Whether you’re a seasoned "hard sci-fi" buff or someone just looking to escape the mundane reality of 2026, the science fiction genre is currently in a massive golden age. We are seeing a perfect blend of mind-bending original stories and the return of legendary directors to the genre they helped define.
Here are my top recommendations for sci-fi movies you need to watch right now, ranging from the latest 2026 blockbusters to the "new classics" from the last year.
1. The Must-Watch Event: Project Hail Mary (2026)
If you loved The Martian, this is its spiritual successor. Based on the novel by Andy Weir, the film stars Ryan Gosling as an astronaut who wakes up on a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there—only to realize he is humanity's last hope for survival.
Why watch: It’s "competence porn" at its finest. Watching a brilliant scientist use physics and logic to solve impossible interstellar problems is incredibly satisfying.
Release Date: March 2026
2. The Mind-Bender: Mickey 17 (2025)
Directed by Academy Award-winner Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), this film features Robert Pattinson as an "Expendable"—a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize an ice world. Every time he dies, he is regenerated with most of his memories intact.
Why watch: It’s a darkly comedic look at corporate greed and the value of human life, wrapped in a high-concept space thriller. It was easily the most talked-about sci-fi film of late 2025.
3. The Visual Masterpiece: Dune: Part Three (2026)
Denis Villeneuve returns to cap off his epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s universe. While the first two films were about the rise of Paul Atreides, Dune: Messiah (Part Three) explores the heavy, often tragic consequences of his "victory."
Why watch: The scale is unmatched. If you want a movie that makes your living room feel like a galaxy-spanning empire, this is the one.
Release Date: December 2026 (Mark your calendars!)
4. The Gritty Survivalist: The Dog Stars (2026)
Ridley Scott is back in the director's chair for this post-apocalyptic thriller. Starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, it follows a pilot living in an abandoned Colorado airfield after a global pandemic has wiped out most of society.
Why watch: Unlike the "zombie" tropes, this is a poetic, quiet, and visually stunning look at isolation and the search for connection in a broken world.
Quick Picks by Sub-Genre
| If you like... | Watch this: |
| Time Travel / Comedy | Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026) |
| AI / Legal Thriller | Mercy (2026) |
| Body Horror | The Substance (2024/2025) |
| Alien Contact | Disclosure Day (2026 - Directed by Spielberg!) |
The "New Classics" Starter Pack
If you’re new to the genre and want to catch up on the best of the 2020s so far, don't miss these:
Arrival (2016): For those who want a "smart" alien movie about language and time.
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022): The ultimate multiverse adventure.
Alien: Romulus (2024): A return to the terrifying roots of the Alien franchise.
Which of these are you adding to your watchlist first? I’d be happy to give you a more tailored recommendation if you tell me a few movies you already love!