5 Must-Watch Sci-Fi Movies You Can Only Stream On Netflix

With so many streaming services out there, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the big names to differentiate themselves from one another. It's all a matter of what you can get on one streamer that's unavailable elsewhere. And if you're into aliens, monsters, and scientific experiments gone wrong, then Netflix has plenty to whet your appetite. 

We've gone over many great sci-fi movies you can watch on Netflix in the past. But here, we're doing something a little different. These are excellent science fiction stories that are only available on Netflix. Plenty of titles wind up on multiple streamers to view for free. Note: We're not counting platforms where you pay money to rent or purchase a certain movie. Provided that you have a Netflix subscription, you can watch these movies entirely for free. 

That includes a mix of Netflix originals and sci-fi titles that are solely available on this streamer and nowhere else. Just when you think you've viewed everything Netflix has to offer, there are a few more gems waiting for you. 

If you failed to check out "Godzilla Minus One" in theaters, you missed out on witnessing epic kaiju action on the big screen. Fortunately, it doesn't seem like we'll run out of Godzilla movies anytime soon, and meanwhile, you can catch up with the Godzilla movie that made Oscar history on Netflix. 

"Godzilla Minus One" offers a deeply human story amidst the skyscraper-sized carnage, as Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder in the aftermath of World War II. But as he tries to put a life together for him and his loved ones, Godzilla strikes. Honestly, it's a great Godzilla movie to watch to get introduced to this world and the famous movie monster. You don't have to worry about getting bogged down in lore and other kaiju.

Instead, the film takes Godzilla back to its roots, which means a commentary on the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Just as Japan tries to rebuild itself from the war, here comes Godzilla to topple buildings. The VFX are nothing short of impressive, but the human story is what will keep you invested from start to finish. "Godzilla Minus One" is a refreshing blockbuster spectacle that'll work for folks who aren't normally fans of monster flicks.

When it comes to the best animated movies of 2025, everyone was busy paying attention to "Kpop Demon Hunters" on Netflix. But with the Kpop hype dying down, now's the perfect time to go back and watch "Lost in Starlight." Even calling "Lost in Starlight" a simple sci-fi film does it a disservice, as the film blends futuristic ideas with a grounded romance and drama.

The film involves astronaut Joo Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri) meeting disillusioned musician Jay (Hong Kyung) just before a mission to Mars. And while they're separated by the confines of space as well as their own dreams and ambitions, they try making their newfound romance work. It's the ultimate long-distance romance story that doesn't skimp on intense emotions.

For starters, the main actors didn't just record their lines in a booth. The animation team worked closely with the actors as they performed the film in-person. This allowed the animators to better capture the nuances of their performances and help make these characters appear far more human. "Lost in Starlight" may be set in the year 2050, but some things, like finding love in an increasingly desolate world, never change. 

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" came out in 1818, and over two centuries later, it continues inspiring legions of stories. Many authors and directors have put their spin on the classic tale, like with the aforementioned "Poor Things." But sometimes, you need to go back to where it all began, which is the case for Guillermo del Toro's 2025 film, "Frankenstein."

While there are slight changes to the source material, it's largely a faithful retelling of the story set in the 1800s. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) creates something born from the reanimated parts of corpses. Thus, Frankenstein's monster (Jacob Elordi) is left searching for meaning in a world where he's abandoned by his creator.

With any retelling of "Frankenstein," there's the question of who the true monster is — the creature or the creator. This is something del Toro is perfectly equipped to handle, as much of his filmography explores why we consider "monsters" so monstrous to begin with. After all, the monster is only as violent as he is due to Victor's mistreatment, a reflection of the abuse he suffered from his own father. In addition to adding another dimension to Shelley's text, "Frankenstein" is stunning to behold with del Toro's typically gothic production design.

There have been many retellings and subversions of the classic Frankenstein story over the years, with 2023's "Poor Things" being one of the more recent and intriguing additions. The story, of course, involves a mad scientist (Willem Dafoe) bringing a pregnant woman whom he names Bella (Emma Stone) back to life; however, he gives her the mind of the unborn child that was within her. This gives Bella a childlike view of the world around her, and once she regains some basic motor functions, she sets out into the world, questioning everything from gender dynamics to how one can use sex for their own gain.

The numerous sex scenes in "Poor Things" courted controversy, but it's all in service of Bella's self-actualization. Bella has to relearn everything about polite society, forcing her to question why everything is the way it is, including how people are "supposed" to engage with sex. If the rules don't make any sense, it stands to reason they can be upended.

Stone won the Oscar for best actress for her performance in "Poor Things." She commands the screen every second she's there even when babbling like a toddler and flailing her limbs around. "Poor Things" is a captivating film, and now that it's only available to stream on Netflix, you can have a very interesting double feature ...

As far as sci-fi movies you can only stream on Netflix, only one beautifully encapsulates where the genre is in the 2020s. Jordan Peele first announced himself as a director with 2017's "Get Out," a film that's very on the nose with its messaging of how Black bodies and culture get co-opted by well-meaning white people. "Nope" is a bit more esoteric; the meaning isn't necessarily laid out on the surface like with "Get Out." But if you're willing to dig a little bit, you'll find one of the most profound science-fiction films in recent memory tackling the impact of trauma in spectacle.

Two siblings — O.J. (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em (Keke Palmer) — discover an alien is hanging around their farm, and work together to expose it and stop it from taking away their horses. It sounds pretty straightforward, but Peele crafted a truly daunting design for the film's main creature, named Jean Jacket. It can take on the form of a classic UFO design, but it's all biological. From there, it can transform into a being that can suck up its prey, leaving the characters wishing they were dealing with little green men.

With "Nope," Peele fully embraced his inner Steven Spielberg, offering something that was equal parts action-based entertainment and horrific spectacle all on its own. It's the kind of grandiose sci-fi movie you're glad to see pop up on Netflix and disheartened when it inevitably leaves.