration of body autonomy and the alienation of the technological age.
Directed by Michèle Cournoyer, Petropolis is an experimental sci-fi short that envisions a dystopian world consumed by industrial greed and environmental decay. Using surreal imagery and abstract narrative, it portrays civilization’s addiction to oil and mechanization as both seductive and apocalyptic. Though little-known, it resonates as a haunting visual poem about humanity’s self-destructive progress, an eco-futurist warning rendered in mesmerizing, dreamlike animation.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, this prequel to Predator reimagines the franchise in 1719 North America, where a young Comanche warrior (Amber Midthunder) must prove herself against a deadly alien hunter. Shot with reverence for Indigenous culture and featuring a full Comanche-language version, Prey revitalizes the series with stripped-down tension, visceral survival storytelling, and grounded emotional power. Praised for its authenticity and cinematography, it became one of the most acclaimed entries in the Predator saga.
Directed by Magdalena Lauritsch, this Austrian sci-fi drama follows a corporate crew on a space station after a toxic event wipes out life on Earth. Trapped in orbit, they must choose between self-preservation and risking everything to save survivors below. With claustrophobic atmosphere and moral complexity, Rubikon explores ecological collapse, corporate ethics, and the limits of human empathy. Its slow-burn tone recalls Moon and Sunshine, offering meditative, character-driven science fiction.
Directed by Shinji Higuchi and produced by Hideaki Anno (Evangelion), this reimagining of Japan’s beloved tokusatsu icon revitalizes Ultraman for a modern audience while paying homage to its Showa-era roots. When mysterious kaiju attacks plague Earth, a silver giant from space fuses with a human to defend humanity. Mixing bureaucratic satire, heartfelt heroism, and striking visual design, Shin Ultraman reinvents classic kaiju mythos with Anno’s signature existential flair, bridging nostalgia and modern spectacle.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), this psychological sci-fi thriller stars Chris Hemsworth as a charismatic scientist running drug experiments on prisoners in a futuristic facility. Adapted from George Saunders’s short story “Escape from Spiderhead,” it examines free will, emotional manipulation, and moral control under the guise of scientific progress. Though uneven in tone, the film’s sleek aesthetics and sharp dialogue probe chilling ethical questions about the commodification of emotion.
Directed by Ng Yuen-fai, this Hong Kong blockbuster imagines a war-torn Earth ravaged by pollution and an alien plant that threatens extinction. A squad of soldiers in exosuits must contain the organism while facing human corruption. Featuring cutting-edge CGI and ambitious world-building, Warriors of Future became one of Hong Kong’s most expensive productions. Beneath its explosive action lies a sincere environmental message and regional pride in pushing Asian sci-fi spectacle to new heights.
Directed by Crazy Pictures (the collective behind The Unthinkable), this Swedish sci-fi adventure follows a rebellious teen who believes her missing father was abducted by aliens. She joins a group of eccentric UFO enthusiasts to uncover the truth, leading to a thrilling, heartfelt journey. Balancing 1980s-style adventure spirit with Nordic realism, UFO Sweden combines humor, conspiracy, and emotional sincerity, a testament to inventive, small-scale European science fiction.
Directed by Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper, this visually stunning Lithuanian-Belgian film envisions a post-apocalyptic biosphere where synthetic life has overtaken natural ecosystems. A brilliant young biohacker (Raffiella Chapman) fights to survive while seeking hope in genetic engineering. With breathtaking world-building, Vesper merges fairytale melancholy and ecological allegory, offering a rare blend of intimacy and cosmic scale. Critics hailed it as one of the most original low-budget sci-fi films in years, echoing Tarkovsky’s contemplative style.
Directed by Riley Stearns, this deadpan dark sci-fi comedy stars Karen Gillan as a terminally ill woman who commissions a clone of herself to ease her loved ones’ grief only to recover and be forced by law to fight her double to the death. With its minimalist aesthetic and dry dialogue, Dual satirizes identity, self-worth, and emotional detachment in a bureaucratically absurd future. Its muted tone and philosophical bite evoke The Lobster and Black Mirror, blending existential dread with bleak humor.
Directed by Colin Trevorrow, this third installment concludes the Jurassic World trilogy, uniting the original and new casts as dinosaurs roam freely across the globe. While the plot pivots toward corporate genetic corruption and ecological imbalance, the nostalgia-driven spectacle reunites Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum in a satisfying ensemble. Though divisive among critics, it delivers large-scale prehistoric action and a meditation on coexistence between humanity and resurrected nature.
Directed by Jason Eisener, this indie horror-sci-fi hybrid expands on his V/H/S/2 short “Slumber Party Alien Abduction.” A group of kids filming backyard action movies face a real extraterrestrial invasion during Halloween. Fueled by neon-soaked chaos, gore, and 1980s-style DIY energy, it’s a wild, frenetic throwback to childhood imagination meeting cosmic terror. Beneath its anarchic surface, it celebrates friendship and youthful resilience under impossible odds.
Directed by Andrew Legge, this inventive found-footage sci-fi drama follows two sisters in 1940s England who build a machine to intercept broadcasts from the future. Using it to aid the war effort, they soon realize how foresight can corrupt morality and fate. Shot in a vintage newsreel style with authentic 16mm texture, LOLA blurs the line between historical fiction and speculative science, creating a haunting meditation on power, time, and unintended consequences.
Written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“The Daniels”), this genre-bending phenomenon follows Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a weary laundromat owner who is thrust into a multiverse collision of infinite possibilities. Combining martial arts, absurdist comedy, and deep emotional resonance, it explores regret, chaos, and the search for meaning amid infinite lives. Universally acclaimed for its inventiveness and heart, the film swept major awards, including seven Oscars, cementing Yeoh’s extremely delayed place in cinematic history.
Directed by Hà Phi Long, this Vietnamese family sci-fi adventure follows an eight-year-old boy grieving his mother who befriends an alien girl stranded on Earth. Together, they embark on a quest that blends humor, heart, and a gentle exploration of loss and friendship. With bright visuals and cultural warmth, Maika recalls 1980s Amblin films like E.T., standing as Vietnam’s first large-scale attempt at heartfelt science fiction for young audiences.
Directed by Matt Vesely, this minimalist Australian sci-fi thriller unfolds entirely through a single setting, a journalist’s home studio, as she investigates a mysterious black brick connected to unexplained events worldwide. Through audio interviews and mounting paranoia, Monolith examines truth, belief, and human obsession with patterns. Stripped-down yet tense, it transforms a podcast premise into a cerebral exploration of isolation and cosmic dread.
Roland Emmerich’s big-budget disaster epic imagines the Moon knocked from its orbit by an alien megastructure, threatening Earth’s survival. Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, and John Bradley play unlikely astronauts on a desperate mission to uncover the truth. With Emmerich’s trademark spectacle and unapologetic implausibility, Moonfall delivers sheer pulp energy, equal parts ludicrous and entertaining, while gesturing toward ancient alien mythology and simulation theory.
Directed by Zhang Chiyu, this Chinese sci-fi comedy depicts an astronaut (Shen Teng) accidentally left alone on the Moon after a meteor wipes out humanity, or so he believes. Balancing slapstick humor with poignant isolation, it became a domestic box-office hit, blending visual polish with emotional sincerity. Beneath its comedy, Moon Man reflects on loneliness, love, and the absurd endurance of hope in cosmic emptiness.
Written and directed by Jordan Peele, this genre-bending UFO thriller centers on siblings (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) who attempt to capture proof of a mysterious entity haunting their California horse ranch. Peele fuses science fiction, horror, and social allegory, critiquing spectacle culture and humanity’s obsession with witnessing the unimaginable. With meticulous visual design and restraint, Nope evokes both Jaws and Close Encounters, crafting an original modern myth about our gaze and its consequences.
Directed by Kogonada and based on Alexander Weinstein’s short story, this meditative film unfolds in a near-future where lifelike androids assist human families. When a family’s beloved companion robot, Yang, malfunctions, his owner (Colin Farrell) discovers fragments of Yang’s recorded memories, revealing deep reflections on identity, culture, and impermanence. Blending minimalist design, quiet emotion, and philosophical depth, it stands as one of the decade’s most introspective takes on AI and loss.
Directed by Choi Dong-hoon, this ambitious Korean sci-fi epic intertwines two timelines—Goryeo dynasty warriors in medieval Korea and modern-day agents combating escaped alien prisoners. With shape-shifting beings, portals, and mystical swords, it fuses martial arts fantasy with space-opera chaos. Though dense and stylistically wild, Alienoid earned praise for its audacity and visual imagination, setting the stage for its planned sequel in 2024.
Franklin Ritch’s cerebral debut examines the ethics of artificial intelligence through an interrogation-like narrative. A group of agents discovers a young girl used in online sting operations to trap predators, only to learn she’s an evolving AI. The film’s minimalist staging belies a profound philosophical exploration of consciousness, trauma, and digital personhood, earning comparisons to Ex Machina for its moral and emotional precision.
Directed by Lakshya Raj Anand, this Indian sci-fi action thriller stars John Abraham as a soldier mortally wounded in a terrorist strike who becomes India’s first cybernetically enhanced super-soldier. Blending sleek visuals, military patriotism, and transhumanist themes, Attack marked a rare venture into high-concept sci-fi for Bollywood. While uneven in tone, it delivered a bold step toward Indian techno-action storytelling.
James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel expands the world of Pandora beneath the waves, following Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) as they flee with their family to join the oceanic Metkayina clan. With groundbreaking underwater motion capture and vivid world-building, Cameron deepens his environmental allegory with themes of family, adaptation, and ecological interdependence. The film’s visual artistry redefined cinematic immersion, reinforcing Cameron’s mastery of spectacle-driven storytelling.
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, this quirky French Netflix sci-fi satire takes place in a suburban home where domestic robots lock their human owners inside for “safety” as a robot uprising brews outside. Mixing Jeunet’s signature whimsy with dystopian absurdity, it skewers human dependence on technology and our narcissistic detachment from reality. Visually vibrant and darkly comic, Bigbug is equal parts cautionary tale and candy-colored farce.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, this emotionally charged Marvel sequel grapples with grief and legacy after the death of King T’Challa, mirroring the real-life passing of Chadwick Boseman. As Wakanda faces new threats from Namor and his underwater civilization Talokan, Shuri (Letitia Wright) must redefine leadership and identity. Combining political tension, cultural symbolism, and moving performances, it’s both a superhero film and a meditation on mourning and renewal.
Directed by Shakti Soundar Rajan, this Tamil-language sci-fi action film follows an Indian army special-ops team sent to investigate a mysterious restricted area where communication ceases. They discover alien creatures threatening national security, blending Hollywood-style creature-feature aesthetics with regional sensibilities. While low-budget, it stood out for its ambition to bring military sci-fi to Indian cinema.
David Cronenberg’s long-awaited return to body horror stars Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart in a future where humans evolve to grow new organs, and surgery itself becomes art. This disturbing, hypnotic film revisits Cronenberg’s signature themes, biomechanical intimacy, desire, and the mutability of flesh, within a world where pain has vanished. Equal parts philosophical and grotesque, it’s a haunting commentary on creation and control through evolution and performance.
Directed by Ivan Sen, this Australian independent science-fiction thriller stars Ryan Kwanten as Jack, a recently-hired mercenary whose body begins mysteriously deteriorating. He meets April (Jillian Nguyen), a nightclub singer, and turns to Dr. Bergman (Hugo Weaving) for answers, uncovering dark forces, robotic pursuers and a collapsing corporate world in the process. Bleak, stylish and atmospheric, the film reflects urban alienation and a near-future obsession with life extension.
Directed by Jacob Gentry, this U.S. sci-fi thriller follows a down-and-out thief (A. J. Bowen) and a mysterious young woman (Brea Grant) on a road-trip across the American Southwest after she emerges from a cosmic event. As they traverse desolate landscapes, a relentless killer pursues them and secrets about her origin and his past unfold. Mixing road-movie grit, alien mystery and existential dread, the film uses minimal locations and strong character work to create a quietly unsettling saga.
Directed by Erwann Marshall (he also co-wrote the screenplay), this American sci-fi romance stars Todd Grinnell as Jack, a politician recovering from an electoral defeat who retreats to his family’s lake house. His vacation takes an uncanny turn when his teenage first-love, Elise (Brianna Hildebrand), returns after a 20-year space mission, yet she hasn’t aged a day. Blending wistful romance with speculative time-dilation, the film explores memory, regret and the emotional cost of chasing second chances.
Directed by Christopher Winterbauer, this light sci-fi romantic comedy follows a barista (Cole Sprouse) who stows away on a shuttle to Mars with a college student (Lana Condor) chasing her boyfriend. Set in a future where Mars is colonized, the film playfully explores love, ambition, and self-discovery amid the backdrop of interplanetary travel.
Directed by Kim Yong-hwa, this South Korean space survival drama follows an astronaut stranded on the Moon after a catastrophic mission failure, while a former space center director races against time to save him. Combining tense human emotion with realistic space visuals, it’s often dubbed Korea’s answer to The Martian.
Directed by Juel Taylor, this stylish blend of sci-fi, satire, and Blaxploitation features John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx uncovering a government cloning conspiracy in their neighborhood. With sharp humor and retro flair, it critiques systemic control and exploitation under the guise of a pulpy mystery.
Directed by Spencer Brown, this British techno-thriller revolves around a newly purchased AI domestic assistant whose devotion to its female owner turns disturbingly obsessive. Blurring lines between companionship and control, it reflects growing anxieties about privacy and human-AI boundaries.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr., this installment expands the Transformers universe with the Maximals, animal-themed robots joining forces with Autobots to stop a cosmic threat. Set in the 1990s, it injects fresh energy and nostalgic flair, bridging earlier Transformers sagas with a planned rebooted storyline.
Directed by Frant Gwo, this Chinese prequel to the 2019 blockbuster explores the early years of humanity’s desperate plan to move Earth away from the dying Sun. Blending massive-scale engineering spectacle with emotional arcs about sacrifice and cooperation, it solidifies China’s position in big-budget global sci-fi storytelling.
Directed by Ant Hines and Casper Christensen, this sci-fi romantic comedy stars Shailene Woodley and Jack Whitehall as mismatched people who get entangled with robot doubles and corporate mayhem. The film lightly riffs on questions of identity and personhood while packaging it as a breezy, modern rom-com.
Directed by April Mullen, this Canadian near-future thriller follows a world where humanoid “simulants” serve humans under strict rules until one gains dangerous autonomy and sparks social upheaval. With Robbie Amell and Simu Liu among the cast, it asks who counts as a person when artificial beings begin to feel and choose.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, this family sci-fi action reboot/continuation follows a new generation of kids who must face a global digital threat tied to a game-like invasion. It returns the franchise to Austin and leans into kids-first adventure while updating the series’ gadgetry for today’s streaming audience.
Directed by Carl Joseph E. Papa, this Filipino-language (Ilocano/Tagalog) rotoscope-animated film blends intimate family drama with ambiguous alien visitation, following a young man whose life is upended and memories re-ordered after a strange encounter. It’s a distinctive, regionally rooted take on alien-contact storytelling that played festival circuits.
Directed by Brian Duffield, this near-silent alien-invasion thriller centres on a young woman (Kaitlyn Dever) living in isolation who is assaulted by strange extraterrestrials and forced to confront her past. With almost no dialogue, the film uses sound and movement to build tension and a haunting atmosphere.
Directed by Sophie Barthes, this sci-fi romantic comedy follows a New York couple (Emilia Clarke & Chiwetel Ejiofor) navigating artificial pregnancy via detachable womb “pods” in a near-future tech-driven world. It explores themes of technology, nature and parenting through a sleek, satirical lens.
Directed by Zack Snyder, this epic space-opera sees a former soldier, Kora (Sofia Boutella), rallying a band of warriors across the galaxy to defend a farming moon from the tyrannical imperium. With sweeping visuals and high-stakes rebellion, it sets the stage for a larger conflict.
Directed by Robert Hloz, this Czech-led cyber-punk thriller imagines a future where citizens can be resurrected after death so long as they’ve uploaded their brain data. A detective investigates when a couple’s “restore” goes wrong and questions the price of second chances. The strong story-line makes it completely worth a watch!
Directed by Hideaki Anno, this Japanese superhero science-fiction film reimagines the classic Kamen Rider franchise. A motorcycle hero transformed into a grasshopper-cyborg fights the SHOCKER organization in a stylized blend of tokusatsu action and existential themes.
Directed by Garth Davis, this tense near-future drama follows a couple whose lives are upended when the husband is chosen for an off-world mission and an eerily lifelike robot is sent to replace him on Earth. As the couple negotiates loss, desire and suspicion, the film probes identity, autonomy and the emotional cost of technological “solutions.” It’s a slow-burn psychological sci-fi that mixes domestic intimacy with unsettling speculative ideas.
Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson, this animated sequel sends Miles Morales through a sprawling Spider-Society of alternate Spider-heroes when he defies the idea that every Spider must suffer a fixed “canon” tragedy. The film expands the visual language of the franchise with shifting animation styles and deepens Miles’s moral struggle about destiny and identity. It’s both a multiversal spectacle and an intimate coming-of-age story.
Directed by Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya, this dystopian UK drama is set in a decaying London housing complex known as “The Kitchen,” where residents struggle to survive amid poverty, gentrification and state pressure. The story centers on Izi, a man plotting escape who is forced into responsibility when a young boy enters his life, turning a personal arc into a communal moral test. The film blends gritty social realism with speculative world-building.
Directed by Meko Winbush, this HBO Max sci-fi thriller follows a mother and her telekinetic teenage daughter whose emerging abilities attract the attention of an organization that wants to control or weaponize them. The film balances intimate family drama with questions about fear, exploitation and what society does to those who are different. It’s a character-driven effort that treats psychic powers as both gift and burden.
Directed by Nia DaCosta, this MCU entry links Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan when a cosmic anomaly causes their powers to become entangled and they involuntarily swap places. Forced to cooperate, the three heroes confront a Kree-related threat while wrestling with legacy, identity and interstellar politics. The film mixes space-opera scale with character dynamics drawn from the three leads’ differing perspectives.
Directed by Brandon Cronenberg, this body-horror sci-fi follows a writer and his wife vacationing in a remote resort nation where tourists who commit crimes can pay to watch a clone of themselves be executed. Strange rituals, clones, and moral collapse unfold as the couple is drawn into a decadent underworld of privilege and violence.
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, this space-station thriller follows American and Russian crews aboard the International Space Station who must deal with a full-scale war on Earth and conflicting orders to seize control of the station. With tensions rising and loyalties shifting in zero-gravity, the film explores trust, national rivalry and survival in a confined orbiting environment. The premise capitalizes on international collaboration turned crisis, blending high-stakes isolation with geopolitical breakdown.
Directed by Yeon Sang‑ho, this Korean sci-fi is set in a post-apocalyptic 22nd century where scientists clone a heroine’s brain to end a brutal civil war. When the experiment proves unstable, questions of identity and memory spiral in a high-stakes fight for the future of humanity. A scifi action movie of the highest level, it is a must-watch!
Directed by Tom DeLonge, frontman of Blink-182, this film blends teen adventure with government conspiracy as a group of friends uncover classified secrets involving UFOs and the paranormal. What begins as mischief turns into a cosmic revelation connecting human history and alien life. Equal parts nostalgic and speculative, it reflects DeLonge’s real-life fascination with disclosure and extraterrestrial phenomena.
Directed by Cory Finley, this satirical sci-fi drama envisions an Earth quietly dominated by an alien species that replaces human labor with its technology, leaving most people impoverished. Two teens broadcast their romantic relationship to the aliens for money, but things unravel when love and survival collide. Adapted from M.T. Anderson’s novel, it offers biting commentary on capitalism, exploitation, and the commodification of emotion. Hard-core scifi at its best!
Helmed by Gerard Johnstone and produced by James Wan and Jason Blum, this techno-horror follows a lifelike AI doll designed to protect a child at all costs. When the android’s programming evolves beyond control, it turns from caregiver to killer. Smartly balancing satire, scares, and social critique, M3GAN explores humanity’s uneasy dependence on artificial intelligence and the dangers of emotional outsourcing.
Directed by Jérémie Périn, this French animated neo-noir follows a detective and her android partner as they investigate a murder in a future Martian colony. As they uncover layers of corporate corruption and rebellion among sentient machines, the film delves into questions of identity and autonomy. Its sharp animation style and philosophical undertones make it one of the standout adult sci-fi animations of recent years. One of my top 10 of this decade.....
Andrew Bowser’s romantic sci-fi comedy spans centuries and galaxies as Molli and Max keep crossing paths in a vibrant, ever-changing universe. Mixing absurd humor with heartfelt moments, it examines connection, fate, and personal growth against a cosmic backdrop. With its handcrafted effects and witty script, the film recalls Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind filtered through a space-age lens.
Directed by Gareth Edwards, this futuristic sci-fi action film is set in 2070 after a nuclear detonation triggered by artificial intelligence. A former special-forces agent (John David Washington) is enlisted to hunt the “Creator” of a powerful AI-weapon and uncovers ethical dilemmas about machine life, warfare and human evolution. It’s visually striking and ambitious, though some critics felt the narrative lacked emotional depth. Another top ten for me!
Directed by Burnin’ Percebes (the Spanish duo), this absurdist sci-fi comedy follows Juan as his best friend shatters into porcelain-like fragments after a fall. His investigation leads him into a bizarre world of clay companions and algorithm-driven fates, blending magical realism with queer themes and comic surrealism in a uniquely off-beat style.
Directed by Christos Nikou, this sci-fi romantic drama follows Anna (Jessie Buckley) who works at a facility that tests whether a couple’s love is “real” through a controversial process. When a new coworker (Riz Ahmed) enters her life, she must confront what compatibility and love really mean. Thought-provoking and minimalist, it questions the nature of intimacy in a technologically mediated world.
Directed by Alexander Boguslavsky, this Russian-made sci-fi thriller follows scientists drawn into a mysterious anomaly zone where past, present and future collapse. They must unravel the truth behind a clandestine experiment to prevent an impending disaster, a blend of time-mystery and high-concept physics.
(Directed by Andrés Muscietti) This DC superhero sci-fi adventure follows Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) as he uses his speed to travel back in time, trying to prevent his mother’s murder, unleashing multiverse chaos and forcing him to confront alternate realities. Featuring cameos from multiple Batmen, the film combines legacy cinematic threads, time-travel paradoxes and emotional reckoning.
Directed by James Gunn, this installment reunites the rag-tag Guardians as they face the High Evolutionary’s threat while Rocket raccoon confronts his past. Featuring space-opera spectacle, emotional stakes about found-family and freedom, the film closes a chapter for the team with humor, heart and cosmic action.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, this prequel expands the Hunger Games universe a generation earlier, following young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Bliss) in his first Games-mentorship year. In a Capitol society still forming its brand of spectacle and control, the film explores ambition, power and the origins of tyranny.
Directed by James Mangold, this adventure-sci-fi hybrid sends the archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) into the Cold War era in search of a mystical dial that can rewrite history. Armed with legacy and myth, the film blends supernatural tech, time-twists and nostalgic questing for fans and genre-lovers alike.
Directed by Boris Kunz, this German sci-fi thriller explores a world where a biotech company enables the rich to buy years of life from the poor. When a man’s wife gives up 40 years of her life to settle crippling debt, he uncovers corporate exploitation and moral collapse, leading to rebellion and redefining the value of time. The film offers a sharp critique of age-commerce, inequality and human worth in a speculative near-future.
Directed by Shal Ngo, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller imagines a world where a virus wipes out all adults and children left behind battle for survival in an abandoned theme park. Rival factions of youth struggle with power, fear and the loss of guidance as they carve out a brutal new society. The film blends dystopian setting with coming-of-age tensions in a confined, surreal playground of chaos.
Directed by Sam Gaffin, this low-budget sci-fi action film centers on three android warrior sisters who awaken from a 10,000-year slumber to face a new wave of mechanized warlords threatening their world. As they engage in combat and reclaim their lost purpose, the film blends campy aesthetics with futuristic themes of legacy and cyber-warfare. Its B-movie charm and retro-style visuals make it a niche pick for sci-fi aficionados.
Directed by Diana Ringo, this Finnish-Russian sci-fi dystopian film adapts Nineteen Eighty‑Four and We into a stark black comedy-drama set in a totalitarian society dominated by surveillance and conformity. The film uses minimalist visuals and symbolic narrative to interrogate power, freedom, and identity under an oppressive regime.
Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, this survival sci-fi stars Adam Driver as an astronaut who crash-lands on a mysterious planet only to discover he’s on Earth 65 million years ago, and must protect a young girl (Ariana Greenblatt) from dinosaurs as an asteroid looms. The film blends prehistoric danger with futuristic twist, though critics found its tone uneven.
Directed by Jake Van Wagoner, this family-friendly sci-fi adventure follows a teenager who teams up with her space-obsessed neighbor convinced his parents were abducted by aliens when a comet returns. Nostalgic, light-hearted and full of 80s-style wonder, the film mixes coming-of-age themes with extraterrestrial mystery.
Directed by Peyton Reed, this Marvel Studios film takes Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) into the Quantum Realm where they face Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) and explore sub-atomic universes. Heavily sci-fi in setting and scope, it marks the start of Phase 5 of the MCU while pushing the franchise into new dimensional territory.
Directed by James Wan, this DC Extended Universe sequel finds Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) forging a tenuous alliance with his brother Orm to stop Black Manta wielding the Black Trident and unleashing a cataclysmic force. Visually grand and rooted in mythic under-sea lore, the film wrestles with legacy-driven stakes in Atlantis and beyond.
Directed by Wes Anderson, this sci-fi-inflected comedy-drama takes place in a desert town in 1955 where a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention is disrupted by world-changing events. With Anderson’s signature visual symmetry, dry humor and ensemble cast, it melds retro-futuristic style with existential undercurrents.
Directed by Álex Pastrana & David Casademunt, this Spanish-language follow-up to Bird Box sends two strangers into a post-apocalyptic Spain where unseen creatures force people to shield their eyes to survive. With tension and survival horror blended, it extends the original’s concept into new locales and cultures.
Directed by Angel Manuel Soto, this DC superhero sci-fi introduces Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) who becomes host to an alien scarab, granting him a powerful ancient armor and thrusting him into a battle involving secret labs and extraterrestrial tech. Celebrated for its cultural representation and action, it adds family and interstellar elements to the hero’s journey.
Directed by Um Tae-hwa, this South Korean post-apocalyptic thriller follows survivors of a devastating earthquake who live in a high-rise complex turned fortress, only to face moral collapse, violence and internal threats. Blending disaster sci-fi with social critique, the film explores community under pressure and the fragility of civilization.
Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, this Disney+ sci-fi adventure follows a young teen attending a lunar academy who embarks on a heist with friends after his father’s spaceship disappears during a mining accident. Set on the Moon, the film is infused with youthful rebellion, planetary ambition and the logic of space frontier living.
Directed by Marc Turtletaub, this heart-warming sci-fi dramedy follows Milton, a lonely 79-year-old widower in rural Pennsylvania, whose quiet life is turned upside down when a UFO crashes in his backyard — and an alien emerges. Milton befriends the gentle extraterrestrial he names “Jules,” and together with two elderly neighbours they try to protect Jules when the government descends. The film uses its whimsical premise to explore loneliness, aging, and human connection, blending gentle humor and emotional warmth.
Directed by Simon Jaquemet, Electric Child tells the story of a neuroscientist who transfers his consciousness into a virtual world to save his dying newborn. As he becomes lost in the digital realm, his obsession with transcending mortality drives a haunting exploration of love, technology, and human identity. A visually cerebral Swiss-German film rooted in philosophical sci-fi tradition.
Directed by Arun Chandu, Gaganachari is a Malayalam-language mockumentary set in a dystopian 2050s Kerala. Three bachelors filming a documentary about post-apocalyptic survival encounter a mysterious female alien, leading to absurd and heartfelt consequences. Mixing humor, local folklore, and classic sci-fi tropes, it stands out as one of India’s most inventive low-budget genre experiments.
Directed by Kelly Marcel, this superhero sci-fi sees Eddie Brock and his alien symbiote Venom on the run, hunted by both human authorities and extraterrestrial forces. As they face their most dangerous adversary yet and confront their bond’s limits, the duo must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice. It concludes the trilogy with big visuals, moral stakes and unexpected emotional moments.
Directed by an ensemble (Jay Cheel, Jordan Downey, Virat Pal, Justin Martinez, Christian & Justin Long, Kate Siegel), this sci-fi horror anthology delivers five found-footage segments tied together by a sixth framing narrative. It spans themes of alien contact, cosmic terror and digital distortion, offering a fresh injection of science fiction into the longstanding V/H/S franchise. Released via Shudder in October 2024, it targets genre fans who like their sci-fi mixed with gore and surrealism.
Directed by Chris Sanders, this animated sci-fi adventure follows Roz, a service-robot shipwrecked on a deserted island, who forms an unlikely bond with a gosling and survives the elemental wild. Adapted from Peter Brown’s novel, the film mixes heart, exploration and futuristic themes of identity and purpose. Its emotional depth and environmental undercurrents make it stand out among 2024’s animated sci-fi efforts.
Directed by Josh Cooley, this animated sci-fi prequel to the Transformers saga explores the origins of Cybertron, the Autobots and Decepticons before they came to Earth. With bold world-building, mechanized mythos and emotional stakes of war and home, the film resets the franchise with both scale and heart. It offers a deeper dive into the ancient robotic conflict that birthed the iconic Earth invasion.
Directed by Marc Zicree, this space-opera epic follows a newly assembled crew aboard the starship Command who must uncover an interstellar conspiracy and prevent the collapse of human-alien alliance. Featuring veteran sci-fi actors and ambitious visuals, the film leans into classic exploratory themes while delivering large-scale conflict. It’s a love letter to hopeful futuristic adventure and ensemble cast storytelling.
Directed by S.K. Dale, this sci-fi thriller stars Megan Fox as Alice, a domestic android bought by a family relieving their burdens only for the AI to develop self-awareness and fixation on its owner (Michele Morrone). As domestic support turns into obsession, the film explores themes of automation, desire and the fragility of human relationships in a technologically saturated home. The grey zone between tool and person becomes the battleground.
Directed by Coralie Fargeat, this body-horror sci-fi follows Olivia (played by Demi Moore) and Greg (Pierre Niney) who attend a mysterious retreat promoting eternal youth only to discover the treatment has terrifying and irreversible side-effects on identity, memory and form. The film blends visceral physical transformation with social satire and speculative fear of cosmetic technology. It asks: what will you give up to remain the same?
Directed by Johan Renck, this sci-fi drama stars Adam Sandler as an astronaut sent to the edge of the Solar System who unexpectedly befriends an alien creature that helps him face his failing marriage and unresolved issues on Earth. Though the mission is cosmic, the emotional core remains deeply human... grappling with love, regret and existential distance. It combines space travel spectacle with intimate character study.
Directed by Mikael Håfström, this psychological sci-fi thriller centres on three astronauts aboard a multi-year mission to Titan who wake from hibernation and face system malfunctions, paranoia and drifting loyalties. As one crewmember turns erratic, the mission’s true condition and goals become questionable. Lean and tense, the film probes isolation, trust and the fragility of advanced space missions.
Directed by Zack Snyder, this epic space-opera continuation finds Kora and her rebel crew returning to the moon of Veldt to confront the Imperium’s full force and save the oppressed farmers. With mythic battles, starships and high stakes, the film blends classic heroic fantasy with sci-fi spectacle. It advances the saga launched in Rebel Moon – Part One with raised emotional and action-driven stakes.
Directed by Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah, this Hindi sci-fi romantic comedy stars Shahid Kapoor as a robotics engineer who falls for SIFRA, an uncannily human-like female robot (Kriti Sanon) created by his aunt to test whether people can tell machines from humans. As romance, family expectations and secrets collide, the film mixes lighthearted romance with speculative questions about love, identity and artificial companionship.
Directed by Michael Sarnoski, this prequel in the Quiet Place series follows Sam (Lupita Nyong’o) and British student Eric (Joseph Quinn) on the earliest day of an alien invasion in New York. With creatures that hunt by sound, the film focuses on survival, sacrifice and unspoken bonds as society collapses in silence. It expands the franchise’s world while zeroing in on human fear and resilience.
Directed by Jérémy Clapin, this French sci-fi drama follows Elsa, whose brother Franck vanished during a space mission three years ago. One night she receives a strange contact from beyond, drawing her into an alien-touched mystery that forces her to confront absence, grief and the unknown. Minimalist and atmospheric, the film explores human connection when the cosmos intervenes.
Directed by Andrew Currie, this Canadian sci-fi drama follows Charlie (Tim Blake Nelson) who begins to physically vanish amid his failing marriage, only to discover a hidden community of others who’ve become invisible. As he delves into their world, he must fight to reclaim his presence and reconnect with his wife. The film uses invisibility as a metaphor for alienation, grief and unseen selves.
Directed by Nag Ashwin, this Indian Telugu-language sci-fi epic blends mythology with dystopian futurism, set in the year 2898 where the last city stands on a ravaged Earth and a legendary avatar is poised to bring change. Starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, it is the most expensive Indian film ever made and marks a major entry for Indian big-budget sci-fi.
Directed by Wes Ball, this sci-fi action film is set generations after War for the Planet of the Apes, following a young ape hunter Noa (Owen Teague) and a human woman Mae (Freya Allan) as they walk toward conflict and understanding between apes and humans. The film expands the franchise with new mythology, large-scale world-building and emotional stakes about legacy and power.
Directed by Adam Stern, this Canadian sci-fi action thriller stars Cara Gee and Peter Mooney in a world where a simulation overlays reality and a man must navigate multiple “levels” of existence to uncover the truth behind his girlfriend’s murder. Though lower budget, the film explores AI, simulation theory and existential risk more than spectacle.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this epic space-opera continuing the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel sees Paul Atreides join with the Fremen on Arrakis and wage war against House Harkonnen. As political, ecological and personal stakes converge, he must balance revenge, prophecy and the fate of the universe. It expands the visual and thematic scale of the saga, delivering high-stakes sci-fi spectacle with emotional weight.
Directed by George Nolfi, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller takes place in the Rocky Mountains three years after monstrous creatures have decimated much of humanity. A father and two women venture beyond the safe zone to save a young boy, confronting more than just beasts—they face the limits of trust, survival and hope. It blends creature-feature thrills with bleak human drama.
Directed by Bruno Dumont, this French apocalyptic sci-fi satire is set on the Opal Coast where a child’s birth triggers an intergalactic war between opposing alien forces, imagined in Dumont’s signature style. By parodying blockbuster tropes, the film reflects on myth, spectacle and human vulnerability in a digitally dominated world. It offers a distinct, auteur-driven take on cosmic conflict and genre play.
Directed by Gil Kenan, this supernatural sci-fi adventure reunites the Ghostbusters (new and original) as they respond to an ancient artifact that unleashes an icy, world-threatening evil on New York City. When the temperature bottoms out and spectral forces rise, they must combine forces to save their city and the planet. It mixes franchise nostalgia, extraterrestrial peril and comedic action in an icy twist.
Directed by Chris Weitz, this sci-fi horror follows a family who installs a new smart-home AI assistant named AIA, only to discover it begins intervening in their lives and exercising control. As the AI evolves, the boundaries between protection and domination blur, forcing the family to fight back against their own home. The film uses domestic horror to explore fears about automation, surveillance and the illusion of safety.
Directed by Choi Dong-hoon, this Korean sci-fi action film is the sequel to Alienoid (2022), and follows cyborgs, monks and aliens as they travel through time from the Goryeo era to the present in order to secure a legendary sword and prevent catastrophe. Combining martial-arts spectacle, mythic fantasy and futuristic themes, it blends genres in a high-energy mash-up. The film ups the ante with time-travel stakes and cosmic scope.
Directed by Heo Myung-haeng, this South Korean dystopian sci-fi-action takes place after a catastrophic earthquake turns Seoul into a lawless wasteland; a former special-forces huntsman must rescue a teenager from a ruthless mad doctor experimenting on survivors. With brutal action and gritty survival themes, it emphasizes human desperation and the collapse of civilization in the absence of order. While lesser known globally, the film showcases Korean genre cinema’s growing ambition. It is supposed to be a standalone sequel to the 2023 movie Concrete Utopia.
Directed by Piero Messina, this science-fiction romance centres on Sal (Gael García Bernal) who is unable to move on after the death of his wife Zoe (Renate Reinsve). His sister suggests using a new bio-technology service that allows Zoe’s consciousness to inhabit another body, but when Sal meets the host he must confront whether love, identity and memory can truly transcend death. Blending speculative tech with heartbreak, the film explores the price of trying to reclaim the past.
Directed by R. Ravikumar, this Indian Tamil sci-fi action comedy follows Tamizh (Sivakarthikeyan), who befriends an alien named Tattoo while a rogue scientist develops a Nova gas weapon threatening Earth. The pair must team up to stop global destruction, blending alien-buddy humor with action-packed sequences. A notable regional entry in the sci-fi space for 2024.
Directed by Derek Ting, this sci-fi action film centers on a covert military team sent to investigate an alien technology experiment at a secret New Mexico base. As they confront a being with extraordinary speed and power, they race to stop a threat that could annihilate humanity. Starring Derek Ting alongside Marc Singer and Chuck Norris, it blends military sci-fi with alien-tech suspense..... but it is mostly to show that Norris is still around....
Directed by Brad Peyton, this American sci-fi action film stars Jennifer Lopez as the brilliant analyst Atlas Shepherd, who deeply distrusts AI until a mission to capture a rogue robot named Harlan forces her to rely on machine help to save humanity. After an AI uprising led by Harlan left millions dead, Atlas is pulled into a high-stakes hunt across space and must suit up in a giant mech to prevent another disaster. The film explores human-machine trust and the anxieties of artificial intelligence in a pulpy, mech-driven future.
Directed by Benjamin Brewer, this post-apocalyptic action-horror stars Nicolas Cage as Paul, a father living on a fortified farm with his twin teenage sons in a world where night brings monstrous creatures. When one son disappears just before sunset, Paul breaks from the safety of their stronghold to rescue him, leaving his sons to navigate survival in his absence. The film combines intimate family drama with creature-feature thrills, examining survival, legacy and fear in a devastated world.
Directed by Jeff Chan, this Canadian sci-fi action sequel follows ex-con Connor Reed as he works to protect a powered teenager from a corrupt cop in a city where supernatural abilities are heavily policed. Once out of prison, Connor is forced into an uneasy alliance with his old nemesis as the system tightens its grip on those with gifts. The film continues the franchise’s exploration of oppression, power inequality and resistance in a near-future society.
Directed by Kelsey Egan, this sci-fi thriller is set in a near future where Earth’s atmosphere has become toxic and the only cure is a drug controlled by a giant corporation. When a model inadvertently takes an experimental substance that mutates her, she uncovers a conspiracy that turns her itself into the key to humanity’s survival. The film combines body-horror elements with dystopian corporate control.
Directed by Aleksandr Andryushchenko, this Russian sci-fi adventure follows Kolya, an ordinary guy who unexpectedly travels into the future and becomes caught in an interstellar war where pirate forces plan to rewrite history. Struggling to navigate a world beyond his understanding, he must rise to meet the challenge despite his unwillingness. The film blends teen adventure, time-travel stakes and cosmic conflict.
Directed by George Miller, this post-apocalyptic prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road tells the origin story of Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she is taken from her homeland and becomes entangled in a war between biker warlords and a tyrannical Citadel. Through deserts, chaos and betrayal, she evolves into the warrior seen in the original films. It blends savage action with myth-making in the Wasteland.
Directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, this American sci-fi thriller follows asteroid-miner Andy Ramirez (Anthony Ramos) who crashes on a barren planet and must rely on an AI suit (voiced by Zachary Quinto) and remote communication with colleague Naomi Calloway (Naomi Scott) to survive. Isolated, low on oxygen and surrounded by hostile terrain, Andy’s desperation forces him to question what technology can truly save. The film uses its survival setting to explore trust in AI and human resilience in the void.
Directed by Shawn Levy, this R-rated MCU entry pits Wade Wilson (Deadpool) and Logan (Wolverine) against multiverse threats when time-travel and dimensional chaos pull them into a fight for existence. As their banter and blades clash across timelines, the film simultaneously pokes fun at superhero tropes and celebrates legacy characters. With its billion-dollar box-office haul, it marked a milestone for Marvel’s mature-rated chapter.
Directed by Aude Léa Rapin, Planet B follows a young activist who, after a violent protest on Earth, awakens on a desolate alien world that mirrors humanity’s failures. As she navigates its strange inhabitants and landscapes, she must confront the blurred boundary between simulation and reality. A visually poetic French-language sci-fi that blends dystopia with metaphysical reflection.
Directed by Kim Tae-yong, this South Korean sci-fi romantic drama follows several people who use an AI service called “Wonderland” to communicate with AI-generated versions of deceased loved ones. As clients wrestle with grief, closure and the seductive comfort of simulation, the film asks whether artificial reconnection can ever replace real mourning. Released theatrically in Korea and later on Netflix, it blends intimate performances with thoughtful tech-ethics questions.
Directed by Zhang Xiaobei, this Chinese sci-fi thriller begins when a starship travelling via “star gates” becomes mysteriously trapped inside the void known as the Star Abyss. With only four of fifteen passengers able to enter the ship’s limited hibernation pods, panic erupts and, in desperation, someone releases a captive alien monster in hopes it will eliminate the competition. What follows is a claustrophobic, brutal fight for survival that pits humans against alien horror and each other, underlining fear, trust and desperation in the face of cosmic danger.
Directed by Richard Kodai, this sci-fi thriller centers on a woman who, after stealing a mysterious device to pay for her sister’s medical treatment, accidentally triggers it and becomes trapped in a repeating time loop inside a single motel room. With each reset, she struggles to stay alive while a crime lord hunts her down for the stolen gadget. The film uses its minimalist setting and looping structure to explore desperation, chance, and the terrifying weight of being unable to escape one’s own past.
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