12 Movies Like Interstellar You Need to Watch
Crave cosmic scale, smart sci-fi, and emotional drama? Explore 12 films that capture the same awe, tension, and adventure fans love.
If you’re searching for movies like Interstellar, you’re probably after big ideas, strong emotion, and worlds that feel both vast and personal. This list brings together 12 picks that lean into sci-fi, mystery, drama, action, and adventure, with standouts like Prometheus, Dune: Part One, Dune: Part Two, Gravity, and The Martian. You’ll also find quieter, more intimate stories such as Passengers and The Last Days on Mars, alongside other films that scratch the same itch for discovery and suspense. Whether you want space survival, cosmic scale, or a thoughtful journey through the unknown, these titles deliver plenty to explore.
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01
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 NyqvistNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
02
Dune: Part One
Won 6 Oscars 10 nominations
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi
Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Directed by Denis VilleneuveCast Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan SkarsgårdMaxMore details on IMDb → -
03
Ad Astra
1 Oscar nomination
adventure · drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
The near future, a time when both hope and hardships drive humanity to look to the stars and beyond. While a mysterious phenomenon menaces to destroy life on planet Earth, astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across the immensity of space and its many perils to uncover the truth about a lost expedition that decades before boldly faced emptiness and silence in search of the unknown.
Directed by James GrayCast Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland, Kimberly EliseNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
04
Dune: Part Two
Won 2 Oscars 5 nominations
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi
Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Directed by Denis VilleneuveCast Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh BrolinMaxMore details on IMDb → -
05
The Last Days on Mars
adventure · horror · sci-fi · thriller
On the last day of the first manned mission to Mars, a crew member of Tantalus Base believes he has made an astounding discovery – fossilized evidence of bacterial life. Unwilling to let the relief crew claim all the glory, he disobeys orders to pack up and goes out on an unauthorized expedition to collect further samples. But a routine excavation turns to disaster when the porous ground collapses and he falls into a deep crevice. His devastated colleagues attempt to recover his body. However, when another vanishes, they start to suspect that the life-form they have discovered is not without danger.
Directed by Ruairi RobinsonCast Liev Schreiber, Elias Koteas, Romola Garai, Olivia Williams, Johnny HarrisAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
06
Gravity
Won 7 Oscars Best Cinematography (2014) · 10 nominations
drama · mystery & thriller · science-fiction
Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.
Directed by Alfonso CuarónCast Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen, Phaldut SharmaParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
07
Arrival
Won 1 Oscar 8 nominations
drama · mystery · sci-fi
Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.
Directed by Denis VilleneuveCast Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mark O'BrienPeacock PremiumParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
08
Elysium
action & adventure · drama · mystery & thriller · science-fiction
In the year 2159, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes, a hard line government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that, if successful, will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.
Directed by Neill BlomkampCast Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego LunaNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
09
Spaceman
adventure · drama · romance · sci-fi
Six months into a solo mission, a lonely astronaut confronts the cracks in his marriage with help from a mysterious creature he discovers on his ship.
Directed by Johan RenckCast Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella RosselliniNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
10
Vesper
adventure · drama · sci-fi
After the collapse of Earth's ecosystem, Vesper, a 13-year-old girl struggling to survive with her paralyzed Father, meets a mysterious Woman with a secret that forces Vesper to use her wits, strength and bio-hacking abilities to fight for the possibility of a future.
Directed by Kristina Buozyte, Bruno SamperCast Raffiella Chapman, Eddie Marsan, Rosy McEwen, Richard Brake, Melanie GaydosAMC+More details on IMDb → -
11
High Life
drama · sci-fi · thriller
Monte and his daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.
Directed by Claire DenisCast Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André 3000, Mia Goth, Agata BuzekAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
12
Alien: Romulus
1 Oscar nomination
horror · sci-fi · thriller
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Directed by Fede AlvarezCast Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike FearnHuluMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
That mix of wonder, tension, and emotional weight is what makes this list worth revisiting whenever you want a sci-fi film with real scale. From the desert epic sweep of Dune to the isolated survival stakes of Gravity and The Martian, each pick offers a different angle on the same appeal. Bookmark this page and come back when you want another thoughtful space movie or a fresh genre-bending watch. It’s updated regularly, so the recommendations stay useful as new titles arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Interstellar?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.