20 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix 2026
Find 20 streaming picks for sci-fi, action, horror, and thriller fans, from Alien and Aliens to Bugonia, Godzilla Minus One, and more.
If you’re hunting for great space-age thrills, monster mayhem, and smart time-bending stories, this roundup brings together a mix of classics and newer releases worth your queue. You’ll find iconic picks like Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), plus crowd-pleasers such as The Fifth Element (1997), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), and About Time (2013). For something newer, The Last House (2026), Bugonia (2025), and Godzilla Minus One (2023) add fresh energy to the list. With action, adventure, horror, sci-fi, and thriller vibes all covered, this guide makes it easier to choose what to stream next.
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01
Godzilla Minus One
action · adventure · drama · horror · sci-fi
In postwar Japan, Godzilla brings new devastation to an already scorched landscape. With no military intervention or government help in sight, the survivors must join together in the face of despair and fight back against an unrelenting horror.
Directed by Takashi YamazakiCast Minami Hamabe, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Munetaka Aoki, Sakura Andō, Yuki YamadaNetflix -
02
Europa Report
drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A crew of international astronauts are sent on a private mission to Jupiter's fourth moon.
Directed by Sebastián CorderoCast Daniel Wu, Sharlto Copley, Christian Camargo, Karolina Wydra, Michael NyqvistNetflix -
03
The Last House
action & adventure · horror · mystery & thriller · science-fiction
A family suddenly sealed inside their home must work together to survive against dwindling resources and the ominous threat keeping them trapped.
Directed by Louis LeterrierCast Greta Lee, Wagner Moura, Riley Chung, Noah Alexander Sosnowski, Emma HoNetflix -
04
Aliens
action · adventure · horror · sci-fi · thriller
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
Directed by James CameronCast Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance HenriksenNetflix -
05
About Time
comedy · drama · fantasy · romance · sci-fi
The night after another unsatisfactory New Year's party, Tim's father reveals to him that the men in their family have the ability to travel through time. They can't change history, but they can change what happens and has happened in their own lives. Thus begins the start of a lesson in learning to appreciate life itself as it is, as it comes, and most importantly, the people living alongside us.
Directed by Richard CurtisCast Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay DuncanNetflix -
06
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
horror · sci-fi · thriller
Dr. Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship - with consequences that could change the world as they know it - and Spike's encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can't escape.
Directed by Nia DaCostaCast Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Connor Newall, Erin Kellyman, Maura BirdNetflix -
07
Alien
horror · sci-fi
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
Directed by Ridley ScottCast Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John HurtNetflix -
08
Bugonia
comedy · crime · sci-fi
Two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
Directed by Yorgos LanthimosCast Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Emma Stone, J. Carmen Galindez Barrera, Marc T. LewisNetflix -
09
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
animation · action · adventure · family · fantasy · sci-fi
Struggling to find his place in the world while juggling school and family, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales is unexpectedly bitten by a radioactive spider and develops unfathomable powers just like the one and only Spider-Man. While wrestling with the implications of his new abilities, Miles discovers a super collider created by the madman Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk, causing others from across the Spider-Verse to be inadvertently transported to his dimension.
Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney RothmanCast Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree HenryNetflix -
10
Under the Skin
drama · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A seductive stranger prowls the streets of Glasgow in search of prey: unsuspecting men who fall under her spell.
Directed by Jonathan GlazerCast Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell, Kevin McAlindenNetflix -
11
The Hunger Games
action · adventure · sci-fi · thriller
In a dystopian society where the Capitol forces each district to send two young tributes to fight to the death in a televised spectacle, a girl volunteers to take her sister’s place, setting the stage for a struggle of survival and defiance.
Directed by Gary RossCast Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Jennifer Lawrence, Willow Shields, Liam HemsworthNetflix -
12
Spider-Man: Homecoming
action · adventure · sci-fi
Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.
Directed by Jon WattsCast Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon FavreauNetflixDisney Plus -
13
The Fifth Element
action · adventure · sci-fi
In 2257, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity.
Directed by Luc BessonCast Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Milla Jovovich, Chris TuckerNetflix -
14
Upgrade
action · sci-fi · thriller
A brutal mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed in the hospital and his beloved wife dead. A billionaire inventor soon offers Trace a cure — an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that will enhance his body. Now able to walk, Grey finds that he also has superhuman strength and agility — skills he uses to seek revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life.
Directed by Leigh WhannellCast Logan Marshall-Green, Melanie Vallejo, Steve Danielsen, Abby Craden, Harrison Sloan GilbertsonNetflix -
15
Nope
horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny, chilling discovery.
Directed by Jordan PeeleCast Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Steven YeunNetflix -
16
28 Years Later
horror · sci-fi · thriller
Twenty-eight years since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one member departs on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
Directed by Danny BoyleCast Rocco Haynes, Haley Flaherty, Harriet Taylor, Hannah Allan-Robertson, Annabelle GrahamNetflix -
17
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
action · adventure · sci-fi · thriller
After surviving the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta struggle with the consequences of their victory as unrest spreads across Panem. Forced back into the spotlight, they become symbols of hope and resistance while the Capitol prepares a new and deadly challenge that will change the future of the nation forever.
Directed by Francis LawrenceCast Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Jack Quaid, Taylor St. Clair, Sandra Ellis LaffertyNetflix -
18
War Machine
action · sci-fi · thriller
On one last grueling mission during Army Ranger training, a combat engineer must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine.
Directed by Patrick HughesCast Alan Ritchson, Stephan James, Blake Richardson, Dennis Quaid, Esai MoralesNetflix -
19
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi · thriller · war
64 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.
Directed by Francis LawrenceCast Dexter Sol Ansell, Rosa Gotzler, Clemens Schick, Fionnula Flanagan, Tom BlythNetflix -
20
Starship Troopers
action · adventure · sci-fi · thriller
Set in the future, the story follows a young soldier named Johnny Rico and his exploits in the Mobile Infantry. Rico's military career progresses from recruit to non-commissioned officer and finally to officer against the backdrop of an interstellar war between mankind and an arachnoid species known as "the Bugs."
Directed by Paul VerhoevenCast Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick HarrisNetflix
Wrapping Up
Whether you want a tense creature feature, a big-budget adventure, or a smart genre twist, this list gives you plenty of strong options. The mix of older favorites and newer arrivals means there’s something here for different moods, from Alien’s stripped-down dread to the wild scale of The Fifth Element and the emotional pull of About Time. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you need a fresh streaming pick. It’s updated regularly, so the lineup stays useful as Netflix’s catalog changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is this list updated?
We refresh this list regularly as titles are added or removed from streaming catalogs, so rankings and availability stay current.
Do I need a Netflix subscription to watch these?
Yes — every title on this list is currently available on Netflix. Availability can change, so we recommend checking the streaming link on each title before you start watching.
How are these sci-fi movies ranked?
We rank by a combination of audience rating and current popularity, so you're seeing the sci-fi titles people are actually watching right now, not just an old fixed list.
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Last updated: September 11, 2026