Top 10 Best Sci-Fi Films of 2026

In a post-apocalyptic future following the event known as 'The Quiet Rapture,' a convict sealed inside a submersible called the Iron Lung explores an ocean of blood on an abandoned moon, searching for missing planets. His only contact with the outside world is a crackling radio link and a primitive camera, which only heightens the claustrophobic tension. Director Mark Fischbach adapts his own cult video game with a budget of $3 million and a box office haul of over $51 million.

A confused man shows up at a diner in Los Angeles claiming to be from the future, where artificial superintelligence has destroyed humanity. He recruits a group of random patrons in what is his 117th attempt to prevent the disaster after all. Gore Verbinski directs this original sci-fi comedy starring Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, and Michael Pena, with critics praising the film for its fresh, fast-paced story.

This is without doubt the best film of the year so far. Based on the bestseller by Andy Weir, the duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller bring a clever and emotional science fiction film to the screen. Ryan Gosling delivers one of his best performances as the teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship, and the friendship with the creature Rocky forms the beating heart of the film.

During the final phase of an Army Ranger selection, a training exercise turns into a fight for survival against an unexplained threat. Alan Ritchson and Dennis Quaid lead the cast of this action sci-fi from Patrick Hughes (The Hitman's Bodyguard). Netflix immediately ordered a sequel after the show's massive viewership success.

Din Djarin and Grogu return to the big screen, years after the end of the series of the same name, when the New Republic enlists them against remaining Imperial warlords. Pedro Pascal returns as the Mandalorian, with Sigourney Weaver in a new role within the New Republic. The first Star Wars theatrical film since 2019, and immediately one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

Director Kane Parsons adapts the notorious internet phenomenon with Chiwetel Ejiofor as a struggling furniture store owner who discovers a door leading to an endless, unsettling liminal space. Renate Reinsve plays his therapist, trying to believe him as the line between reality and madness blurs. With $394 million grossed worldwide, this is now A24's highest-grossing film ever.

Computer scientist Annika Kask is recruited by a tech billionaire for a secret research project on a private island in the Caribbean, built around a device designed to make contact with alien intelligence. When the team begins receiving and sending signals, they realize they may have just made the first contact with an alien civilization. Dennis Quaid, Josh Hutcherson, and Isabelle Fuhrman star in this taut science fiction thriller from Jonathan Sobol.

Steven Spielberg returns to his alien roots with this blockbuster about people making contact with alien life and grappling with what they choose to reveal. Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor leap from trains as they uncover the truth. Bigger than E.T., Close Encounters, or War of the Worlds.

Two teenagers must escape a violent entity that takes the shape of the person they desire most -- each other -- after a forced, supernatural conversion therapy ritual. Director Adrian Chiarella makes his debut with this eerie blend of romance, horror, and science fiction, with Mia Wasikowska serving as executive producer. The film premiered at Sundance in January to glowing reviews for its uncomfortable, intense atmosphere.

After three years living underground as a fugitive, former superhero Erik Reed returns to the city he once swore to protect, aiming to clear his name and reunite with his secret family. The mysterious Dragon Prime stands in his way, determined to exact revenge. With a cast full of Power Rangers alumni like Jason David Frank and Mark Dacascos, this film feels like a grittier, more mature take on the genre.