Netflix is no stranger to sci-fi movies, and many of those films take place out in the vast deepness of space. There really is no better streaming service if you love outer space movies. Here are some of the best space movies you can watch on Netflix right now. All of these titles are available on the platform as of this writing. Get ready, grab your blasters, and off we go!
11. Godzilla: The Planet Eater
Godzilla: The Planet Eater is the third and final entry in Netflix’s Godzilla universe. This set of computer-animated movies is set 20,000 years in the future after Godzilla took over the planet. The Planet Eater follows the soldier Haruo as he returns to Earth in pursuit of his life-long dream: to kill Godzilla. But an even greater threat also arrives on Earth, complicating matters. The whole series if worth watching if you like kaiju and planet-shaking events, as it’s an interestingly new take on modern Godzilla films.
10. Beyond Skyline
Beyond Skyline follows an LAPD detective and his estranged son as they’re abducted onto a spaceship at the start of an alien invasion. They have to do all they can to get off before they’re turned into alien soldiers against their will. Beyond Skyline is a sequel to Skyline, but takes place at the same time as the other film. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, it’s a fast-paced, action-packed, visually interesting bit of sci-fi.
9. Jupiter Ascending
Jupiter Ascending is almost like a cross between Star Wars and The Matrix—which makes sense when you realize that it was created by the same writer-director duo behind The Matrix. It follows the story of an everyday cleaning woman who discovers that she’s the heiress to an intergalactic dynasty. And not only that, but Earth is in danger of destruction and only she can stop it. While you shouldn’t expect Jupiter Ascending to be anything close to the culture-defining The Matrix, it’s a fun movie to sit through as long as you turn off your mind and accept the story beats as they come.
8. The Cloverfield Paradox
The Cloverfield Paradox is the third entry in the Cloverfield franchise, but you’re better off going into this movie as if it were a standalone sci-fi movie. There’s very little that connects it to the other movies. The basic premise of The Cloverfield Paradox is that a team of scientists on an orbiting space station test out a new reactor that’s meant to solve the energy crisis on Earth. But the test flings them out into space along a rip in time, resulting in strange phenomena. This movie is one of those “the journey is more interesting than the destination” types, as it does fumble a bit toward the end. But if you like mystery and suspense, this has both in spades.
7. Iron Sky
When the Allied forces won in 1945, a group of Nazis fled to the dark side of the Moon and set up a secret base. In 2018, they’re ready to come back to Earth—with a space fleet that’s equipped to conquer. Iron Sky has an entirely ridiculous premise, and you can expect the movie to play out as ridiculously as that premise. But you have to give it credit for originality. And it’s not a bad movie to watch for some mindless fun that feels in line with the silliest movies of the 90s.
6. Orbiter 9
A young woman has spent her entire life alone on a space station, traveling from Earth to a distant planet, cared for only by the on-board computer. But one day she falls in love with a space engineer who boards her ship, and he reveals the truth of her life. Orbiter 9 is a tense romance-drama movie with a large dose of sci-fi, and it works surprisingly well. It’s the kind of movie that fares better with critics than mainstream audiences, but there’s a lot to like even if you aren’t a “cinephile.” Especially the ending!
5. The Wandering Earth
In the far future, the Sun is on the verge of becoming a red giant, threatening to incinerate Earth as it expands. Humanity comes together with one goal: migrating Earth out of the Solar System and into the neighboring Alpha Centauri system. The Wandering Earth is an epic sci-fi tale that’s rooted in reality, thanks to the film’s collaboration with scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the movie’s science. But more importantly, it’s an emotional and transcendant story worth experiencing.
4. Zathura: A Space Adventure
Two brothers, their sister, and an astronaut find a mysterious board game that transports their house to outer space. They have to work together to survive the board game’s various obstacles and complications if they want to make it back home alive. Remember Jumanji from the 90s? Zathura is a lot like “Jumanji in space,” which is fitting given that both movies were based on books written by Chris Van Allsburg. And Zathura has that same sense of high-energy adventure that makes it just as worth watching.
3. Prospect
In Prospect, a father and daughter have secured a lucrative contract to travel to the Moon and harvest gems from the Moon’s poisonous forests. But they soon learn that they aren’t the only ones out there, and things take a dangerous turn. Prospect is a restrained movie that accomplishes a lot without spectacle, particularly when it comes to character development and evolving relationships. And even without a lot of special effects, there’s plenty of worldbuilding to take in and enjoy.
2. Over the Moon
Over the Moon is a computer-animated musical movie that centers on a young girl who builds a rocket ship and travels to the Moon to meet a legendary immortal goddess. This family-friendly film may not bring anything particularly innovative or groundbreaking to the table, but it delivers a satisfying story with a unique flavor that stems from its Chinese-American elements.
1. Expelled From Paradise
After a catastrophe leaves most of Earth uninhabitable, most of humanity now lives in a virtual reality environment aboard a space station. But one special agent is given a physical body so she can return to Earth in pursuit of a dangerous hacker. Expelled From Paradise is a visually stunning movie with likable characters and high-stakes plot. Even if you aren’t an “anime watcher,” this one’s worth watching. It doesn’t achieve the same heights as, say, Studio Ghibli’s anime movies, but it’s still pretty good! Read next: The best post-apocalyptic movies to watch
