Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix

Works of sci-fi are often inspired by a particular vision of the future that dwells in the mind of an author, a filmmaker, or even a comic book artist. These tales are thrilling escapes into realms of futuristic societies, technology akin to magic, and intergalactic adventures. Some of the most thrilling sci-fi concepts of the past are slowly turning into our current reality. These mind-bending ideas shape the present’s escapism and the future of the next generation.

If you’re a die-hard science fiction fan or simply seeking an exhilarating movie that challenges your perception, Netflix has you covered with its diverse selection of sci-fi offerings. You can explore captivating worlds and take a look at the future as it’s been envisioned by many filmmakers. The most popular online streaming service has its own original titles and licensed popular properties, so you can enjoy a great evening with futuristic films packed with thought-provoking ideas, suspense, and plenty of action. Let’s take a look at a few of the best sci-fi films on Netflix in the US.

Updated on March 17th, 2024, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

27 Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

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One of the best films to come out of 2022, Everything Everywhere All at Once is an incredible multiverse-hopping adventure that blends elements of science fiction with absurdist comedy and family drama. It centers around Chinese immigrant Evelyn Wang, who built a laundromat business and is now being audited by the IRS. Soon, she gets sucked into parallel universes, and by harnessing her many personalities, Evelyn must stop a powerful being from destroying everything.

Why Everything Everywhere All at Once Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the movie infuses a wild imagination with a relatable mother-daughter dynamic. Also laced with plenty of humor and martial arts action, it feels like a vibrant adventure that makes you believe in yourself. Michelle Yeoh radiates joy in this bizarre existential romp and dazzles all with her multiple versions and mind-blowing stunts. Deservedly, Everything Everywhere All at Once took home an Academy Award for Best Picture, among six others, including Best Actress for Yeoh. The film gained a cult following long before its release and will be celebrated for decades to come.

26 Spaceman (2024)

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Visually stunning and moody in tone, Spaceman is a recent science fiction movie that follows Jakub Procházka, who was abandoned as a young boy and raised in the Czech countryside. After studying hard to become a scientist, he finally becomes the Czech Republic’s first astronaut and embarks on a yearlong solo mission to investigate a strange cloud that lies beyond Jupiter. Concerned about his life back on Earth with his wife, Jakub tries to find his way back home and is assisted by an alien spider.

Why Spaceman Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Reviews so far have praised Spaceman for its nuanced exploration of space, and for its exploration of themes like loneliness, isolation, and mental health. Director Johan Renck handles the sensitive themes with care and uses atmospheric visuals to build tension and emotion. Adam Sandler is seen in one of his rare dramatic roles as Jakub, with supporting actors like Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, and Isabella Rossellini accompanying him with their equally solid turns. Spaceman highlights the genre’s potential by venturing into slow-burn territory, with an emphasis on patience being strewn throughout.

25 They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

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Blending elements of comedy and mystery into an already brilliant science fiction premise, They Called Tyrone follows Fontaine, a small-time drug dealer who gets pulled into a fight with one of his customers and gets shot. Soon realizing that he’s a part of a cloning conspiracy, he teams up with Slick and Yo-Yo and launches an investigation. They uncover dark scientific experiments and shadowy technology that wants to control people.

Why They Cloned Tyrone Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Directed by Juel Taylor and adapted from a screenplay written by Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, They Cloned Tyrone is a taut thriller that guides its viewers smoothly through its humor-tinged narrative and makes them root for its colorful characters. Hollywood stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx are at the center of this amusing conspiracy. Their performances are strikingly clever and innocent at the same time. The movie left audiences buzzing with excitement; its neo-noir visuals and intriguing style proved the sci-fi genre is still fresh as ever.

24 Looper (2012)

Looper takes you to 2044, where time travel is possible, but is swiftly made illegal and only used by criminal syndicates for murder. The protagonist, Joe, is a 25-year-old assassin who works for an organization that sends its enemies back in time to be executed and disposed of without leaving a trace. He’s faced with his greatest mission yet when he is forced to kill his future self and preserve the timeline.

Why Looper Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

The cat-and-mouse setting of this neo-noir thriller leads to several explosive gunfights and a desperate race to close the time loop before it erases everything. Under the direction of Rian Johnson, the movie is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The plot details are practically flawless, unraveling surprises related to time travel and future threats. Moreover, Looper also offers amazing action sequences thanks to the skilled performances of Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily Blunt.

23 Melancholia (2011)

Written and directed by Lars von Trier, Melancholia takes place on the eve of a lavish wedding. It tells the story of Claire and Justine, two sisters who face mounting tensions as an uninvited guest looms overhead — a blue planet called Melancholia that is on the verge of clashing with Earth. The panic of this impact is felt globally, but most especially between the sisters. As one of them unravels an amplifying depression, their gloomy estate becomes subject to delusions and other doom.

Why Melancholia Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

An unofficial entry into Lars von Trier’s Depression trilogy, the movie creates a hypnotic environment with its mention of the apocalypse. Gorgeous in ITS cinematography and even more breathtaking in its philosophical and existential takes, Melancholia pulls you in within minutes. Kirsten Dunst leads the narrative with torment and vulnerability and leaves an impression that is practically impossible to shake. Somewhat bleak, this masterpiece feels extremely real.

22 Ready Player One (2018)

Adapted from Ernest Cline’s novel of the same name, Ready Player One takes you to 2045, where the real world is an ugly place, but people have the option to escape to the Oasis, a virtual reality world. But when the creator of this world dies, he leaves all the uses with a challenge — to find his Easter Egg and gain both great fortune and power within the Oasis. Wade Watts, a teenage orphan, finds clues and works with allies to compete with larger forces also looking for the egg.

Why Ready Player One Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Lauded for its complex narrative and non-stop action, Ready Player One is an irresistible sci-fi spectacle. It comes to life with Steven Spielberg’s impressive imagery, which combines retro elements like ‘80s avatars and subtle references to evoke nostalgia. Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke have winning on-screen chemistry. Their partnership drives the momentum and remains timeless even half a decade later. As a big-budget sci-fi film, the movie is a delight to watch.

21 Paradise (2023)

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Paradise is a dystopian sci-fi movie with an interesting premise: Picture for a moment what would happen if humanity could turn time into a commodity. As you can imagine, the rich get more leisure time while the rest of the people get by on scraps. Paradise was written by Simon Amberger, Peter Koclya, and Boris Kunz, who also directed the movie. The cast features the talents of Kostja Ullman and Marlene Tanzcik. The story begins when Max (Ullman) and Elena’s (Tanzcik) apartment catches fire; after their insurance company determines the fire was caused by negligence, Elena is stripped of 40 years of her life, and it’s up to Max to do everything he can to get their lives back.

Why Paradise Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Paradise offers something few films handle properly these days: it tells a solid story focused on a singular point of view. We never learn where this time management technology comes from and why it is allowed to function at the expense of human life. The fact remains that time is the ultimate currency of value in this world, something that also applies in real life. Paradise is not a grand VFX spectacle, but it poses a terrifying question: what would you do to keep time on your side? What would you be willing to do to prevent time from running out? This film may be able to offer some perspective.

20 Super Me (2021)

Super Me is a movie that poses an interesting question: what would you do if you could manipulate your dreams? This Chinese sci-fi epic is written and directed by Zhang Chong and stars Darren Wang, Song Jia, and Cao Bingkun. In this story, we follow a washed-up writer named Sang Yu, who struggles with a horrible case of insomnia. Each time he tries to sleep, a demon kills him in his dreams. After multiple doctors tell him there’s nothing they can do for him, he attempts suicide, only to be saved by a mysterious man who gives him the secret to control his dreams. He learns the ability to reach other treasures in his dreams, which he retrieves to the real world to become incredibly rich.

Why Super Me Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

All actions have consequences, as Sang Yu is forced to learn the hard way. By gaining control over his dreams and extracting as much as he can from them, he gains the attention of some unsavory characters in real life who want the source of his wealth. The film takes a page from The Butterfly Effect with Sang Yu using his newfound skills to escape his greedy self and the harm he imposes on his loved ones. The film reinforces the idea of a metaphorical Ying and Yang balancing the universe, willing to take back from us the more we abuse it.

19 Spiderhead (2022)

Many sci-fi films these days feel like a foreshadowing of the future. Spiderhead is no exception. The movie is directed by Joseph Kosinski, with a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, based on the short story Escape from Spiderhead by George Saunders. The film features the talents of Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, and Jurnee Smollett and tells the story of a supermax prison where inmates are volunteers to test a series of drugs to lower their sentence. One of the prisoners soon realizes there’s no bureaucratic body governing the facility and begins to suspect the actual intentions of the research.

Why Spiderhead Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Spiderhead is a story about one of humanity’s worst fears: chemically induced compliance. Test subjects are led to believe they are taking drugs capable of making them feel certain emotions. The reality is that all of them are taking a drug that keeps them compliant and obedient at all times, and a government-funded corporation is running the tests. These scenarios may seem like the wildest dreams of a conspiracy theorist. Still, the increasing measures of social controls put in place by all governments worldwide makes the story feel too close to actual reality these days.

18 The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)

The Cloverfield Paradox is the third entry in the Cloverfield saga; the film is written by Oren Uziel and directed by Julius Onah. The film is still produced by J. J. Abrams, who has overseen previous entries. The story jumps into the future as Earth faces a global energy crisis. At the same time, a team of scientists, sponsored by multiple agencies, supervised the activation of the Shepard particle accelerator aboard the orbiting Cloverfield Station. The scientific community is torn as some seek to activate the device, while others would rather find another means to provide energy, since the station risks creating a dimensional paradox that could doom the planet.

Why The Cloverfield Paradox Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Murphy’s Law dictates the plot of The Cloverfield Paradox: everything that can go wrong will go wrong. The crew manages to get the Shepard particle accelerator, but soon enough, they find out they have essentially rewritten reality and opened a door to the multiverse where the team’s counterparts are experiencing a different set of events. It’s up to a few station members to make things right and try to escape. Things go south when interdimensional creatures begin to make their way toward planet Earth, bringing the story full circle with the first film’s events.

17 Outside the Wire (2021)

The 2021 sci-fi-action film Outside the Wire saw the highly talented up-and-coming young actor, Damson Idris (Snowfall), play a drone pilot named Thomas Harp in the near future. The movie centers on a futuristic peacekeeping machine led by a group of marines. During a skirmish, Thomas disobeys an order and launches a drone attack that saves many lives but winds up also killing two marines.

Thomas is punished by being assigned to the command of Capt. Leo (Anthony Mackie). Leo is an experimental android super soldier who poses as a human officer. While only Thomas and one other person know what he is, the pair are sent on a mission to prevent a terrorist attack, facing many threats along the way.

Why Outside the Wire Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

A great film packed with plenty of action and a novel concept, the two young actors played well off each other, both underscoring why their respective careers have soared in the last few years. It’s a film whose sci-fi premise allows for the exploration of some incredible action scenes, along with some terrific performances from Pilou Asbaek and Michael Kelly in the supporting cast.

16 65 (2023)

65 is a film with an intriguing concept. It follows the journey of a pilot named Mills from the distant planet of Somaris. With his young daughter, Nevine, suffering from an illness, Mills convinces her and her mother that he needs to embark on a two-year space expedition to earn enough money for Nevine’s treatment. Unfortunately, along the way, his ship is hit by asteroids, and he crash lands on an unknown planet. That planet turned out to be Earth circa 65 million years ago, as he’s now stuck in a period when dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures still roamed it freely. Meeting a young human child there named Koa, Mills helps keep her safe as the pair find themselves battling through the harsh environment and deadly creatures.

Why 65 Is a Great Sci-Fi Film​​

Adam Driver has become one of the most respected actors working today and is renowned for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers. He’s given some outstanding performances in the past that have seen him nominated for a slew of honors, such as two Academy Awards (including one for Best Actor). His esteem in the sci-fi world is well known, so it was great to see him in another film of the genre.

15 Bird Box Barcelona (2023)

Another great new film released in 2023, Bird Box Barcelona, is a spin-off from Netflix’s popular first film, Bird Box. While the first one was a Sandra Bullock-led post-apocalyptic sci-fi-horror based on a book, this one is a Spanish film that builds on the original story, while giving it a fresh new setting. The world is still being plagued by mysterious alien-like creatures that use people’s negative thoughts against them. While some wind up becoming “seers” when exposed to the creatures, however, the majority of exposures lead to victims committing suicide.

As we saw in the first film, a common method of escaping the entities is to use blindfolds that prevent you from seeing them. This film charts the harrowing journey of a survivor named Sebastian as he tries to try and lead survivors through the now desolate streets of Barcelona. This time, the story delves a lot deeper into what or who these mysterious entities might be.

Why Bird Box Barcelona Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

An expansion on the original film’s concept, Bird Box Barcelona takes what worked originally and introduces a bevy of intriguing twists and turns. Similar to how other films treat the introduction of supernatural creatures, Bird Box Barcelona shows that humanity is often its own biggest enemy, as Sebastian’s journey is plagued with difficult decisions to make. Those who enjoyed the viral first film will likely find more of the same to appreciate here.

14 The Titan (2018)

Following the massive success of Sam Worthington’s part in the first Avatar film, he became one of the most recognizable stars around. The Australian actor, of course, went on to reprise his role as Jack Sully in Avatar: The Way of Water and has signed on for three upcoming sequels too. Between his two Avatar roles to date, he also starred in another great sci-fi film back in 2018. The Titan tells the story of an overpopulated Earth in 2048 that forced scientists to search for an alternative home for humanity.

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has become a viable option but requires experimental testing to determine if human bodies can adapt to its harsh environment. US Air Force Pilot Rick Janssen volunteers as one of the test subjects. Joined by his family at the research base, tests initially prove successful as they enhance Rick’s strength, speed, and ability to breathe underwater. However, the tests soon begin to evolve him into something else entirely, and a desperate battle begins as his government tries to exterminate him before he grows too powerful.

Why The Titan Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Aside from feeling eerily prescient, given talks of colonizing Mars occasionally pop in and out of the news cycle, The Titan is a film that focuses on its intimate characters as much as its dystopian setting. Sam Worthington is entertaining as always, and its incorporation of transhumanist themes allows it to snugly fit into Netflix’s catalog of sci-fi films.

13 In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

Netflix has grown a stellar reputation over the years for producing some brilliant original films. The streaming giant has a string of hit films behind it from practically every genre and is now capable of attracting the biggest names in Hollywood for its films. In 2019, one of the best from its catalog of original sci-fi films was In the Shadow of the Moon. The film was nothing if not original as it featured some great performances from Boyd Holbrook and Cleopatra Coleman, and a very creative plot driving it.

The movie follows the tragic journey of a Philadelphia police officer named Thomas Lockhart as he tries to unravel the mind-bending case of why many people have appeared to simultaneously die from massive and seemingly spontaneous hemorrhages. This sends him on a mission that quickly becomes an obsession, as he’s the only one who believes that the perpetrator is a person traveling through time to kill the victims. The truth, however, is far more disturbing and poignant.

Why In the Shadow of the Moon Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

In the Shadow of the Moon is a unique sci-fi film almost solely because of its unique premise. It’s a cat-and-mouse chase tied with the complex mechanics of time travel. Boyd Holbrook plays a captivating lead in the form of Thomas Lockhart, with Cleopatra Coleman and Michael C. Hall lending their talents to the supporting cast alongside him. If you like your science fiction films to be loaded with tension, In the Shadow of the Moon is an excellent choice for a nail-biting experience.

12 Anon (2018)

A British-American sci-fi film that exceeds expectations, Anon brought Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried together in a dystopian future where people are fitted with an ocular implant that records their every action. The implant provides a heads-up display with an augmented reality interface that provides information about everyone and everything you encounter in the world.

Owen plays a detective who encounters Seyfried’s character, “Anon”, who’s able to glitch the system since no information about her shows up on his display. She somehow also erases any recordings of herself in his implant when he tries to retrieve his recordings for the day.

Why Anon Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

The film’s investigative premise props up some great intrigue, as the film builds into a mystery with some great tension, passionate encounters between the characters, and a twisty plot prevailing throughout. Given the fact that just about everyone carries around a mobile recording device on their person all day, Anon‘s science fiction premise feels only a few steps removed from reality. Combined with an impressive showcase of Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried’s talents, Anon is a film you can’t help but feel entranced by as you watch it.

11 The Adam Project (2022)

Ryan Reynolds has a great deal going strong with Netflix, and The Adam Project is one of his multiple offerings. Directed by Shawn Levy, with a script by Jonathan Tropper, Reynolds takes the lead alongside Zoe Saldaña and Mark Ruffalo. This visually stunning sci-fi adventure follows Adam as he travels back in time, seeking the help of his younger self to save his father in the past.

Why The Adam Project Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

The Adam Project is a great time travel story that doesn’t get muddied with the usual antics about alternate realities, with tons of humor and excellent family dynamics. Shawn Levy of Night at the Museum and Stranger Things fame puts his own personal touch on this family-driven science fiction film, allowing Reynolds’ performance and a bevy of impressive visual effects to guide the story forward. Some have even drawn comparisons between this film and similar titles from the 1980s, promising a nostalgic trip for those well versed in the sci-fi genre.

10 The Platform (2019)

Spanish cinema has brought audiences some of the most thought-provoking sci-fi films of all time. The Platform is an intriguing offering directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, with a script by David Desola, and featuring the talent of popular Spanish actors such as Ivan Massagué, Zorion Eguileor, and Antonia San Juan. The story is set in a dystopian era, in a strange prison.

Why The Platform Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Without spoiling too much of the plot, we can firmly say this sci-fi drama explores the dark side of human nature with many metaphors, as inmates in prison must fight for their survival while contending with limited resources provided on the mysterious platform that falls daily, offering food for those on the top. Social commentary is aplenty in The Platform, giving its ominious presence some much-needed bite for a wider audience.

9 Bird Box (2018)

Sandra Bullock proved her acting skills once more with this sci-fi horror story. The actress would publicly thank Netflix for giving her a second chance after Hollywood studios began favoring younger faces. Bird Box is an atmospheric and tense movie directed by Susanne Bier, based on a screenplay by Eric Heisserer. Trevante Rhodes and John Malkovich star alongside Bullock in a post-apocalyptic world where unseen entities cause anyone who sees them to commit suicide. A woman and her two children must embark on a dangerous journey while blindfolded to save themselves.

Why Bird Box Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

Aside from becoming a viral hit due to its impressive marketing campaign, Bird Box remains one of Netflix’s most straightforward and engaging science fiction horror films to date. Despite being functionally blind for most of the film, Sandra Bullock gives an incredibly convincing performance as a desperate mother. The surrounding film would even see accalim for its impressive special effects, garnering a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature at the Visual Effects Society Awards.

8 The Giver (2014)

Imagine a world where emotions are repressed for the sake of an orderly society. This is the question posed by Lois Lowry in the novel The Giver. The film of the same name was written by Michael Mitnick and directed by Phillip Noyce. The stellar casting includes veterans such as Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep, alongside newcomers Brenton Thwaites and Odeya Rush. The story follows a supposedly utopian society where emotions and memories are suppressed after the fall of mankind until a young man is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory. He would discover the dark truths that created this new, seemingly perfect facade.

Why The Giver Is a Great Sci-Fi Film

As an adaptation of the famous science fiction novel, The Giver was subject to mixed critical reception, but saw some significant popularity among general audiences. Jeff Bridges does an incredible job in the role of the titular Giver, whereas Brenton Thwaites and Odeya Rush are thoroughly impressive in their respective roles as Jonas and Fiona. Director Phillip Noyce had directed the impressive thriller film Salt only four years prior, allowing his flexibility to shine through in this book adaptation.