Let’s face it—science fiction has been on a hot streak this decade. From crazy ideas and breathtaking imagery to profoundly moving storytelling, the 2020s have been spoiling sci-fi enthusiasts with an amazing variety of films. Whether you’re a fan of realistic human drama, animated escapades, or high-octane intergalactic battles, there’s something for everyone. The genre continues to evolve, blending contemporary fears with classic magic, and we’re completely on board. So, whether you’re revisiting old favorites or finding something new, here are the 12 greatest sci-fi movies of the 2020s (so far) that demonstrate just how much the genre has evolved.
12. Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020)
This tiny Japanese indie is a living testimony to the fact that you don’t require a huge budget to accomplish a good sci-fi story. Written and directed by Junta Yamaguchi, it manipulates time in the most wonderful way: a café owner discovers his TV can display two minutes ahead of time. This leads to a clever, humorous, and rather convoluted one-take movie that’s more concerned with innovative execution than fancy effects. It’s the type of film that ambles up on you and lodges in your head long after the credits finish rolling.
11. The Becomers (2024)
The quirky indie film may not be in everyone’s consciousness, but it earns a place on this list for its original take. Borrowing from traditional alien-invasion stories, The Becomers turns the script around by presenting the tale through the eyes of the aliens. The atmosphere is retro yet new, with an odd sweetness permeating all the zombie-napping strangeness. Its old-school sound design and lo-fi appeal make it a highlight in the increasingly dense indie sci-fi field.
10. Mars Express (2024)
Sci-fi animation has been raising its bar recently, and Mars Express is a prime example. Set on a future Mars on which humans and androids attempt to live together, the movie traces the investigation of a private eye and her android colleague into a conspiracy that will upend everything. The visuals are cool and chic, but it’s the world-building and moral nuance that truly bring this movie to life. It’s a testament to the fact that animation sci-fi can be as deep and serious as live-action sci-fi.
9. Robot Dreams (2024)
No dialogue, only raw emotion. Robot Dreams is a tale that’s as sincere as it is uncomplicated, tracking a dog and his robot friend through a tale of friendship, loss, and transformation. Spoken word or not, it still manages to convey so much. This animated treasure plays to visual storytelling in a way that feels ageless, using subtle humor and melancholy to address the bonds that make life worth living, even when they disappear.
8. After Yang (2021)
Subtle, beautiful, and deeply human, After Yang is less about tech and more about everything that comes with it. When a family’s android breaks down, what begins as a repair mission turns into something more introspective. Through memories and quiet moments, the film explores grief, identity, and the spaces between connection and loss. With a restrained but powerful performance by Colin Farrell, this one lingers like a quiet echo.
7. The Beast (2024)
At a moment when AI is on everyone’s mind, The Beast goes all in on our increasingly fretful mood. It follows Gabrielle, a woman employing cutting-edge technology to explore her past lives to find healing. As she digs deeper, however, she begins to wonder what she is losing in exchange for emotional regulation. It’s contemplative, haunting, and has a slow-burn intensity that keeps you grappling with its questions long after the film has faded to black.
6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
George Miller returns to his gritty, diesel-guzzling wasteland with a prequel that does better than just fill in the gaps. Furiosa is bold, operatic, and packed full of adrenaline, held together by Anya Taylor-Joy’s unyielding intensity and Chris Hemsworth’s unhinged villainy. It adds to the Mad Max universe without diminishing what made it so beloved, blending chaos and character in ways that land as hard emotionally as they do physically.
5. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Taking place decades after the events of the previous chapter, this movie continues the Apes franchise in a new direction with new characters and new threats. Noa, the young ape protagonist, is forced to find his place in a world full of changing power and conflicting ideals. The movie introduces Proximus Caesar, a charismatic and foreboding commander fixated on empire, and deepens the human-ape relationship with a mysterious human friend. It’s intelligent, visually vibrant, and keeps probing what society means.
4. Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Say what you will about the wait, James Cameron’s return to Pandora is worth it. The sequel plunges deep, literally, into Pandora’s oceans, deepening the Na’vi mythology without losing sight of the emotional kernel centered around family and survival. Visually, it’s breathtaking. The tech is on another level, yet the story still has space to breathe and make us remember that sci-fi isn’t all about the spectacle—it’s about tapping into something greater than ourselves.
3. A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
This prequel has a more personal take on the apocalypse. Focused on Sam, a woman with a terminal illness, and her cat, the movie examines what hope means when all that’s left is destruction. Lupita Nyong’o is both vulnerable and fierce in a role that resolves to balance fear with surprising sensitivity. It’s a welcome reinterpretation of the franchise that emphasizes emotional survival over monster chaos, although there’s still plenty of that as well.
2. They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
This one’s a genre mash-up to end all others. Blending sci-fi, mystery, and wickedly pointed satire, They Cloned Tyrone sees a trio of unlikely heroes accidentally fall into a wacky government conspiracy. It’s got style, it’s got swagger, and it’s got a whole lot of heart hidden beneath the jokes. The performances are crackling, and the social commentary is pointed without ever feeling preachy. It’s a movie that knows precisely what it wants to say—and has a great time saying it.
1. Nope (2022)
Jordan Peele strikes again, this time with a sci-fi horror that’s as complex as it is chilling. On a secluded ranch in California, Nope tracks a duo of siblings attempting to film proof of something in the air. But this isn’t your average alien tale. It’s about the spectacle, the things that we’ll look at—and the atrocities that we’ll ignore. Visually stunning and full of symbolism, it’s a risky, genre-bending effort that keeps Peele’s string of thinkers going.
From big-budget blockbusters to quiet indie surprises, the 2020s have delivered an exciting mix of science fiction that speaks to our times. Whether it’s exploring what it means to be human, questioning the role of technology, or simply imagining new worlds, these films prove that sci-fi still has endless places to go. And the best part? We’re just getting started.