Science fiction is consistently a favorite among moviegoers, with many of the year’s biggest hits falling into the genre. While franchises like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Star Trek are incredibly popular, there are still many excellent sci-fi movies that don’t get the recognition they deserve. Beyond the box office, sci-fi is experiencing a surge in popularity, fueled by our growing real-world interest in technology and the inspiring – and sometimes worrying – stories it creates.
Even with the success of many science fiction films each year, some great ones often get overlooked or don’t receive the attention they deserve. This seemed particularly true in the 2020s, when the traditional movie theater experience was disrupted by the pandemic and changing viewing habits. These films deserve to be rediscovered and appreciated now.
7) Tenet
Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet is known for sharply dividing audiences. Released between Dunkirk and Oppenheimer, the 2020 movie marked a return to science fiction, reminiscent of his popular films Inception and Interstellar. Despite a lot of pre-release buzz, many viewers found Tenet confusing and overly complex, with some feeling it simply rehashed ideas from Inception.
Currently, Tenet has the lowest approval rating of any Christopher Nolan film, at 70
6) No One Will Save You
The 2023 horror film No One Will Save You is a standout alien movie of recent years, but it hasn’t gotten much attention. This Hulu original features Kaitlyn Dever as Brynn Adams, a woman who finds her home under attack by extraterrestrial invaders, and remarkably, the entire film is told without dialogue.
What sets the film No One Will Save You apart is its incredibly limited dialogue – only five spoken words throughout the entire movie. Though some viewers might be put off by this, the restriction actually makes the film more remarkable, which is why it’s disappointing that it hasn’t received more attention.
5) The Invisible Man
Universal has struggled to revive its classic monsters over the last decade, with films like 2017’s The Mummy and 2024’s Wolf Man falling short of expectations. However, 2020’s The Invisible Man stands out as a truly successful reimagining of a classic monster and deserves more recognition.
Elisabeth Moss leads the cast of The Invisible Man, a thrilling sci-fi horror film with a clever premise: she’s stalked by her ex-boyfriend, a scientist who’s created an invisibility suit. Director Leigh Whannell uses this classic monster story to explore the damaging effects of abusive relationships and psychological manipulation. Unfortunately, the film came out right before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves.
4) The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
The Day the Earth Blew Up is a full-length animated movie starring the Looney Tunes characters, and it’s a science fiction adventure. The story centers on Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, who team up to stop an alien plot and save the planet.
The Day the Earth Blew Up is a really fun tribute to the classic, low-budget sci-fi movies of the 1950s – a golden age for the genre. However, it wasn’t released in North America by Warner Bros., and instead was picked up by Ketchup Entertainment. This likely hurt the film’s chances, as it only earned $15.2 million despite costing $15 million to make.
3) Predator: Killer of Killers
The Predator series got a boost with 2022’s Prey, which was a critically acclaimed installment. Following that, Predator: Badlands in 2025 offered a new take, moving the action to another planet. In between those two films came Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology released in 2025.
With a 95
2) Infinity Pool
Brandon Cronenberg’s 2023 film, Infinity Pool, is a standout sci-fi movie – both incredibly well-made and deeply unsettling. The story follows a group of tourists, played by Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, and Alexander Skarsgård, who become involved in increasingly wild and unrestrained behavior while on vacation at a resort.
The science fiction elements of Infinity Pool unfold gradually, and the film’s exploration of the concept is particularly effective. Despite being filled with disturbing visuals and insightful themes, Infinity Pool earned just $5.2 million in theaters, meaning it’s largely been forgotten since its release.
1) Mars Express
The 2023 film Mars Express is a standout sci-fi and animated movie, and it doesn’t get nearly enough attention. It tells the story of a detective and her robot partner who journey to Mars to find a famous hacker, and they uncover a surprising secret along the way.
Despite being a French-language film that didn’t reach many North American viewers, Mars Express is a beautifully animated and captivating sci-fi story. Remarkably, it has a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes but remains largely unknown, making it one of the most underrated sci-fi films of the past few years.
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2026-01-02 21:11