The best sci-fi movies on Netflix right now

Life is all about perspective, and nothing snaps you out of a funk quite like escaping to a future world where things are much, much worse. Whether you're dropping into a government-controlled dystopia or a world free from privacy, rest easy in the knowledge that however your life looks right now, it looks a lot better than these potential realities. From films satirizing government inaction in reaction to climate change, to journeys into the worlds of party drugs and pills that provide super powers, these are the must-watch sci-fi movies on Netflix.

<i>Annihilation</i> (2018)

In the swamplands of Florida there sits a forcefield that formed after a meteor hit the area. Separated from regular life by a kaleidoscopic shell whose circumference continues to expand, The Shimmer, as it's called, has claimed the lives of every man who has gone inside — except one. Biologist Lena (Natalie Portman) lost her husband Kane (Oscar Isaac) after he was presumably killed during a military operation, but when Kane returns home with his memory gone and his health failing, Lena looks for answers.

She then joins an all-female research team consisting of a physicist, a geologist, a paramedic, and a psychologist, all of whom volunteer to enter The Shimmer in what amounts to a suicide mission. While inside, the women find a gorgeous world that defies nature — but the mutations taking place within threaten to destroy the women, their team, and eventually, the world. A visually stunning sci-fi movie that allows the audience to meditate on themes of grief, depression, and destruction, Annihilation is, as our critic put it, "the kind of film that leaves you dazzled, shellshocked — and not entirely sure whether your own moviegoing DNA hasn't been altered a little in the process." — Ilana Gordon

Where to watch Annihilation: Netflix

EW grade: A- (read the review)

Director: Alex Garland

Talent: Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny

Related reading: How filmmakers created the terrifying bear in Annihilation

<i>Anon</i> (2018)

Privacy and anonymity are luxuries afforded to no one in the 2018 British-American sci-fi thriller Anon. Clive Owen stars as Detective Sal Frieland, a troubled cop operating in a dystopia where the entire populace is implanted with an ocular device intended to record and track the movements of the people around them. The government's transparency methods ensure that all criminal activity is caught on tape — but when a mysterious woman with no digital footprint (Amanda Seyfried) crosses paths with Sal, he realizes she might have a connection with a series of unsolved murders he's investigating. Director Andrew Niccol tells EW "I always wanted to do a movie about privacy and the fact that there was never a war for privacy, because we already lost — we gave away our privacy without a fight, all for convenience." — I.G.

Where to watch Anon: Netflix

EW grade: (read the review)

Director: Andrew Niccol

Cast: Clive Owen, Amanda Seyfried, Colm Feore, Mark O'Brien,

Related content: Andrew Niccol describes his new Netflix film Anon as 'Cambridge Analytica on crack'

<i>Bird Box</i> (2018)

Sight becomes a handicap in Bird Box, a post-apocalyptic thriller where the enemy must go unseen, or else. Sandra Bullock stars as Malorie Hayes, a woman responsible for transporting two young children down a river while wearing blindfolds, a strategy intended to help the survivors avoid seeing the entities that attacked Earth five years earlier, and who cause those who look upon them to commit suicide. Jumping between their present journey and the past events that led Malorie and the children to this point, director Susanne Bier leans into the tension of the unknown and relies on her talented but eclectic cast to do the rest. Released the same year as A Quiet Place, and possessing a somewhat similar premise, Bird Box received less attention when it first premiered, but this sci-fi horror film is a great option for fans of both genres. — I.G.

Where to watch Bird Box: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Susanne Bier

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Danielle Macdonald, Sarah Paulson, Machine Gun Kelly

Related content: Bird Box author Josh Malerman on publishing a sequel during the end times

<i>Black Mirror: Bandersnatch</i> (2018)

As it turns out, the only thing missing from the British anthology series, Black Mirror, was options. In Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, the TV show gets a movie makeover, but with a twist: The film was shot in the style of a "choose your own adventure" novel, and viewers are able to customize their viewing experience through their scene selections. Centered around a young programmer named Stefan (Fionn Whitehead), Bandersnatch follows Stefan's journey in developing a video game for a famous gaming company, a journey that puts Stefan under a great deal of mental and emotional stress, and results in one of ten main endings. Black Mirror is beloved for its eldritch and tech-focused content, and Bandersnatch keeps that tone alive, using the main storyline to explore themes like free will and mind control, even as the viewers' choices drive the story forward. — I.G.

Where to watch Black Mirror: Bandersnatch: Netflix

Director: David Slade

Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Will Poulter, Craig Parkinson, Tallulah Rose Haddon, Catriona Knox

Related content: All the possible Black Mirror: Bandersnatch endings, ranked

<i>Don't Look Up</i> (2021)

As a comet sets its sights on Earth and prepares to wipe out human civilization, two astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) rush to warn the world of the impending collision — only to discover the world doesn't really care. "Based on events that haven't happened yet," as the film's trailer states, Don't Look Up is a sci-fi satire that skewers climate deniers and government inaction in the face of scientific evidence pointing to looming catastrophe. Directed by Adam McKay (Vice, The Big Short), and featuring everyone in Hollywood from Jonah Hill and Meryl Streep to Timothee Chalamet and Ariana Grande, Don't Look Up offers great jokes and fun cameos, but be warned: it's not exactly light fare. Still, as far as sci-fi comedies go, this one is worth a watch — just don't think too deeply about the implications of the film's ending. — I.G.

Where to watch Don't Look Up: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Adam McKay

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Cate Blanchett, Mark Rylance, Melanie Lynskey, Chris Evans

Related content: Don't Look Up director says 'editing mistake' showing crew was 'on purpose'

<i>In the Shadow of the Moon</i> (2007)

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" was the phrase that echoed around the galaxy in July of 1969, when American astronauts emerged from Apollo 11 and took their first steps on the surface of the moon. In 2007, In the Shadow of the Moon, a British documentary premiered at Sundance, chronicling this history-making achievement and digging into the story behind the Apollo program through interviews with 10 astronauts from across the program's many missions. Featuring never before released footage, archival news reports, and the perspectives of some of the only people to see Earth from this remarkable vantage point, In the Shadow of the Moon is stranger than science fiction because it's completely true. "In the Shadow of the Moon finds new resonance in the moment when America redefined progress," EW's critic writes, "but also when it heeded the siren song of a world so desolate it reminded you what a paradise ours truly is." — I.G.  

Where to watch In the Shadow of the Moon: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: David Sington

Related content: Space movies try for NASA's blessing

<i>Oxygen</i> (2021)

A nightmare come to life for claustrophobics everywhere, Oxygen is a French language sci-fi film that thinks outside the box in terms of action. At the genesis, an unidentified woman (Mélanie Laurent) awakens in an airtight medical unit, unsure of who or where she is. Interactions with the system's AI — dubbed M.I.L.O. (Medical Interface Liaison Officer) — provide some clarity as to her identity, but no matter what she tries, she cannot escape her prison. As she seeks to understand who placed her in the box and why, truths about her personal life and the current state of the world come into focus — but her search for context is actually a race to outwit the slowly depleting oxygen levels. Laurent is excellent, and despite being forced to perform on her back, she manages to imbue the film with a strong sense of determination and humanity. — I.G.        

Where to watch Oxygen: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Alexandre Aja

Cast: Mélanie Laurent, Mathieu Amalric, Malik Zidi

Related content: The best sci-fi movies on Max

<i>Project Power</i> (2020)

What do a New Orleans police officer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a soldier in search of his daughter (Jamie Foxx), and a rapping drug dealer (Dominique Fishback, The Deuce) have in common? They're all working to rid the streets of Power, a new drug that gives users five minutes of superhero abilities, at the risk of killing them with one hit. A science fiction action film produced by Netflix, Project Power invites audiences into a city still suffering the after-effects of Katrina, even decades after the hurricane hit. Populated by morally murky characters — like Gordon-Levitt's Detective Frank Shaver, a cop who uses the drug to level the playing field against the city's criminals, or Fishback's teenage Robin Reilly, who knows she needs to deal to get ahead in this world, but is too smart to partake of her own product — the film finds room for cultural context amidst the action sequences. — I.G.

Where to watch Project Power: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost 

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jamie Foxx, Dominique Fishback, Machine Gun Kelly, Rodrigo Santoro, Courtney B. Vance, Amy Landecker   

Related content: With Netflix's Project Power, Dominique Fishback is poised to take center stage

<i>See You Yesterday</i> (2019)

The best way to live life with no regrets is to build a time machine — which is exactly what happens in Netflix's Spike Lee-produced sci-fi adventure film, See You Yesterday. After best friends and high school science prodigies C.J. and Sebastian unlock the secrets to time travel, they're forced to use their newfound invention in an attempt to save C.J.'s brother Calvin from a fatal encounter with the police. A modern take on Back to the Future — also featuring an appearance by the original time traveler, Michael J. Fox — the film grapples with highly relevant cultural issues like police brutality while still having fun with high school tropes and time loops. See You Yesterday might not have gotten the attention it deserved when it first premiered on the platform back in 2019, but the film remains a regret-free sci-fi adventure worth embarking upon. — I.G.

Where to watch See You Yesterday: Netflix

Director: Stefon Bristol

Talent: Eden Duncan-Smith, Danté Crichlow, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brian "Stro" Bradley

Related reading: How Spike Lee mentee Stefon Bristol landed Michael J. Fox for Netflix's See You Yesterday

<i>Starship Troopers</i> (1997)

Fascist imagery and thudding allusions to World War II-era propaganda films permeate Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, but because the provocative Dutch filmmaker didn't explicitly spell out his satire, it went over the heads of many upon its release. But time has been kind to the action-comedy, perhaps because its gleefully cynical portrait of nationalism and a war-hungry populace would resonate that much more in the years following 9/11 and the Iraq War. That said, those interested in the simpler pleasures of watching bugs go splat will also find plenty to like, from its gnarly, goo-slinging action set pieces to CGI effects that stand up to today's technology. — Randall Colburn

Where to watch Starship Troopers: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Cast: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, Michael Ironside

Related content: Starship Troopers cast: Where are they now?

<i>Star Trek</i> (2009)

In the late 2000s, J.J. Abrams went where no man has gone before by directing the first film in a Star Trek prequel trilogy. Non-trekkies might find the sheer vastness of the franchise overwhelming — currently, it includes 12 television shows, beginning with Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969), and 13 films — but given that 2009's Star Trek serves as an origin story for some of the main characters, newbies will find it to be a solid entrée into the world. Set in 2233, Abrams' film follows the evolution of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members as they battle a future version of Nero (Eric Bana), a vengeful Romulan with a vendetta against their captian. A movie that paves the way for 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016's Star Trek Beyond, Star Trek is a satisfying and compelling precursor. — I.G.

Where to watch Star Trek: Netflix

EW grade: (read the review)

Director: J.J. Abrams   

Cast: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy

Related content: Star Trek is getting its first-ever musical episode

<i>Synchronic</i> (2019)

Before Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead got swept up in the Marvel machine, the pair made a handful of oddball genre flicks — Spring and The Endless among others — notable for playfully ruminating on reality and the passage of time. The directing duo scored A-list leads in Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie for 2019's Synchronic, which follows two paramedics who connect a mysterious party drug with a series of gruesome accidents (and, perhaps, the meaninglessness of time). EW's Clark Collis calls Benson and Moorhead two of "the most impressive and imaginative up-and-coming genre filmmakers around," and in an interview with EW ahead of the film's release, Dornan describes Synchronic as being "about time, your appreciation, understanding, and respect for it." It's that, sure, but it's also weird as all hell. — I.G.

Where to watch Synchronic: Netflix

Director: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead 

Cast: Jamie Dornan, Anthony Mackie, Ally Ioannides, Katie Aselton  

Related content: Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie would totally try the trippy killer drug in Synchronic

<i>Terminator 2: Judgment Day</i> (1991)

The creative and financial apex of what's become an entire universe of film and television titles, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the first expansion on the story told in 1984's The Terminator. In the second film, Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 cyborg killer from the future has transformed into a father figure good guy to teenaged John Connor (Edward Furlong), son of Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who grows up to lead the human resistance against sentient rogue intelligence Skynet and its world-conquering army of murderous machines. The storyline isn't the only thing that expands here. T2 director James Cameron takes action filmmaking to incredible new heights with sequences that hurl massive semi-trucks through cement retention walls, smash helicopters into government laboratories, and intensify the firepower at every turn. This time around, the T-800 is tasked with protecting the Connors from a more advanced Terminator dubbed T-1000 (Robert Patrick) who is constructed from liquid metal and is utterly, totally relentless.  — Johnny Loftus

Where to watch Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: James Cameron 

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong  

Related content: The Terminator movies, ranked

<i>The Adam Project</i> (2022)

The rules of time travel be damned! In The Adam Project, a fighter pilot (Ryan Reynolds) living in the year 2050 attempts to travel back to 2018 to save his wife (Zoe Saldaña), but accidentally crash lands in 2022 where he comes face-to-face with his teenage self (Walker Scobell). As the two Adams work together to return Old Adam to the future, they find ways to grow and grieve through traumas new and old. Think Back to the Future meets Free Guy. Also starring Catherine Keener as the leader of Old Adam's world and Mark Ruffalo as Adam's father Lou, EW's critic writes that "Adam barrels along on movie stars and charm, from futures past and back again." — R.C.

Where to watch The Adam Project: Netflix

EW grade: (read the review)

Director: Shawn Levy

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Zoe Saldaña, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Walker Scobell

Related content: The Adam Project stars break down the film's Star Wars 'Endor sequence'

<i>The Midnight Sky</i> (2020)

George Clooney directs, co-produces, and stars in this moody and often wordless adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton's 2016 novel Good Morning, Midnight. Clooney, face wrapped in a giant gray beard, plays Augustine, a scientist at an Arctic research station that's still standing after an unnamed global catastrophe leaves the Earth irradiated. Health waning, he makes two big discoveries: 1) there's a mysterious little girl (Caoilinn Springall) on the station with him, and 2) her only hope for survival is the Aether, a distant spaceship that's returning to Earth unaware of the fate that's befallen it. The Midnight Sky is familiar in its use of genre tropes, but Clooney's soulful performance brings a welcome warmth to this cold vision of Earth's future. As EW critic Leah Greenblatt notes in her review, the film's also got some "arresting visual set pieces, including a blizzard white-out that feels like the actual end of the world and a memorable lesson on the physics of blood dispersion in zero gravity." — R.C.

Where to watch The Midnight Sky: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: George Clooney

Cast: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, Tiffany Boone, Kyle Chandler, Sophie Rundle, Ethan Peck, Caoilinn Springall

Related content: George Clooney discusses the difficulties of filming The Midnight Sky

<i>They Cloned Tyrone</i> (2023)

A single genre isn't enough to contain one of Netflix's most recent releases, They Cloned Tyrone. A sci-fi comedy that combines '70s Blaxploitation with mystery and social satire, the film has similar vibes to movies like Get Out or Sorry to Bother You while employing a far more absurd premise. Fontaine (John Boyega) is a drug dealer living in an impoverished area called The Glen. While trying to collect funds owed to him by a local pimp named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot and killed — but that doesn't stop him from showing up on Slick's doorstep the next day to collect his money. Joined by a sex worker named YoYo (Teyonah Parris), the trio attempts to get to the bottom of what appears to be a massive government conspiracy aimed at exploiting their disenfranchised community as medical subjects. A satirical romp that has as much to say about class and racial injustices as it does about mystery movie tropes, They Cloned Tyrone is smart, silly, and uniformly well-acted. — I.G.

Where to watch They Cloned Tyrone: Netflix

Director: Juel Taylor

Cast: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx

Related content: John Boyega calls They Cloned Tyrone with Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx 'a new vibe entirely'

<i>What Happened to Monday</i> (2017)

Orphan Black lovers will want to check out What Happened to Monday, a 2017 sci-fi action thriller directed by Tommy Wirkola. The film stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), giving seven unique performances as septuplet sisters, each named after a different day of the week. The siblings live in a fascist America where overpopulation has necessitated the creation of a Child Allocation Bureau (run by Glenn Close), which imposes a single-child policy on all families. The septuplets live secretly with their grandfather (Willem Dafoe), share the name Karen Settman (a relic from their dead mother), and are only allowed to leave the house on the day of the week that corresponds with their name. But after Monday goes out and never comes home, it's up to her sisters to save her — at the risk of exposing themselves. — I.G.

Where to watch What Happened to Monday: Netflix

EW grade: (read the review)

Director: Tommy Wirkola

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe

Related content: Why the director of What Happened to Monday avoided watching Orphan Black