10 gripping Netflix sci-fi Originals you can’t stop watching

Unlike other genres, science fiction has seen a moderate decline in releases over the years. Whether that be because of audience preference or a general decrease in interest is unclear, but there has been a perceptible dearth of quality sci-fi flicks compared to past decades.

However, the sci-fi genre is hardly dead. Netflix is the home of many excellent science fiction movies, some of them original and exclusive to the streaming service.

From tales of thought-provoking plights that challenge human understanding to conflicts pitting mankind against extraterrestrial menaces, these ten seminal sci-fi films from Netflix are well worth anyone’s time.

These 10 Netflix Original sci-fi movies are must-watch

10. The Adam Project

Regarding actor Ryan Reynolds’ filmography, he doesn’t have the best track record. While undeniably successful, most of his productions (outside of Deadpool and a few exceptions) are fairly middling or just downright bad. For the most part, he’s just an adequately likable lead in big-budget films, which are seldom worth anybody’s attention beyond a curious watch.

The Adam Project is the rare omission to that norm, especially considering his other action sci-fi works. Released in 2022, this time-traveling adventure has a generous charm and some outstanding performances, which help enhance what otherwise may be reasonably boilerplate scenes. In short, it’s fun, but there's not much more to it.

9. The Kitchen

One of the most common frameworks explored in science fiction is the dystopia. The transformation of civilization into a place where punishment and prosecution go hand in hand has been a genre staple since George Orwell’s 1984. While 2023’s The Kitchen hardly breaks the mold, it offers something objectively good.

Directed by Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya (with Kaluuya also serving as a co-writer), The Kitchen is set in a dystopian London where standard social housing has been abolished at the whims of the rich and powerful. As one might expect, the world and narrative aren’t exactly shattering new ground, but it makes up for that with powerful performances, sharp direction, and superb writing.

8. The Midnight Sky

While he’ll forever be known as one of his era's most charismatic and popular actors, George Clooney has also proven to be quite the director in recent decades. While science fiction isn’t typically Clooney’s wheelhouse, he shifted into the genre with 2020’s The Midnight Sky, based on the novel Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks Dalton.

Clooney is both director and lead actor in this story of a scientist who is in a race against time to send a warning to a spaceship approaching a post-catastrophe Earth. Without question, The Midnight Sky’s standout trait is its special effects.

Even compared to theatrical releases, the visuals and Clooney’s direction make The Midnight Sky a memorable watch. It’s no wonder it was nominated for Best Visual Effects at that year’s Academy Awards.

7. The Old Guard

While superheroes have more or less become their genre, at their core, superhero films are science fiction. They explore the boundaries of human capability while delving into topics that fall right in line with many of the great sci-fi works from the annals of cinema history. 2020’s The Old Guard is both a sci-fi flick and a superhero movie with a twist.

Based on Leandro Fernández’s comic book series of the same name, The Old Guard stars Charlize Theron as the leader of a band of eternal mercenaries who set out on a mission for vengeance.

While one could argue that The Old Guard is more action than science fiction, its sci-fi elements help director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s first foray into action and science fiction stand out as a film well deserving of a recommendation.

6. Leave The World Behind

In this modern age of humanity’s overreliance on technology, it’s easy to wonder what would happen if suddenly those devices and luxuries we take for granted were stripped away. Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel Leave the World Behind is centered on that very kind of crisis, which is so topical in today’s culture. So it’s not a shock that Netflix saw value in adapting the book into a feature film.

Directed and written by Sam Esmail and starring an all-star cast that includes Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and Kevin Bacon, Leave the World Behind is rich with moments that are genuinely gripping to watch.

While the post-apocalyptic psychological thriller isn’t without flaws, considering its important message and quality craft, those minor criticisms seem insignificant compared to the rest of what the film has to offer.

5. Oxygen

Few sub-genres are as ripe for suspense as “bottled movies,” i.e., films set primarily within the confines of one location being jeopardized. From 127 Hours to Green Room and everything in between, there have been some truly marvelous bottled films over the decades. 2021’s Oxygen is one such film, a masterclass of claustrophobic tension.

Directed by Alexandre Aja, Oxygen focuses on Liz (played by Mélanie Laurent), who is trapped in an airtight cryogenic unit and gradually loses oxygen. Laurent delivers an absolute powerhouse performance, and her desperation to survive will have anyone on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

4. They Cloned Tyrone

It’s rare nowadays for filmmakers to offer unique spins on classic sci-fi tropes. Alien invasions, time travel, and cloning are just some of the science fiction concepts that have been completely oversaturated throughout film history. However, with the latter, They Cloned Tyrone managed to do something extraordinary with an honestly exhausted idea.

While the finer details of the plot are best left vague so that one can experience the film fresh, suffice it to say that 2023’s They Cloned Tyrone is a wholly extraordinary film. Not only does it have this undeniable charm and style, but its underlying themes are compelling. In terms of telling a story and captivating an audience, They Cloned Tyrone excels at both.

3. Spectral

Peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, science fiction and action, some things will always go well together. Some of the greatest sci-fi films also lean heavily on demonstrations of action, some ferocious and tenacious, while others are lofty and epic. With 2016’s Spectral, there’s a bit of everything.

Directed by Nic Mathieu, Spectral is set in a battle-riddled Moldova when invisible entities precipitate pandemonium and take down anyone in their warpath. When it comes to the adversaries’ nature, that striking form results in many visually stunning action sequences.

For pure action goodness, there aren’t many films you can find on Netflix that are better than Spectral. It’s a proper thrill ride from the opening scene to the end credits.

2. The Platform

The best sci-fi movies pull from as many genres as possible. While it’s troublesome not to overindulge in too many concepts, it’s pivotal for films to be idiosyncratic, especially given the sheer number of narratives and notions that have already been analyzed in science fiction.

The Platform is one part bottled movie, one part dystopian, one part psychological thriller, and one part science fiction setting, all fused into a bona fide one-of-a-kind flick.

The Platform revolves around the Vertical Self-Management Center, a prison/residence in which those who live on higher floors are given more food at the expense of those beneath them, leading to all manner of strife.

Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia directed The Platform in his feature film debut, which was released in 2019. It was an enormous hit, so much so that a sequel was greenlit and later came out in Fall 2024.

1. Okja

Bong Joon Ho has emerged as one of the best filmmakers working today. His critically acclaimed black comedy Parasite became the first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. With all this well-deserved praise for Parasite, it’s natural for one to overlook his other movies, which have also been phenomenal across the board. Enter 2017’s Okja.

The note at the core of Okja is barely subtle. Mija is a young girl who raises the titular Okja, a giant loving pig, and goes on a mission to rescue her friend when it’s taken to America to be killed for its precious meat.

Even with its glaring themes about the world of meatpacking and capitalism, Okja is a remarkable story. Full of incredible performances, extraordinary sweeping moments, and plenty of heart. When looking for the best science fiction film on Netflix, Okja sits at the top of the mountain.