7 Best Sci-fi Movie Reboots of the Last 15 Years

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Science fiction has always been a popular genre in film. While many classic sci-fi stories have been adapted for the screen over the years, seven movies released in the last 15 years have successfully updated these tales for modern audiences. These remakes and reboots have breathed new life into beloved stories, using today’s technology, filmmaking techniques, and acting talent to earn critical praise.

Recent years have seen a resurgence of science fiction thanks to talented directors like Denis Villeneuve, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Alex Garland. Seven remakes and reboots—ranging from small independent films to big-budget blockbusters—have reintroduced classic sci-fi stories, some over a century old, to new audiences. With even more reboots planned, including Masters of the Universe, Resident Evil, and The Brave and the Bold, the future of the genre looks bright.

7) Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver and directed by Rupert Wyatt, Rise of the Planet of the Apes reimagined and served as a backstory to the classic Planet of the Apes films. The original movie, released in 1968, followed astronauts who journeyed to a future Earth ruled by intelligent apes. Rise of the Planet of the Apes explored how this world came to be, utilizing impressive visual effects and captivating performances—particularly through motion capture by actors like Andy Serkis, Karin Konoval, and Terry Notary—to create believable apes. The film felt believable, realistic, and emotionally resonant, ultimately making it more powerful than the original series.

6) Dredd (2012)

Released in 2012, Dredd is a film based on the Judge Dredd comic from 2000 AD. Written by Alex Garland, it stars Karl Urban as Judge Dredd, a law enforcer in the futuristic Mega-City One. In this city, judges have the power to act as police, judge, and executioner. The film follows Dredd as he attempts to restore order to a massive 200-story apartment building. Dredd was a reboot of the Judge Dredd story after a 1995 film adaptation. It was praised for being darker, more faithful to the original comic, and more focused than its predecessor.

5) The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps successfully reintroduced the iconic superhero team after previous movie attempts didn’t quite capture their essence. Directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, the film depicted the team’s fight against the classic villains Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson) and Silver Surfer (played by Julia Garner). First Steps was a significant improvement over the 2005 Fantastic Four, its 2007 sequel, and the 2015 reboot, bringing a fresh, colorful, and energetic style that was absent from the earlier films made by 20th Century Fox.

4) The Invisible Man (2020)

H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel, The Invisible Man, has been adapted for film and television countless times. However, the 2020 reboot, written and directed by Leigh Whannell, quickly became one of the most praised and popular versions. This new take on the story of a scientist who achieves invisibility—but can’t undo it—focuses on Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) using his power to torment his abusive ex-girlfriend, Cecilia Kass (Elizabeth Moss). This shift transformed the classic science fiction tale into a horror film, giving it a distinct atmosphere and a faster pace compared to earlier adaptations, including the 1933 original directed by James Whale.

3) Godzilla (2014)

Bringing back the classic Godzilla franchise was a big challenge for Legendary Pictures, but Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla film was a great way to start a new series. Although the MonsterVerse has faced some problems over the last ten years, this movie was widely praised for its fresh take on the Godzilla story. With impressive visual effects, beautiful cinematography, respect for the original Japanese films, and strong acting from Bryan Cranston and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Godzilla remains one of the most memorable science fiction movies ever made. By building a disaster and monster movie from the very beginning, Godzilla quickly stood out, even though the direction the MonsterVerse has taken since then has diminished its impact a little.

2) Bugonia (2025)

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film, Bugonia, is a remake of the 2003 South Korean movie Save the Green Planet!, directed by Jang Joon-hwan. Bugonia centers on Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons), a conspiracy theorist, and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis), who kidnap Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. They believe she’s an alien intent on destroying the world. While Save the Green Planet! was already known for being quirky, funny, and original, Bugonia takes those qualities even further. Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone both give outstanding performances, and Lanthimos’ distinctive filmmaking style perfectly suits this unusual story.

1) Dune (2021)

Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel, Dune, was first adapted for film by David Lynch in 1984. More recently, in 2021, Denis Villeneuve reimagined the story for a new generation. Villeneuve’s Dune has become known as a visually stunning and incredibly ambitious cinematic experience, with a sequel already released and another one planned. His filmmaking perfectly suited the scale of Herbert’s world, allowing for detailed and immersive world-building that the earlier film couldn’t fully achieve. It’s difficult to envision another science fiction reboot having the same massive impact and success as this new Dune adaptation.

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2025-12-17 16:42