12 Movies Like The Martian You Need to Watch
Find 12 gripping space-survival picks with adventure, drama, sci-fi, romance, and thriller energy, from Interstellar to Rubikon, High Life, and more.
If you want movies like The Martian, this list brings together survival stories that mix science, suspense, and big emotional stakes. You’ll find stranded explorers, tense escape plans, and a few surprising detours into romance and psychological drama. Start with Interstellar and High Life for space stories that lean into awe and isolation, then try Passengers, Rubikon, and Extinction if you want pressure-cooker thrills. For a more grounded but still tense experience, The Martian, Thirst, and Home offer smart, human-centered storytelling that keeps the focus on endurance and hope. Whether you are after adventure or something a little darker, these picks cover the mood that made the original so memorable.
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01
Rubikon
drama · sci-fi · thriller
The company soldier Hannah and the scientists Gavin and Dimitri are researching an algae project on board the Rubikon space station, which is supposed to permanently supply humanity with oxygen and food. But suddenly the earth disappears below them in a brown, toxic fog and all contact is broken off - are they the last survivors of humanity? Should they initiate the safe station, dare the return flight and thereby risk their lives?
Directed by Magdalena LauritschCast Julia Franz Richter, George Blagden, Mark Ivanir, Nicholas Monu, Daniela KongAMC+ -
02
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 Video -
03
Thirst
action · adventure · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A group of wayward teens at a wilderness boot camp must fight for their lives against the attacks of a ruthless blood-sucking alien. The attacks begin after they discover a strange "orb" in the middle of the desert. With no communication, and nowhere to hide, they realize their only chance for survival is to fight.
Directed by Greg KieferCast John Redlinger, Jes Macallan, Karl Makinen, Clare Niederpruem, Ryan ZimmerFreevee -
04
Interstellar
adventure · drama · sci-fi
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Directed by Christopher NolanCast Ellen Burstyn, Matthew McConaughey, Mackenzie Foy, John Lithgow, Timothée ChalametAmazon Prime VideoParamount Plus -
05
Extinction
action · adventure · drama · horror · sci-fi · thriller
And suddenly, overnight, the world came to a halt. Two men, two survivors, one kid, and hatred that separates them. A place forgotten by everyone, including the creatures that inhabit the Earth... until now.
Directed by Miguel Ángel VivasCast Matthew Fox, Jeffrey Donovan, Quinn McColgan, Clara Lago, Valeria VereauAmazon Prime Video -
06
Home
animation · adventure · comedy · family · fantasy · musical · sci-fi
When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated, while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. The two fugitives realize there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.
Directed by Tim JohnsonCast Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Matt JonesPeacock Premium -
07
Prospect
adventure · drama · sci-fi · thriller
A teenage girl and her father travel to a remote alien moon, aiming to strike it rich. They've secured a contract to harvest a large deposit of the elusive gems hidden in the depths of the moon's toxic forest. But there are others roving the wilderness and the job quickly devolves into a fight to survive.
Directed by Christopher Caldwell, Zeek EarlCast Sophie Thatcher, Jay Duplass, Pedro Pascal, Luke Pitzrick, Arthur DeranleauHulu -
08
The Space Between Us
drama · romance · sci-fi
A young man raised by scientists on Mars returns to Earth to find his father.
Directed by Peter ChelsomCast Gary Oldman, Janet Montgomery, Trey Tucker, Scott Takeda, Adande 'Swoozie' ThorneHulu -
09
Dune: Part One
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 SkarsgårdMax -
10
Z for Zachariah
drama · romance · sci-fi · thriller
In the wake of a nuclear war, a young woman survives on her own, fearing she may actually be the proverbial last woman on earth, until she discovers the most astonishing sight of her life: another human being. A distraught scientist, he’s nearly been driven mad by radiation exposure and his desperate search for others. A fragile, imperative strand of trust connects them. But when a stranger enters the valley, their precarious bond begins to unravel.
Directed by Craig ZobelCast Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris PineAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
11
The Expanse
drama · mystery · sci-fi
A thriller set two hundred years in the future following the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.
Directed by Breck Eisner, Jeff Woolnough, Terry McDonough, Robert Lieberman, Kenneth FinkCast Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Cas AnvarAmazon Prime Video -
12
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 RosselliniNetflix
Wrapping Up
These titles deliver the same blend of grit, wonder, and emotional tension that draws people to survival sci-fi. Some are hopeful, some are unsettling, and some push deeper into romance or thriller territory, but each one keeps the stakes personal. Bookmark this page and come back when you are in the mood for another space-bound or high-pressure story. We update this list regularly, so you can always find fresh suggestions alongside familiar favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to The Martian?
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 9, 2026