These are the greatest sci-fi films of 2024—the ones that set the tone for the year and drove the genre to new and thrilling places.
1. Y2K — Tech Panic with a 90s Twist
Imagine if the Y2K bug had caused a worldwide meltdown. Y2K, directed by Kyle Mooney, restages that alternate past with abandon. A pyro mix of horror, comedy, and nostalgia on New Year’s Eve 1999, it stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, and Julian Dennison. It’s crazy, weird, and straight-up incisive, characterized by its genre-bending pulse and retro cool.
2. Venom: The Last Dance — A Wild Farewell
Tom Hardy’s last ride as Venom and Eddie Brock dives headfirst into the sci-fi action of the franchise with a frenzied, creature-laden finale. With the introduction of alien enemies dispatched by the creator of the symbiote, The Last Dance goes all-in on cosmic action and rough-around-the-edges humor.
Hardy continues to be the fulcrum, grounding the dementedness with an equally manic and magnetic performance.
3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire — Monster Mayhem Maxed Out
Godzilla x Kong pulls no punches. The titanic pair is back to battle Skar King, the new villain emerging from Hollow Earth. With splashy visuals, gigantic set pieces, and not much human drama, this Monsterverse installment owns its kaiju heritage. It’s a love letter to giant monster enthusiasts—and one of the year’s most enjoyable theater experiences.
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire — Retro Meets New
Frozen Empire brings the Spengler clan back to the classic firehouse as a new supernatural threat wraps New York in a chill grip. Merging retro ghostbusting hardware with new faces and witty throwbacks, the movie walks the line between nostalgia and newness quite successfully. It’s a people pleaser that pays respect to the past without getting stuck in it.
5. Code 8: Part II — Superpowers Succeeds at Social Commentary
Back in the gritty cyberpunk universe of Lincoln City, Code 8: Part II ups the ante with flashier visuals and a more compact emphasis on corruption and control. This time out, Connor and Garrett attempt to defend a teenager with unusual powers from an ever-more controlling robotic police force. It doesn’t quite reach every narrative high point, but it offers a smart, stylish sequel with something to say.
6. Badland Hunters — Post-Apocalyptic Punch from Korea
A spiritual sequel to Concrete Utopia, Badland Hunters transports us to a broken Seoul where a rough-around-the-edges survivor fights a deranged scientist to save a kidnapped girl. Violent, aggressive, and drenched in gritty atmosphere, the movie continues Korean cinema’s strong string of genre successes, delivering high-octane action with a human twist.
7. The Kitchen — Dystopia with Depth
Co-directed by Daniel Kaluuya, The Kitchen gives a bleak look at near-future London with only one council estate left in a city beset by inequality. With electrifying performances by Kane Robinson and newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman, it’s a realistic, character-based dystopia that investigates issues of community, resistance, and survival. A softly bracing film that lingers.
8. It’s What’s Inside — Indie Sci-Fi with a Body-Swap Twist
Shot during a pre-wedding party, this lo-fi classic makes a body-swapping machine into a means of emotional bedlam and psychological intrigue. Mixing sci-fi with people-driven plot, It’s What’s Inside is intelligent, startling, and close-up—evidence that the best idea and excellent execution can trump even the most massive budget.