12 Movies Like Star Trek: The Next Generation You Need to Watch
Find 12 movies and series like Star Trek: The Next Generation, from Deep Space Nine to Firefly, with sci-fi, drama, mystery, and adventure picks.
If you love thoughtful spacefaring stories with crew chemistry, political tension, and just enough mystery to keep you guessing, this list is built for you. We’ve gathered 12 picks that echo the spirit of Star Trek: The Next Generation, from classic TV roots like Star Trek (1966) to later favorites such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and Star Trek: Enterprise (2001). You’ll also find genre-bending choices like Firefly (2002), Earth: Final Conflict (1997), and even the playful parody Spaceballs (1987). Whether you want action, adventure, drama, or sci-fi with a detective edge, these selections cover a wide range of tones while still feeling connected to the same big, curious universe.
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01
Star Trek
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi
Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk with First Officer Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen led by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before.
Directed by Marc Daniels, Joseph Pevney, Ralph Senensky, Vincent McEveety, Jud TaylorCast Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, James DoohanParamount Plus -
02
Earth: Final Conflict
action · drama · mystery · sci-fi
When an alien species comes to Earth bearing gifts for humanity, a few suspicious humans seek to discover and resist the newcomers' true designs.
Directed by Brenton Spencer, Ross Clyde, Andrew Potter, James Head, David WinningCast Von Flores, Leni Parker, Anita La Selva, Richard Chevolleau, David HemblenAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
03
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi · thriller
At Deep Space Nine, a space station located next to a wormhole in the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, Commander Sisko and crew welcome alien visitors, root out evildoers and solve all types of unexpected problems that come their way.
Directed by David Livingston, Les Landau, Winrich Kolbe, Allan Kroeker, LeVar BurtonCast Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Cirroc Lofton, Alexander Siddig, Colm MeaneyParamount Plus -
04
Spaceballs
adventure · comedy · sci-fi
When the nefarious Dark Helmet hatches a plan to snatch Princess Vespa and steal her planet's air, space-bum-for-hire Lone Starr and his clueless sidekick fly to the rescue. Along the way, they meet Yogurt, who puts Lone Starr wise to the power of "The Schwartz." Can he master it in time to save the day?
Directed by Mel BrooksCast Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne ZunigaAMC+ -
05
Star Trek: Enterprise
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi
During the mid-22nd century, a century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.
Directed by David Livingston, Allan Kroeker, Michael Vejar, Roxann Dawson, David StraitonCast Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene, Dominic Keating, Anthony MontgomeryParamount Plus -
06
Firefly
adventure · drama · sci-fi
In the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, follow the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship.
Directed by Joss Whedon, Vern Gillum, Tim Minear, James A. Contner, Vondie Curtis-HallCast Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam BaldwinHulu -
07
Star Wars: Droids
animation · action · adventure · comedy · family · sci-fi
An animated television series that features the exploits of R2-D2 and C-3PO. The series takes place between the events depicted in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
Directed by Ken Stephenson, Raymond Jafelice, Clive A. SmithCast Anthony Daniels, Dan Hennessey, Graeme Campbell, Donny Burns, John StockerDisney Plus -
08
Andromeda
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi
Captain Dylan Hunt and his crew quest to restore a government that once presided over an extended peace and prosperity.
Directed by Jorge Montesi, Allan Eastman, Richard Flower, David Winning, Brad TurnerCast Kevin Sorbo, Lisa Ryder, Laura Bertram, Gordon Michael Woolvett, Lexa DoigPeacock Premium -
09
Star Trek: The Animated Series
animation · action · adventure · family · sci-fi
The animated adventures of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and the crew of the Starship Enterprise.
Directed by Hal Sutherland, Bill ReedCast William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle NicholsParamount Plus -
10
Stargate: Atlantis
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi
With the Ancients' city of Atlantis discovered in the Pegasus Galaxy by Stargate Command, Dr. Elizabeth Weir and Major Sheppard lead a scientific expedition to the ancient abandoned city. Once there, the team not only find themselves unable to contact Earth, but their explorations unexpectedly reawaken the Ancients' deadly enemies, The Wraith, who hunger for this new prey. Now with the help of newfound local allies like Teyla Emmagan, the Atlantis Team sets about to uncover their new home's secrets even as their war of survival against the Wraith begins.
Directed by Martin Wood, Andy Mikita, William Waring, Peter DeLuise, Brad TurnerCast Joe Flanigan, Rachel Luttrell, David Hewlett, Jason Momoa, Torri HigginsonAmazon Prime Video -
11
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
action · adventure · fantasy · sci-fi · thriller
A renegade Vulcan with a startling secret hijacks the U.S.S. Enterprise in order to find a mythical planet.
Directed by William ShatnerCast William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter KoenigParamount Plus -
12
Star Trek: Voyager
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi · thriller
Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is 75 years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.
Directed by David Livingston, Winrich Kolbe, Allan Kroeker, Michael Vejar, Cliff BoleCast Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Robert Duncan McNeill, Ethan PhillipsParamount Plus
Wrapping Up
From serious frontier stories to lighter, more playful space adventures, this collection makes it easy to find your next watch without losing the feel you came here for. Titles like Star Wars: Droids (1985), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), and Firefly (2002) show how flexible the genre can be while still delivering strong characters and memorable worldbuilding. If you’re building a watchlist of movies and series with the same spirit, bookmark this page and come back whenever you want a fresh recommendation. We update this list regularly so it stays useful as new favorites emerge and old ones find new fans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Star Trek: The Next Generation?
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.
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Last updated: September 8, 2026