The selection of sci-fi films is one of its strongest departments within the larger list of movies on Netflix, and it has a nice mix of classics alongside a number of newer, stranger films. Navigating digital volumes on Netflix can be a little tricky, but that’s why it’s good to seek out recommendations. For a little help navigating that 3,500+ Netflix inventory, these are some of our favorite sci-fi movie selections available to stream in September 2023. You can also check out upcoming sci-fi movies hitting the platform next month to make the most of your Netflix subscription.
Take a look at our list of the best sci-fi movies overall for a deeper selection of our favorites from the genre.
Please note: This list pertains to U.S. Netflix subscribers. Some titles may not currently be available on international platforms. This article is frequently amended to remove films no longer on Netflix and to include more action films that are now available on the service.
Dune (2021)
Director: Denis VilleneuveStars: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Mamoa, Stellen Skarsgard, Dave BatistaRuntime: 195 mins
Arriving on October 1.
Although the Dennis Villeneuve sci-fi epic was released exclusively on HBO Max, you can start streaming the film on Netflix as soon as October 1. Based on the classic Dune books from Frank Herbert, Dune is a sc-fi epic that truly feels epic. The story follows a young man named Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) who is apart of noble family that gets stuck in the middle of an interplantary conflict over a substance called spice. Taking place on the windswept sand world of Arrakis, Dune has everything you could want out of a sci-fi movie. It is also supported by a star-studded cast that includes Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Mamoa, Stellen Skarsgard, Dave Batista, and more. The sequal, Dune: Part 2 is set to release in 2024.
Read our review of Dune.
Arrival (2016)
Director: Denis VilleneuveStars: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whittaker, Michael StuhlbargRuntime: 116 mins
When aliens suddenly and mysteriously arrive on Earth, linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is tasked with finding a way to communicate with them. Tensions begin to rise as the military struggles to determine if the alien attempts at communication are sinister or benevolent, and the very essence of time becomes destabilized as the humans learn more about their language. Arrival is a thought-provoking and intellectually compelling science fiction film, with strong performances from its lead cast, especially Adams, who operates at the heart of the production.
Read our review of Arrival.
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Director: Steve PinkStars: John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig RobinsonRuntime: 99 mins
Arriving on October 1.
If you’re in need of an R-rated sci-fi comedy movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Hot Tub Time Machine is perfect for you. Too sum it up, this movie is the story about a man, his two friends, and his nephew who take a trip out to a ski resort to reminisce about the past. But when they decide to get really drunk in a malfunctioning time machine, they suddenly find themselves waking up back in 1986 in their old bodies. They have a chance to change the past, but also need to make sure not to change so much that the nephew isn’t born. It follows many of the same rules you’d expext from a classic time travel movie, but with raunchy comedy sprinkled in throughout.
Nimona (2023)
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy QuaneStars: Riz Ahmed, Chloe Grace MoretzRuntime: 99 minutes
Based on the much-beloved graphic novel by ND Stevenson, Nimona follows the exploits of the knight, Ballister, who is soon to be knighted with his comparatively confident and glamorous boyfriend, Ambrosius. That is, until Ballister is framed for the queen’s murder, and forced into hiding. Nimona, a slightly demonic shapeshifter looking to get into the business of supervillain sidekicking, tracks him down and offers her services. Despite Ballister being significantly less evil and a lot more in-over-his-head than she imagined, the two set about the work of clearing his good name. Walking the line between fantasy and sci-fi, Nimona is a rough-and-tumble escapade with a heart of gold, and it’ll have you torn between laughing out loud and wiping a sentimental tear from your eye from scene to scene.
Read our review of Nimona.
They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
Director: Juel TaylorStars: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx, David Alan GrierRuntime: 119 minutes
When the emotionally isolated Fontaine (Boyega), still in mourning for his younger brother, attempts to collect money owed from pimp Slick Charles (Foxx) and sex worker Yo-Yo (Parris), he meets a violent end at the hands of a rival dealer. Yet, Charles and Yo-Yo are then stunned when Fontaine arrives back at the front door the next day, unaware that anything has occurred. This kicks off a rollercoaster ride through conspiracy theories, historical allegory, police violence, and sci-fi tropes as the trio quickly discovers the body of another Fontaine laying on a table in a hidden lab. Shot with the gorgeous colors of classic genre films of the 1970s in mind and featuring incredible costume design from Olivia Gude, Taylor’s feature film debut’s smart script and electric performances make it a must-see instant classic.
Read our review of They Cloned Tyrone.
Blame! (2017)
Director: Hiroyuki SeshitaStars: Takahiro Sakurai, Kana Hanazawa, Sora Amamiya, Mamoru Miyano, Aya SuzakiRuntime: 106 minutes
Taking the classic late 90s manga by Tsutomu Nihei as its inspiration, the 2017 animated film version of Blame! captures much of the eclectic cyberpunk appeal of the original story while creating something very much its own. Tapping into the familiar themes of a tech-ruled city overrun by the dystopian security agency Safeguard, we follow our enigmatic hero Killy, who hopes to take The City back for the humans once and for all. Due to the enormity of Killy’s mission, which took several volumes of manga to tell, the film zooms in to focus on the “Electrofishers” arc. This shows our protagonist attempting to save the group from extermination while allowing supporting characters like Cibo and Zuru to step into the spotlight. Perhaps most importantly, the action sequences are surreal and epic in a way that absolutely heralds back to the vibe of the original.
See more of the best anime on Netflix.
Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus (2019)
Directors: Hae Young Jung, Young Kyun Park, and Jhonen VasquezStars: Richard Steven Horvitz, Rosearik Rikki Simons, Andy Berman, Melissa Fahn, Rodger Bumpass, Wally Wingert, Kevin McDonaldRuntime: 71 minutes
Invader Zim remains one of the sci-fi genre’s most delightfully weird cartoons, and though the original TV series suffered an early cancellation in 2002, its cult status allowed for an animated film in 2019. Here, Zim’s lengthy absence from our screens is explained as being simply a clever waiting game on his part as he hoped to eliminate his main nemesis Dib simply by allowing him to age into obsolescence. This temporarily allows Zim to announce his victory to his overlords, the Tallest, but then realizes that he has no idea what his next steps should be. As always, Zim’s chaotic sci-fi plots harken back to any number of film, TV, and comic book references, but its brilliant animation, acerbic wit, and a total lack of willingness to put a positive spin on literally anything are what makes the humor land time and time again.
Bro (2023)
Director: SamuthirakaniStars: Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Ketika Sharma, Priya Prakash VarrierRuntime: 133 minutes
Dying an untimely death is what it takes to make IT worker Mark learn to value his life in this farcical sci-fi caper. Focused on himself and his career above the people who love and support him, Mark has a tragic accident only to come face to face with Time itself, going by the name Titan. Mark begs Titan for the chance to make sure his family will be provided for in his absence, so Titan agrees to give him three more months. Nothing goes as it’s supposed to as Mark is forced to realize how broken many of his relationships have become due to his own short-sightedness and ego. With a message about appreciating what you already have at its heart, this is nonetheless an off-the-wall adventure full of action and humor, and no shortage of comeuppances for the self-involved Mark.
Advantageous (2015)
Director: Jennifer PhangStars: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya AdamsRuntime: 90 minsWatch Advantageous on Netflix
A woman who has risen to the top of her field is primed to lose everything due to her status as “lesser” due to race and gender. She is fired suddenly due to simply aging out of the position according to her superiors, and the conditional privilege she experienced immediately vanishes as she fights to provide for her daughter.
As with so many of the best sci-fi films, Advantageous is about a sci-fi premise, but the important part of the story is the human cost. By showing us a mother struggling with a series of complicated decisions she makes in order to protect her daughter while sadly failing to change the future that will require much the same from the child, the lines between reality and fantasy all but disappear.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
Director: Michael Rianda, Jeff RoweStars: Abbi Jacobson, Danny MacBride, Maya RudolphRuntime: 113 minsWatch The Mitchells vs. the Machines on Netflix
After an ugly fight between young filmmaker Katie and tech-phobic father Rick leaves her laptop destroyed, he tries to make it up to her by getting the family together in order to drive her to her new college. However, when a soon-to-be obsolete home robot decides to take vengeance upon her creator by launching all of humanity into space, the Mitchells find themselves suddenly on the run and fighting to survive. The Mitchells vs the Machines features an all-star voice cast with the likes of Maya Rudolph, Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, and Eric Andre, this is a story of a family laying down their differences when it matters, but with plenty of chaotic robot fights in the mix.
Okja (2017)
Director: Bong Joon HoStars: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Seo-hyun AhnRuntime: 120 minsWatch Okja on Netflix
Fans of Bong Joon-Ho rejoice! This film features a massive cast with many celebrity appearances, and it tells a surprisingly heartwarming tale of a young girl named Mija and her beloved genetically-engineered superpig. Though the corporation that created Okja inevitably wants their creation back at a point, Mija fights them tooth and nail, showing the level of dedication a person can have for their pets.
Mobile Suit Gundam (1989)
Creators: Yoshiyuki Tomino, Hajime YatateStars: Hirotaka Suzuoki, Toru Furuya, Toshio FurukawaRuntime: 139 minsWatch Mobile Suit Gundam on Netflix
A compilation film collecting the first part of the Mobile Suit Gundam series that kicked off in 1979, this is on a lot of lists of the best anime of all time for great reason. When humans colonize outer space to solve the issue of overpopulation, some of the furthest colonies branch off and a war begins in which much of the human population on Earth perishes. Enlisting the help of a teen boy named Amuro Ray to pilot the enormous fighter robot RX-78-2 Gundam, the door swings wide open to giant robot fights in space. Yet, by treating the pilots as regular soldiers fighting an ugly war, Gundam revolutionized its genre and became one of the most important anime series ever produced. All the Gundam films are great, but you’ve got to start somewhere.
What Happened to Monday (2017)
Director: Tommy WirkolaStars: Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close, Willem DafoeRuntime: 123 minsWatch What Happened to Monday on Netflix
In a dystopian future where the solution to overpopulation is to limit each household to only one child, twins and other births involving more than one child result in euthanization. A grandfather works to hide seven identical girls by having each go out one day of the week pretending to be the same person. Naturally, this goes haywire in this film, and a dystopian sci-fi action movie is born. There is no getting out of this write-up without commending Noomi Rapace’s juggling of the various personalities of each sister. Watching the women interact, it’s easy to forget that they’re all quite literally the same person offscreen. Further, it’s the characterization that makes the story click as well as it does, as each death is meaningful, felt through the other sisters.
I Am Mother (2019)
Director: Grant SputoreStars: Clara Rugaard, Luke Hawker, Rose Byrne, and Hilary SwankRuntime: 115 minsWatch I Am Mother on Netflix
Mother is a humanoid robot that tends to embryos in an apparently deserted underground facility. Raising one of these to young adulthood and referring to the young woman as Daughter, the two form an emotional bond that is both unsettling and endearing. When a stranger appears at the base telling Daughter of the genocide that AI like Mother has unleashed on the human population, the once safe (if creepy) world that Daughter has known becomes uncertain and terrifying.
Hinging on its disturbing, horror-infused vibes and solid acting by Hilary Swank and Clara Rugaard along with the collaborative performance of Mother, this is not to be missed by fans that love a good ominous sci-fi film. I Am Mother is one of those stories that is remarkably difficult to describe without inevitably giving away a major twist, but that’s all the more reason for genre fans to seek it out for themselves. Claustrophobic dystopian tales that keep you on your toes until after the credits roll like Solaris (1979) or Moon (2009) will delight in the heady concepts tucked into a roller coaster plot.
Don’t Look Up (2021)
Director: Adam McKayStars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate BlanchettRuntime: 145Watch Don’t Look Up on Netflix
This star-studded black comedy introduces us to two scientists that discover a dangerous comet that threatens to destroy the planet. It then shifts focus to public response to their discovery. With a pending extinction event at hand, world leaders refuse to act due to an unwillingness to do anything that would reflect poorly on their public image or campaign donors. As such, you don’t have to stretch too far to find an analogy for current real world anxieties in Don’t Look Up.
Watching these fictional politicians meander and deflect as a deadly comet rockets toward the planet adds humor to some of the more upsetting elements of modern-day life while also assuring us that it doesn’t have to be this way. Not hopeful by any stretch, Don’t Look Up still remains darkly humorous as it warns us of allowing planetary threats to go unchecked.
Bubble (2022)
Director: Tetsurō ArakiStars: Jun Shison, Riria, Alice Hirose, Mamoru Miyano, Yuki Kaji, Tasuku HatanakaRuntime: 100 minsWatch Bubble on Netflix
In this sci-fi parallel to Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale The Little Mermaid, a number of reality-bending bubbles are isolated to the city of Tokyo after an explosion at Tokyo Tower, but they make the city uninhabitable for the general population. Despite the danger, a number of young people engage in high-stakes parkour tournaments, bouncing around the abandoned city with Tokyo Tower considered the ultimate, as of yet unreachable, goal.
A teen named Hibiki is shocked to find a girl who appears to have little to no context for human interactions who he names Uta. As the bubbles become increasingly unstable and threaten all who reside within the city, Hibiki and Uta are forced to act.
Attack on Titan and Death Note creator Tetsurō Araki has created a number of influential anime series, but Bubble hits a decidedly more fanciful note. The central characters are charming, but this is a film that leans into the full action capabilities of parkour and anime combined to weave a gorgeous vision of a post-apocalyptic Tokyo. It might not necessarily break new ground, but it’s a beautiful movie to take in nonetheless, and full of all the bleak overtones one might expect of any proper dystopian film.
Upcoming Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix
Netflix has a constant churn of movies coming and going from the platform. If you’re wondering what Sci-Fi movies will be arriving on Netflix over the next few monts, here’s the full breakdown:
War of the Worlds (2005) – October 1Rebel Moon (2023) – December 23
For a full breakdown of the different subscriptions, you can see our guide to Netflix plans.
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