Welcome to TechRadar’s best Netflix sci-fi movies list, which features a fantastic array of science fiction movies that you can stream right now.
Sci-fi is a genre that’s been wholeheartedly welcomed by the streaming giants. Netflix, in particular, has been mining sci-fi for a number of its recent movies, including the fantastic Annihilation and The Cloverfield Paradox, a movie that was announced at the Super Bowl and found its way on to the service the same night.
Then there’s other off-kilter slabs of sci-fi including Duncan Jones’ Mute and the huge fantasy/sci-fi hybrid hit that was Bright.
With that in mind, we’ve culled through the major streaming providers and found all of the best sci-fi movies you can summon with the magic of the internet and, for those who’d prefer home viewing without loading, included links to the Blu-rays of every film on this list.
Oh, because we know how suddenly movies can vanish off of Netflix, we will continue to update this article. So, if you don’t see anything you want to watch right now, keep coming back to see if your favorite movie is available to stream.
We have also handily split this list so that you can see all the movies available on both US and UK Netflix and the ones that are exclusive to each territory.
Mute
He doesn’t need words.
Date: 2018 | Director: Duncan Jones | Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux | Rating: 15/TV-MA | Runtime: 126 min
This is the movie that director Duncan Jones has always wanted to make. A story that he first conceived before making his debut movie Moon, it took three Hollywood movies and the freedom of a Netflix deal before he could make his labor of love. The result is a rather muted, strange movie that never goes where you expect it to. It’s based in a Berlin of the future, starring Alexander Skarsgård as a mute bartender looking for the love of his life. It is bold, single-minded filmmaking that needs to be watched a number of times to understand quite what’s going on.
Annihilation
Fear What’s Inside.
Date: 2018 | Director: Alex Garland | Stars: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson | Rating: 15/R | Runtime: 115 min
This is exactly the sort of movie that Netflix should be making. It’s uncompromising sci-fi that has a smart smattering of horror running through it. Based on the hit series of books The Southern Reach Trilogy, the movie focuses on a group of scientists who go into Area X, a quarantined section of Earth where strange things are going on. Natalie Portman is superb and refreshing in the lead role.
The Cloverfield Paradox
The future unleashed every thing.
Date: 2018 | Director: Julius Onah | Stars: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Daniel Brühl | Rating: 15/TV-MA | Runtime: 102 min
It should have been so much better, but that doesn’t mean that it is all terrible. The Cloverfield Paradox had a stunning debut on Netflix. It was first revealed at the Super Bowl and then, to the surprise of the millions who were watching the halftime show, it was then released on Netflix that night. Much like 10 Cloverfield Lane, the movie has a faint line to the original Cloverfield. It’s set in space for a start and has a cast list that screams AAA – the film, however, is pure b-movie schlock that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense but is still well worth a watch.
Okja
A young girl risks everything to save a fantastic beast.
Date: 2017 | Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Seo-Hyun Ahn | Rating: 15/TV-MA | Runtime: 120 min
Bong Joon Ho is one of the best directors around at the moment so when it was announced he was doing a Netflix-funded movie, excitement levels were high. The result is this sci-fi tinged story that focuses on a giant pig and its friendship with a small child. The movie is set in the near future and is a parable about animal cruelty. It’s heady stuff but well worth a watch.
What Happened To Monday
Seven Sisters. One Identity.
Date: 2017 | Director: Tommy Wirkola | Stars: Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe | Rating: 15/TV-MA | Runtime: 123 min
Noomi Rapace plays seven sisters in this high-concept, convoluted sci-fi tale. The premise is great: the world is overpopulated so there is a ‘one child per couple’ policy. Rapace plays sextuplets who are looking for their missing sister. It’s an occasionally frustrating watch but for the most part is an entertaining sci-fi thriller.
Bright
Orcs, fairies and, er, Will Smith.
Date: 2017 | Director: David Ayer | Stars: Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace | Rating: 15/TV-MA | Runtime: 117 min
Another Netflix original, another movie that was savaged by critics but, whisper it, it’s not half bad. Will Smith stars as a cop who just so happens to have a partner that’s an orc. Set in a world where fairies, orcs and humans coexist, Smith and his partner must protect an elf to protect the future of, er, their future. It’s certainly not for everyone but it’s one of the biggest movies Netflix has ever made.
The Road
Cormac McCarthy’s literary classic looks great on the big screen.
Date: December 2009 | Director: John Hillcoat | Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit-McPhee | Rating: 15/R | Runtime: 111 mins
In classic post-apocalyptic style, The Road is all about survival. After Earth falls prey to calamity, a man and his son take the long journey across America to the ocean, fighting to hold on to their soul. All around them are bloodthirsty gangs who would see them apprehended as slaves, or much worse.
Although there are hundreds of films in this genre and tone, execution really is everything. John Hillcoat’s vision comes across flawlessly on screen and packs an emotional punch that won’t leave you quickly. And with phenomenal performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Road is a worthy entry in the ever growing list of post-apocalyptic science fiction movies.
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