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Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked by IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDB
992 sci-fi films are in our catalog; the 100 best are ranked below. Top of the list is The Empire Strikes Back ('1980), at 8.7 on IMDb. The average IMDb score across this list is 8.0. Biggest split between audiences and critics: Predator, 7.8 on IMDb against 47 on Metacritic.
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| # | Movie | Genre | IMDb | Tomato | Meta | TMDB | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Empire Strikes Back '1980 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.7 | 93% | 82 | 8.4 | Irvin Kershner |
| 2 | Inception '2010 | Action / Sci-Fi / Crime | 8.8 | 86% | 74 | 8.4 | Christopher Nolan |
| 3 | The Matrix '1999 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.7 | 83% | 73 | 8.3 | Lana Wachowski |
| 4 | Star Wars '1977 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.6 | 93% | 90 | 8.2 | George Lucas |
| 5 | Interstellar '2014 | Drama / Sci-Fi | 8.7 | 73% | 74 | 8.5 | Christopher Nolan |
| 6 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day '1991 | Action / Thriller / Sci-Fi | 8.6 | 90% | 75 | 8.2 | James Cameron |
| 7 | Back to the Future '1985 | Comedy / Sci-Fi | 8.5 | 93% | 88 | 8.3 | Robert Zemeckis |
| 8 | Alien '1979 | Horror / Sci-Fi | 8.4 | 93% | 89 | 8.2 | Ridley Scott |
| 9 | Aliens '1986 | Action / Thriller / Sci-Fi | 8.4 | 93% | 84 | 8.0 | James Cameron |
| 10 | The Prestige '2006 | Drama / Mystery / Sci-Fi | 8.5 | 77% | 66 | 8.2 | Christopher Nolan |
| 11 | 2001: A Space Odyssey '1968 | Sci-Fi / Mystery | 8.3 | 90% | 84 | 8.0 | Stanley Kubrick |
| 12 | Return of the Jedi '1983 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.3 | 83% | 58 | 7.9 | Richard Marquand |
| 13 | Avengers: Infinity War '2018 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.4 | 85% | 68 | 8.2 | Anthony Russo |
| 14 | Metropolis '1927 | Drama / Sci-Fi | 8.2 | 97% | 98 | 8.1 | Fritz Lang |
| 15 | Avengers: Endgame '2019 | Sci-Fi / Action | 8.4 | 94% | 78 | 8.2 | Anthony Russo |
| 16 | Dune: Part Two '2024 | Sci-Fi | 8.4 | 92% | 79 | 8.1 | Denis Villeneuve |
| 17 | A Clockwork Orange '1971 | Sci-Fi / Crime | 8.2 | 86% | 77 | 8.2 | Stanley Kubrick |
| 18 | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse '2023 | Animation / Action / Sci-Fi | 8.5 | 95% | 86 | 8.3 | Kemp Powers |
| 19 | WALL·E '2008 | Animation / Sci-Fi | 8.4 | 95% | 95 | 8.1 | Andrew Stanton |
| 20 | The Thing '1982 | Horror / Mystery / Sci-Fi | 8.2 | 85% | 57 | 8.1 | John Carpenter |
| 21 | Jurassic Park '1993 | Sci-Fi | 8.2 | 91% | 68 | 8.0 | Steven Spielberg |
| 22 | A Trip to the Moon '1902 | Sci-Fi / Comedy | 8.1 | 100% | - | 7.9 | Georges Méliès |
| 23 | Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse '2018 | Animation / Action / Sci-Fi | 8.4 | 97% | 87 | 8.4 | Bob Persichetti |
| 24 | Blade Runner '1982 | Sci-Fi / Drama / Thriller | 8.1 | 89% | 84 | 7.9 | Ridley Scott |
| 25 | The Terminator '1984 | Action / Thriller / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 90% | 84 | 7.7 | James Cameron |
| 26 | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind '2004 | Sci-Fi / Drama / Romance | 8.3 | 93% | 89 | 8.1 | Michel Gondry |
| 27 | La Jetée '1962 | Drama / Romance / Sci-Fi | 8.2 | 90% | - | 7.9 | Chris Marker |
| 28 | Project Hail Mary '2026 | Sci-Fi | 8.2 | 95% | 77 | 8.6 | Phil Lord |
| 29 | Spider-Man: No Way Home '2021 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 93% | 71 | 7.9 | Jon Watts |
| 30 | Planet of the Apes '1968 | Sci-Fi / Drama / Action | 8.0 | 86% | 79 | 7.7 | Franklin J. Schaffner |
| 31 | Stalker '1979 | Sci-Fi / Drama | 8.0 | 100% | 85 | 8.1 | Andrei Tarkovsky |
| 32 | V for Vendetta '2006 | Action / Thriller / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 73% | 62 | 7.9 | James McTeigue |
| 33 | Dune '2021 | Sci-Fi | 8.0 | 83% | 74 | 7.8 | Denis Villeneuve |
| 34 | Mad Max: Fury Road '2015 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 97% | 90 | 7.6 | George Miller |
| 35 | Twelve Monkeys '1995 | Sci-Fi / Thriller / Mystery | 8.0 | 88% | 75 | 7.6 | Terry Gilliam |
| 36 | Logan '2017 | Action / Drama / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 93% | 77 | 7.8 | James Mangold |
| 37 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial '1982 | Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 99% | 92 | 7.5 | Steven Spielberg |
| 38 | Akira '1988 | Animation / Sci-Fi / Action | 8.0 | 88% | 68 | 7.9 | Katsuhiro Otomo |
| 39 | Guardians of the Galaxy '2014 | Action / Sci-Fi | 8.0 | 91% | 76 | 7.9 | James Gunn |
| 40 | Solaris '1972 | Drama / Sci-Fi / Mystery | 7.9 | 92% | 93 | 7.8 | Andrei Tarkovsky |
| 41 | The Avengers '2012 | Sci-Fi / Action | 8.0 | 91% | 69 | 8.1 | Joss Whedon |
| 42 | Bride of Frankenstein '1935 | Horror / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 98% | 95 | 7.5 | James Whale |
| 43 | The Martian '2015 | Sci-Fi / Drama | 8.0 | 91% | 80 | 7.7 | Ridley Scott |
| 44 | Avatar '2009 | Sci-Fi / Action | 7.9 | 81% | 83 | 7.6 | James Cameron |
| 45 | Blade Runner 2049 '2017 | Sci-Fi / Drama | 8.0 | 88% | 81 | 7.6 | Denis Villeneuve |
| 46 | Iron Man '2008 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 94% | 79 | 7.7 | Jon Favreau |
| 47 | Predator '1987 | Sci-Fi / Action / Thriller | 7.8 | 65% | 47 | 7.6 | John McTiernan |
| 48 | Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession '1973 | Comedy / Sci-Fi | 8.2 | - | - | 7.9 | Leonid Gaidai |
| 49 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day '2026 | Sci-Fi / Action | 8.0 | 90% | 66 | 8.5 | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| 50 | Back to the Future Part II '1989 | Comedy / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 63% | 57 | 7.8 | Robert Zemeckis |
| 51 | The Iron Giant '1999 | Animation / Drama / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 96% | 85 | 8.0 | Brad Bird |
| 52 | Arrival '2016 | Drama / Sci-Fi / Mystery | 7.9 | 94% | 81 | 7.6 | Denis Villeneuve |
| 53 | Thor: Ragnarok '2017 | Action / Comedy / Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 93% | 74 | 7.6 | Taika Waititi |
| 54 | Dawn of the Dead '1978 | Horror / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 92% | 71 | 7.5 | George A. Romero |
| 55 | Frankenstein '1931 | Drama / Horror / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 94% | 91 | 7.5 | James Whale |
| 56 | The Day the Earth Stood Still '1951 | Sci-Fi / Thriller / Drama | 7.7 | 92% | 83 | 7.4 | Robert Wise |
| 57 | Edge of Tomorrow '2014 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 91% | 71 | 7.6 | Doug Liman |
| 58 | District 9 '2009 | Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 90% | 81 | 7.5 | Neill Blomkamp |
| 59 | X-Men: Days of Future Past '2014 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 90% | 75 | 7.5 | Bryan Singer |
| 60 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 '2023 | Sci-Fi / Action | 7.9 | 82% | 64 | 7.9 | James Gunn |
| 61 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers '1956 | Sci-Fi / Horror / Thriller | 7.7 | 97% | 92 | 7.5 | Don Siegel |
| 62 | Brazil '1985 | Comedy / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 98% | 84 | 7.7 | Terry Gilliam |
| 63 | Captain America: Civil War '2016 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 90% | 75 | 7.5 | Joe Russo |
| 64 | Star Trek '2009 | Sci-Fi / Action | 7.9 | 94% | 82 | 7.4 | J.J. Abrams |
| 65 | The Wild Robot '2024 | Animation / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | 97% | 85 | 8.3 | Chris Sanders |
| 66 | Her '2013 | Romance / Sci-Fi / Drama | 7.9 | 95% | 91 | 7.8 | Spike Jonze |
| 67 | Children of Men '2006 | Sci-Fi / Thriller / Action | 7.9 | 92% | 84 | 7.6 | Alfonso Cuarón |
| 68 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story '2016 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 84% | 65 | 7.5 | Gareth Edwards |
| 69 | Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century '1953 | Animation / Comedy / Sci-Fi | 8.1 | - | - | 7.6 | Chuck Jones |
| 70 | The Invisible Man '1933 | Horror / Sci-Fi | 7.6 | 95% | 87 | 7.5 | James Whale |
| 71 | Everything Everywhere All at Once '2022 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 93% | 81 | 7.7 | Daniel Scheinert |
| 72 | Close Encounters of the Third Kind '1977 | Sci-Fi / Drama | 7.6 | 91% | 90 | 7.4 | Steven Spielberg |
| 73 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan '1982 | Action / Sci-Fi / Thriller | 7.7 | 87% | 68 | 7.4 | Nicholas Meyer |
| 74 | Godzilla '1954 | Thriller / Horror / Sci-Fi | 7.6 | 94% | 79 | 7.6 | Ishirō Honda |
| 75 | Captain America: The Winter Soldier '2014 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 90% | 70 | 7.7 | Joe Russo |
| 76 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens '2015 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 93% | 80 | 7.2 | J.J. Abrams |
| 77 | Ghost in the Shell '1995 | Action / Animation / Sci-Fi | 7.9 | 95% | 76 | 7.9 | Mamoru Oshii |
| 78 | Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde '1931 | Horror / Sci-Fi / Drama | 7.6 | 91% | 88 | 7.2 | Rouben Mamoulian |
| 79 | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith '2005 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 79% | 68 | 7.5 | George Lucas |
| 80 | Mad Max 2 '1981 | Action / Thriller / Sci-Fi | 7.6 | 93% | 77 | 7.4 | George Miller |
| 81 | RoboCop '1987 | Action / Thriller / Sci-Fi | 7.6 | 84% | 70 | 7.4 | Paul Verhoeven |
| 82 | Gravity '2013 | Sci-Fi / Thriller / Drama | 7.7 | 96% | 96 | 7.2 | Alfonso Cuarón |
| 83 | Gattaca '1997 | Sci-Fi / Drama | 7.7 | 82% | 64 | 7.6 | Andrew Niccol |
| 84 | The Fly '1986 | Horror / Sci-Fi | 7.6 | 82% | 81 | 7.5 | David Cronenberg |
| 85 | The Fifth Element '1997 | Sci-Fi / Action | 7.6 | 70% | 52 | 7.6 | Luc Besson |
| 86 | The Incredible Shrinking Man '1957 | Sci-Fi / Horror | 7.6 | 83% | 73 | 7.5 | Jack Arnold |
| 87 | Water, Water Every Hare '1952 | Animation / Comedy / Sci-Fi | 7.9 | - | - | 7.5 | Chuck Jones |
| 88 | Fantastic Planet '1973 | Animation / Sci-Fi | 7.6 | 91% | 73 | 7.6 | René Laloux |
| 89 | X-Men: First Class '2011 | Action / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 86% | 65 | 7.3 | Matthew Vaughn |
| 90 | Poor Things '2023 | Sci-Fi / Romance / Comedy | 7.7 | 92% | 88 | 7.6 | Yorgos Lanthimos |
| 91 | The Time Machine '1960 | Thriller / Fantasy / Sci-Fi / Romance | 7.5 | 77% | 67 | 7.4 | George Pal |
| 92 | Resident Evil '2026 | Horror / Sci-Fi | - | 96% | - | 7.3 | Zach Cregger |
| 93 | Forbidden Planet '1956 | Sci-Fi | 7.5 | 96% | 80 | 7.3 | Fred M. Wilcox |
| 94 | Ex Machina '2015 | Drama / Sci-Fi | 7.7 | 92% | 78 | 7.6 | Alex Garland |
| 95 | The Face of Another '1966 | Drama / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | 86% | - | 7.8 | Hiroshi Teshigahara |
| 96 | Haredevil Hare '1948 | Animation / Comedy / Sci-Fi | 7.8 | - | - | 7.2 | Chuck Jones |
| 97 | Moon '2009 | Sci-Fi / Drama | 7.8 | 90% | 67 | 7.6 | Duncan Jones |
| 98 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 '2017 | Sci-Fi / Action | 7.6 | 85% | 67 | 7.6 | James Gunn |
| 99 | Minority Report '2002 | Sci-Fi / Action / Thriller | 7.6 | 89% | 80 | 7.4 | Steven Spielberg |
| 100 | Seconds '1966 | Sci-Fi / Thriller / Horror | 7.6 | 79% | 71 | 7.4 | John Frankenheimer |
Our catalog covers roughly the 8,800 most-rated films on TMDB, so lesser-known titles may be missing. Order uses a confidence-weighted IMDb score so a perfect score from a handful of votes does not beat a well-established classic; the scores shown are the raw ones.
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