10 Best Sci-Fi Movies Of The 21st Century, Ranked

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Ever since Georges Méliès shot a rocket ship into the eye of the moon in "A Trip to the Moon" (1902), audiences have delighted in science fiction movies. Like fantasy and horror, the best sci-fi movies of all time transport audiences into worlds that seem only possible in their wildest imaginations. At the same time, the best sci-fi films use scenarios about a futuristic society to say something insightful about the here and now. As technology has rapidly progressed, the most improbable sci-fi stories suddenly feel like they could happen any day now, adding an eerie prescience to certain films years after their release. As such, the 21st century has produced some of the best science fiction movies ever made, and some of the most frighteningly predictive.

Here are the 10 best sci-fi movies of the 21st century, ranked. These films encompass stories of alien invasions, intergalactic space travel, artificial intelligence, and apocalyptic futures. The titles chosen span epic blockbusters and small-scale dramas, from action-adventure to romantic comedy to intimate dramas. Whether produced on a massive scale or on a low budget, these movies all have big ideas about where the world might be headed if humanity doesn't get its act together. Some of these films were released years ago yet feel like they could've hit theaters yesterday, considering how clairvoyant they turned out to be. (Perhaps we should learn the right lessons from these movies before it's too late.)

• Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Taylor
• Director: Doug Liman
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 113 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

In the year 2015, aliens known as Mimics have taken over the Earth, proving nearly invincible with their immense strength and fighting abilities. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is dispatched in the fight against the invaders, despite having never seen a day of combat in his life. Maj. Cage is quickly killed, yet because he's bathed in the blood of a Mimic, he awakens in the previous day. Forced into an endless cycle of live, die, and repeat, Maj. Cage eventually grows better at fighting the aliens, and gains a strong ally in Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), who trains him to become a better soldier. Together, they figure out a way to defeat the Mimics once and for all.

Praised by critics for its originality and craft, "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014) was a lukewarm box office hit that has since gained a cult following. Directed by Doug Liman, it plays like a sci-fi version of "Groundhog Day" (1993), casting Tom Cruise against type as a hapless soldier who can't win a fight on the first try. In a progressive twist on gender roles, Emily Blunt plays the part that's usually given to a man, someone that whips the hero into shape with their hardened battle skills. Co-written by Christopher McQuarrie, the film is slyly funny and action-packed, and just begging for a sequel.

• Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson
• Director: Spike Jonze
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 126 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

Shy and introverted Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) earns a living penning personal letters for people who can't write them on their own. Depressed from the breakup of his marriage with his childhood sweetheart (Rooney Mara), Theodore decides to give a new AI-generated operating system a try. He gives the OS a female voice and names her Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), and before long, "Samantha" is growing and adapting to Theodore's unique needs. Unable to connect with a human woman (Olivia Wilde), Theodore falls in love with the voice of one that isn't real. Yet as Samantha rapidly evolves in consciousness, Theodore is at risk of being left alone again.

Who would've thought that "Her" (2013) would turn out to be one of the most prophetic films of the 21st century? Perhaps Spike Jonze, who won an Oscar for his original screenplay, had a crystal ball when he was crafting this story about a lonely man finding love with a woman that only exist on a computer screen. It's easy to draw parallels between the rise in AI "romances" and Theodore's love for Samantha, which seems like the next logical progression in online dating and long-distance relationships. Yet at its core, "Her" is relatable to anyone who has ever had emotional difficulty in a real partnership, causing them to retreat into the comfort of an imaginary one.

• Cast: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee
• Director: Matt Reeves
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 130 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Hulu on Disney+, Apple TV

The human race is almost extinct following the Simian Flu pandemic from 10 years prior. Those who remain are living in the ruins of a collapsed society now dominated by apes, who have been gifted enhanced intelligence by the virus. Caesar (Andy Serkis), the leader of the apes, tries to preserve a  relationship with the humans while maintaining control. He forges a bond with Malcolm (Jason Clarke), his wife, Ellie (Keri Russell), and their son, Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), in the hopes that the two species can coexist. Yet that alliance is threatened on both sides by former cop Dreyfus (Gary Oldman) and the ape Koba (Tony Kebbell), both of whom believe violence is the answer.

The "Planet of the Apes" franchise has been rebooted so many times it's almost hard to keep track of which film is which. One thing's for certain, though: Matt Reeves' "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" (2014) is among the very best "Planet of the Apes" movies, boasting Oscar-nominated special effects and a thematically-rich text. A sequel to "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011), it envisions an apocalyptic future in which humanity must fight for survival after a global pandemic levels the playing field between man and animal. If that sounds a little too predictive, need we remind you this takes place in 2026?

• Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno, Gana Bayarsaikhan
• Director: Alex Garland
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 108 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, HBO Max, Netflix, Kanopy, Tubi, Apple TV

Coder Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he wins a contest to spend a week at the home of his boss, tech CEO Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Isolated in his mansion with his assistant (Sonoya Mizuno), Nathan has been developing something truly spectacular: the first robot equipped with artificial intelligence. Having already conducted a Turing test on his creation, Nathan now wants Caleb to see if it is capable of independent thought. Caleb meets Ava (Alicia Vikander), a humanoid with the face of a beautiful woman, and finds himself instantly attracted to her. He listens to her pleas to see the outside world, causing a power struggle with Nathan. Yet neither man has the upper hand over Ava.

"Ex Machina" (2014) was the directorial debut for Alex Garland, who had already made a name for himself in sci-fi with the scripts for "28 Days Later" (2002) and "Sunshine" (2007). The film makes the most of its small budget, especially when it comes to its Oscar-winning special effects. Yet what's most impressive about Garland's Oscar-nominated script is how prophetic it turned out to be. Who would've thought when he put pen to paper that AI actress Tilly Norwood would become a threat to the very industry that produced this movie about the dangers of AI? 

• Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Pearson, Jeremy McWilliams, Krystof Hádek, Paul Brannigan
• Director: Jonathan Glazer
• Rating: R 
• Runtime: 108 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

A mysterious woman (Scarlett Johansson in one of her best movie roles) is found in Glasgow, Scotland one night, completely naked. After buying some clothes and makeup, she drives around town in a van picking up random men, convincing them to come back home with her. Entranced by her beauty, the men follow the woman back to a dilapidated house, where they disappear into a liquid black void. The woman ensnares various victims in her fluid web, sparing only a lonely man with facial tumors (Adam Pearson). It turns out she's an alien in disguise, which is only revealed when a rapist tears her skin off in the woods.

Few recent films are as odd and entrancing as "Under the Skin" (2013). A decade-in-the-making passion project for director Jonathan Glazer, the film eschews a traditional plot in favor of creating something more experiential. Using hidden cameras and nonprofessional actors, Glazer shot many scenes unscripted, oftentimes without even telling the people appearing opposite Scarlett Johansson that they were in a movie. When paired with Mica Levi's eerie score, this approach has the unsettling effect of presenting our world through an alien perspective. "Under the Skin" isn't everyone's cup of tea, and its almost total lack of narrative might turn many viewers off. Yet for those attuned to its wavelength, it's a wild ride.

• Cast: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma
• Director: Denis Villeneuve
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 116 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Kanopy, MGM+, Apple TV

Widespread panic ensues when giant spaceships touch down on Earth in 12 different locations. Desperate to find out whether these alien visitors are friends or foes, various governments enlist scientists and military experts to monitor the situation. In the United States, linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is brought in to establish a shared language with the extra-terrestrials. Working with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), Louise starts to crack the code with two aliens they have dubbed Abbott and Costello. As she's beset with what could be either memories or premonitions of her deceased daughter, Louise races against time to find out why the aliens have arrived before the military launches a strike.

With his "Dune" trilogy and "Blade Runner 2049," Denis Villeneuve has become the premiere sci-fi director of the 21st century. Although it's smaller in scale than those titles, "Arrival" (2016) is his most effective foray into the genre, and his most emotionally impactful. Based on Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life," it's on the surface a parable of how we must learn to live together to avoid our mutual destruction. At the same time, it uses the trappings of science fiction to explore the power of love in the face of inevitable death. The film earned eight Oscar nominations, including best picture, and won the award for best sound editing.

• Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Caine
• Director: Christopher Nolan
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 169 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Paramount+

In a future that eerily resembles our present, humanity is on the verge of extinction from a massive crop shortage. Former NASA test pilot Joseph "Coop" Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) has turned to farming as he struggles to raise his children, Tom (Timothée Chalamet) and Murph (Mackenzie Foy). Coop is recruited by NASA scientist John Brand (Michael Caine) to embark on a high-stakes mission to save mankind by finding a new planet to inhabit. Coop and Brand's daughter Amelia (Anne Hathaway) must travel through a wormhole to explore a new galaxy, forcing him to leave his family behind for decades. As Murph (Jessica Chastain) and Tom (Casey Affleck) grow into adulthood, Coop desperately tries to return to them.

Christopher Nolan has often cited Stanley Kubrick as an influence, and "Interstellar" (2014) shares a lot of spiritual DNA with "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968). Like Kubrick's film, Nolan's features dazzling, Oscar-winning special effects that will make you believe intergalactic space travel is happening right before your very eyes. Yet what distinguishes "Interstellar" from "2001," and what makes it one of Christopher Nolan's best movies, is the strong emotional undercurrent running through the narrative. Although it grapples with big ideas about the fate of humanity, the film is at its core the story of a father's love for his children, and how that impacts his journey through space and time.

• Cast: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Pam Ferris
• Director: Alfonso Cuarón
• Rating: R
• Runtime: 109 minutes
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV

In the year 2027, mass infertility has left mankind on the brink of collapse, as no new babies have been conceived in nearly 20 years and the last human born has just died. The United Kingdom has devolved into a police state, as refugees get arrested, deported, or executed. Theo Faron (Clive Owen), a former political activist turned cynical after the death of his son, is kidnapped by a militant group run by his estranged wife, Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore). Julian enlists Theo to help get Kee (Clare Hope-Ashitey), a woman who has miraculously become pregnant, to safety. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, Theo evades police and rioters alike to shepherd Kee out of the UK so that scientists can study her.

With the year 2027 right around the corner, Alfonso Cuarón's "Children of Men" (2006) feels more prescient than ever. The film is a technical marvel, featuring the kind of innovative, single-take action sequences that would win cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki three back-to-back Oscars (although shockingly, not for this movie). Yet it's Cuarón's vision of a future that has turned towards violence and mayhem that's given this film an eerie staying power. In 2006, the thought of militias roaming the streets as society collapses seemed far-fetched: now, in 2026, it seems dangerously close to coming true.

• Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Zoë Kravitz
• Director: George Miller
  
• Rating: R
  
• Runtime: 120 minutes
  
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV
  

In the near future, society has collapsed following an ecological disaster, turning the Australian outback into a barren wasteland. The tyrannical Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Bryne) rules over the people by controlling access to water. Joe discovers that his five "wives" have escaped the Citadel with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), who's taking them to the mythical "Green Place." Traveling in an armored truck called the War Rig, Furiosa forges an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a former captive whose universal donor blood type makes him a hot commodity for blood-fueled vehicles. Max and Furiosa evade Immortan Joe's army of henchmen as they barrel through the Wasteland in search of a better life.

It's not often that a sequel is better than the original film, let alone the fourth entry in a franchise that had been dormant for 30 years, yet "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015) is just that kind of sequel. Coming three decades after George Miller's original "Max Max" trilogy, "Fury Road" brings a whole new meaning to the term high octane action, putting the pedal to the metal from minute one and not letting up until the credits roll. It's perhaps the greatest chase movie ever made, in that it's just one big chase. The film earned 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture, and won six tech prizes, a rarity for sci-fi.

• Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor, Brendan Gleeson, William Hurt
• Director: Steven Spielberg
  
• Rating: PG-13
  
• Runtime: 146 minutes
  
• Where to watch: Prime Video, Kanopy, Apple TV
  

In the 22nd century, Professor Allen Hobby (William Hurt) has developed the first humanoid robot capable of feeling love. Eleven-year-old robot David (Haley Joel Osment) is purchased by Monica and Henry Swinton (Frances O'Connor and Sam Robards), whose son has been in a coma from a rare disease. David feels instant love for his adopted mother, which becomes complicated when her actual son returns home from the hospital. Afraid that David will be destroyed by the factory, Monica sets him loose in the woods, telling him to avoid humans who will tear him apart for scrap metal. Accompanied by his robotic teddy bear and the love robot Gigolo Joe (Jude Law), David seeks out the Blue Fairy in the hopes that she'll turn him into a real boy, just like Pinocchio.

The best sci-fi films tell us something about the world we live in today through creating fantastical visions of the future. "AI: Artificial Intelligence" (2001), which started as a project for Stanley Kubrick before being taken over by Steven Spielberg, uses the specter of artificial intelligence to explore the inevitability of death and the ways in which we process grief. At a time when AI is becoming increasingly sophisticated, David's quest to become "a real boy" feels more unsettling than it did 25 years ago, and much less fantastical.