time travel sci fi films

19 of the best sci-fi movies about time travel: 'Back to the Future,' 'The Terminator'

The 35 Best Time Travel Movies

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These are the 35 best sci-fi films that explore the fluidity of time.

🤯 You love mind-bending science. So do we. Let’s nerd out over it together.

35. Timecop

Jean-Claude Van Damme is a cop who polices time. Don’t need to say more, but I guess I will. In 1994, time travel becomes a favorite pastime of criminals, and timecops like Van Damme must catch any chronal abusers and bring them to justice. As is often the case, Van Damme’s own time-muckery with the past creates different and divergent timelines that not even Doc Brown’s chalkboard could work out. But Timecop isn’t exactly a film that’s going for narrative clarity here.

34. The Final Countdown / The Philadelphia Experiment

Although most people would file this film under “flop,” The Final Countdown contains such an amazing premise it has to be recognized. The crew of the U.S.S. Nimitz enters a storm vortex and is transported to Pearl Harbor in 1941, turning a favorite imaginary war-game scenario into real life. Although the actual film elements aren’t necessarily memorable, it does give us an incredibly good look at the Nimitz (the film was shot on the actual carrier).

We tossed in The Philadelphia Experiment at the same spot, since it’s essentially the reverse of The Final Countdown .

33. Men in Black 3

By the time director Barry Sonnenfeld directed Men in Black 3 in 2012, the franchise was 15 years removed from its fun and campy original, and Men in Black 2 had sucked out much of the charm. That’s why MiB 3 , despite its faults, is still a surprising underdog of a film.

Agent J (Will Smith) goes back in time to stop an alien from mucking up the past and killing Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones/Josh Brolin). The film recaptures much of the original’s fun, and Josh Brolin’s portrayal of a young Tommy Lee Jones playing Agent K is simply awe-inspiring. Honestly, that acting work alone earns this spot for MiB 3.

32. Flight of the Navigator

Sort of like E.T. , but with time travel. What Flight of the Navigator lacks in a substantial plot, it more than makes up for in charm.

David Scott Freeman falls into a ravine and is knocked unconscious—for eight years. Although he doesn’t age, everyone he knows does, and he soon finds he’s part of something much larger. It’s a fun film that will never outshine any Spielberg classics, but its campiness is too genuine to ignore.

31. Time After Time

H.G. Wells, Jack the Ripper, and time travel ... that’s it . Just click the arrow.

30. Timecrimes

A film with perhaps the lowest budget on this list, Timecrimes is a Spanish-language movie that follows a typical time travel trope (many copies of one person causing major problems) but creates 92 minutes of truly enjoyable cinema. The fun moments of Timecrimes are the reveal after reveal after reveal, which snowballs into a fascinating plot.

29. Source Code

Source Code is like Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow with a twist. Instead of going back in time as himself, Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) enters the body of someone else as he tries to stop a mass murder attempt. What the film lacks in depth, it more than makes up for in pulse-pumping action, and the premise itself is a refreshing take on the usual time travel idea.

It will likely never be considered an example of high science fiction, but as far as time travel goes, it gets good grades.

28. Donnie Darko

Perfect amounts creepy and perplexing, Donnie Darko is another strange example of time travel, which is why it belongs on this list all the more. Darko (Gyllenhaal again) is a high school kid with a less-than-sunny disposition. But when he begins seeing frightening hallucinations of a deranged and grotesque rabbit, things slowly begin to unravel, going from bad to weird pretty quickly.

For such a small-budget film (that was almost released straight to home video!) it’s made an outsized impact on science fiction and indie filmmaking. It’s a great movie, but also a polarizing one.

27. Safety Not Guaranteed

Director Colin Trevorrow’s debut film Safety Not Guaranteed follows three journalists—well, one journalist and two interns—on a road trip to meet the eccentric Kenneth (Mark Duplass), who placed an ad in a local newspaper looking for a time-travel companion. Although at its heart a romantic comedy, the film explores human perception of time and the indelible regrets, traumas, and even fantasies that fill our memories. Although the idea of actual time travel plays a significant role in the film, it’s used mostly as a symbol to analyze the importance of being present and always looking with hope toward the future.

26. X-Men: Days of Future Past

Smashing together the old X-Men guard with the new is what makes X-Men: Days of Future Past one of the more successful cinematic outings for the mutant team.

In the film, Kitty Pryde sends Wolverine back through time to stop apocalyptic events from unfolding. Maybe that’s not the most original plot, but it’s one that’s too fun to resist (if only for the Quicksilver scene alone ).

25. Predestination

Based on Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi short story “All You Zombies,” Predestination is a head trip, like any proper time travel film should be. With a strong performance from Ethan Hawke and a script that will keep you guessing, the film is one of the more solid time travel entries in recent years and is a film that garners a rewatch so you can catch every detail.

24. Star Trek: First Contact

The Next Generation ’s big screen outings are a mixed bag, to put it nicely, but the best film by far is the time-bending Star Trek: First Contact . Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-E travel to the past to prevent the cybernetic Borg from mucking with Earth’s history. It’s a good film all by itself, but even more excellent if you’re an invested Star Trek fan. We get to see huge, never-before-seen moments in the Star Trek universe, like humanity’s first encounter with the Vulcans, and the Borg are just an excellent adversary.

23. Army of Darkness

“Shop Smart. Shop, S-Mart.”

Depending on who you ask, Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness is either the best sequel to any film ever, or the worst—there isn’t much room in between. The chainsaw-toting Ashley “Ash” Williams is tossed back to medieval times where he must fight off a horde of undead monstrosities with only his ingenuity and his “boom stick.”

Even though it’s slapstick comedy with wonderfully B-movie action sequences, it remains an absolute joy to watch.

22. Doctor Strange

In this Marvel sleeper hit , Stephen Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, and in typical Marvel fashion, is tasked with saving the world. Although the visuals alone are worthing giving this movie a shot, its manipulation of time as a superpower rather than a world-altering plot device is what sets it apart from the rest.

21. Sleeper

Although not technically time travel (long stretches of cryo-sleep instead), Sleeper is Woody Allen’s sci-fi comedy that’s absurd, hilarious, and strangely poignant. Miles Monroe is a jazz musician and health-food-store owner who wakes up in the 22nd century after a botched gall bladder operation. The world is, as you’d expect, quite different, and Monroe is a hilarious character to explore it with.

Tenet is an “A for effort” addition to this list. The film has all the trappings of a Christopher Nolan flick—stunning cinematography, a star-studded cast, head-scratching plot points, etc., etc. And Tenet does take time travel movies one step further with the introduction of time inversion, the idea that objects and people can travel into the past at the same temporal pace that they can travel into the future. Although a fascinating concept, it’s also a confusing one, which is why Nolan spends much of the film’s 150-minute runtime explaining what’s going on. Tenet is a fascinating time travel story though ultimately one a bit lost in its own exposition.

19. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

This 2006 award-winning anime is a coming-of-age time travel story that even rivals Back to the Future . After schoolgirl Mokoto Konno discovers a time travel device that gives her the power to leap through time, she uses her new gifts for mundane high school stuff, passing tests, avoiding awkward conversations, and to address her chronic lateness.

When she learns what her time traveling does to others around her, and as the seriousness of her time jumping becomes more apparent, the film blossoms into an important story about loss and friendship.

Crime noir meets science fiction in Rian Johnson’s Looper , and the match is magical. In a future where time travel is invented and immediately made illegal, crime syndicates use the technology for time-hopping assassinations. But to tie off some temporal inconsistencies, the assassin must eventually become the target—and that’s where things get interesting. This isn’t flawless sci-fi, but it’s certainly inventive.

17. Run Lola Run

On its surface, the German film Run Lola Run is about a blazingly red-headed woman running through the streets of Berlin in an attempt to save her boyfriend’s life. However, the twist is that once Lola reaches a dead-end (sometimes literally) in one of her runs, the film starts over from the beginning and Lola runs through Berlin once again, only this time small changes in her path create largely divergent outcomes by the film’s end. Although time is more of a thematic device than a strictly plot-driven one in Run Lola Run, its ruminations on time and the exploration of the Butterfly Effect , the idea that small incidents can have lasting repercussions, makes Run Lola Run one of the most unique films on this list.

16. Avengers: Endgame

What happens when the big purple monster man annihilates half the population? Time travel, baby. Tony Stark and gang concoct a convoluted plan that’ll save the universe from being cleaved in two, including some very inventive scenes that play with time travel. Like most time travel plots, Endgame creates more questions than it answers, but it’s best to just sit back and enjoy.

Darren lives in Portland, has a cat, and writes/edits about sci-fi and how our world works. You can find his previous stuff at Gizmodo and Paste if you look hard enough. 

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150 Essential Sci-Fi Movies to Watch Now

There’s only one place where you can get clones, time travel, simulated realities, irradiated and irritated giant lizards, and space fights and beyond. (Maybe not all at once, but we can dream.) Anything’s possible in this creative nebula known as science fiction, and with its long and historic association with cinema, we present our choices of the greatest science-fiction movies ever: The 150 Essential Sci-Fi Movies!

As they do with horror, filmmakers use science fiction to reflect our aspirations, terrors, and issues of the times. Through genre lens, we can consider our impact on the environment ( Godzilla , WALL-E ), technology gone berserk ( The Terminator , Ex Machina ), identity ( Blade Runner , The Matrix ), and societal breakdowns ( Children of Men , A Clockwork Orange ). We might even check-in on the current state of the human condition ( Gattaca , Her ).

Or, maybe we just want to see giant ants wreak havoc across the neighborhood. There may not be a lot of subtext in a big monster movie like Them! , or even crowd-pleasing masterpieces like Star Wars or Back to the Future , but they speak to the one thing that attracts us to movies in the first place: escapism. Science-fiction movies are our tickets to planets far-away ( Star Trek , Avatar , Starship Troopers ), or a quick hop to a local joint in the solar system ( The Martian , Total Recall ). They take us just above the atmosphere ( Gravity ), deep down to the bottom of the ocean ( 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea , The Abyss ), and into the human body ( Fantastic Voyage ). Limited only 2020by imagination, sci-fi inspires wonder, awe, terror, and hope for alternative mindsets and better futures.

Sci-fi spreads across subgenres, all represented here: the monster movie ( Cloverfield ), space opera ( Serenity ), cyberpunk ( Ghost in the Shell ), and post-apocalyptic ( Mad Max: Fury Road ) and more. Or it can fuse onto traditional genres like drama ( Donnie Darko , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ), comedy ( Repo Man , Idiocracy ), and action ( Predator , Demoliton Man ). Wherever the destination, these movies — each with at least 20 reviews — were selected because of their unique, fun, and possibly even mind-blowing spins on reality.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) 60%

The Endless (2017) 92%

Timecrimes (2007) 90%

Ad Astra (2019) 83%

Westworld (1973) 84%

High Life (2018) 82%

Coherence (2013) 88%

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) 80%

Midnight Special (2016) 83%

Wizards (1977) 62%

Annihilation (2018) 88%

Contact (1997) 68%

The Congress (2013) 72%

Flight of the Navigator (1986) 84%

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) 91%

Alita: Battle Angel (2019) 62%

Ready Player One (2018) 72%

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) 66%

Rollerball (1975) 67%

Silent Running (1972) 71%

War of the Worlds (2005) 76%

Metropolis (2001) 87%

Shin Godzilla (2016) 86%

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) 78%

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) 84%

The Fountain (2006) 53%

Logan's Run (1976) 58%

The Blob (1958) 68%

Scanners (1981) 68%

Things to Come (1936) 91%

Cube (1997) 63%

Strange Days (1995) 68%

Heavy Metal (1981) 66%

A Boy and His Dog (1975) 78%

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) 76%

The Day of the Triffids (1963) 78%

When Worlds Collide (1951) 81%

Sunshine (2007) 76%

Liquid Sky (1982) 93%

Dark Star (1974) 74%

Open Your Eyes (1997) 87%

Paprika (2006) 86%

Serenity (2005) 82%

Turbo Kid (2015) 91%

THX-1138 (1971) 86%

Attack the Block (2011) 91%

Upgrade (2018) 88%

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) 93%

The World's End (2013) 89%

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) 93%

The Host (2006) 93%

A Quiet Place (2018) 96%

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) 93%

Repo Man (1984) 98%

Starship Troopers (1997) 72%

The Fifth Element (1997) 71%

V for Vendetta (2006) 73%

Dredd (2012) 80%

The Brother From Another Planet (1984) 89%

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension (1984) 66%

Dark City (1998) 76%

Under the Skin (2013) 84%

The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) 79%

The Fly (1986) 93%

Cloverfield (2008) 78%

Men in Black (1997) 91%

Tron (1982) 73%

Bumblebee (2018) 90%

Independence Day (1996) 68%

Barbarella (1968) 75%

Donnie Darko (2001) 87%

Pacific Rim (2013) 72%

Idiocracy (2006) 71%

Fahrenheit 451 (1966) 81%

Demolition Man (1993) 63%

A Scanner Darkly (2006) 68%

Source Code (2011) 92%

The Abyss (1989) 89%

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) 82%

Altered States (1980) 86%

Predestination (2014) 85%

They Live (1988) 86%

Seconds (1966) 79%

Soylent Green (1973) 70%

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) 91%

The Hunger Games (2012) 84%

Avatar (2009) 82%

Minority Report (2002) 89%

Alphaville (1965) 92%

Them! (1954) 93%

Videodrome (1983) 83%

Snowpiercer (2013) 94%

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) 98%

Predator (1987) 80%

Planet of the Apes (1968) 86%

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) 93%

Star Trek (2009) 94%

Escape From New York (1981) 88%

The War of the Worlds (1953) 89%

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) 88%

Galaxy Quest (1999) 90%

Fantastic Voyage (1966) 92%

Solaris (1972) 93%

Her (2013) 95%

The Iron Giant (1999) 96%

Fantastic Planet (1973) 91%

Total Recall (1990) 82%

Moon (2009) 90%

The Martian (2015) 91%

Gravity (2013) 96%

Interstellar (2014) 73%

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 92%

Looper (2012) 93%

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) 90%

Arrival (2016) 94%

Ex Machina (2014) 92%

WALL-E (2008) 95%

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 99%

Godzilla (1954) 93%

Forbidden Planet (1956) 92%

12 Monkeys (1995) 88%

Jurassic Park (1993) 92%

Primer (2004) 73%

Stalker (1979) 100%

Gattaca (1997) 82%

Ghost in the Shell (1995) 95%

Brazil (1985) 98%

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) 87%

District 9 (2009) 90%

A Clockwork Orange (1971) 87%

RoboCop (1987) 92%

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 95%

Akira (1988) 91%

Children of Men (2006) 92%

The Terminator (1984) 100%

Edge of Tomorrow (2014) 91%

Aliens (1986) 98%

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 95%

The Thing (1982) 84%

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) 97%

Alien (1979) 93%

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 91%

Inception (2010) 87%

The Matrix (1999) 83%

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) 93%

Metropolis (1927) 97%

Blade Runner (1982) 89%

Back to the Future (1985) 93%

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 92%

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The 25 Best Time Travel Movies to Whisk You Away from Reality

Who wouldn't love a time machine right about now?

Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Meet Cute (2022)

Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson co-star in Peacock's Meet Cute , a delightful and often dark rom-com based around time travel. Feeling suicidal, Sheila (Cuoco) finds a time machine in a nail salon and decides to go back in time 24 hours. While re-living her first date with Gary (Davidson) again and again, Sheila loses touch with reality and might have destroyed any chance she had with him.

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

High schooler Meg Murry travels through time and space in search of her missing astrophysicist father (Chris Pine). On her journey, Meg meets Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling), as well as a whole host of dangerous beings.

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Based on Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 novel of the same name, The Time Traveler's Wife tells the story of Henry (Eric Bana), a librarian who is able to randomly travel through time. After meeting Clare (Rachel McAdams) as a child, Henry later develops a romantic relationship with her. HBO's recent adaptation starring Theo James and Rose Leslie has reignited the debate regarding whether or not the story promotes grooming , or if it's a timeless romance.

Back to the Future (1985)

'80s classic Back to the Future has stood the test of time, and spawned two equally entertaining sequels. In the first film, Marty McFly is sent to the 1950s in his friend Doc Brown's time machine, a super cool DeLorean. Marty meets his parents as teenagers, and his presence risks changing history forever.

See You Yesterday (2019)

Netflix's See You Yesterday follows science prodigy C.J. (Eden Duncan-Smith), who invents time traveling backpacks. Along with her best friend Sebastian, C.J. uses her invention to go back in time to stop her brother from being murdered by a racist police officer. However, she's also forced to face up to the limitations and consequences of time travel.

About Time (2013)

Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) inherits the ability to time travel from his father, and decides to use the gift to find love. After a failed attempt at romance, Tim meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), but due to several time travel-related mishaps, romance isn't instantaneous for the pair. Written and directed by rom-com aficionado Richard Curtis.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

James Cameron's follow-up to 1984's The Terminator was a smash-hit that cemented the franchise's popularity. In the sequel, a killer T-1000 Terminator is sent back in time by Skynet to kill the future leader of the resistance, the son of Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), John (Edward Furlong). At the same time, the resistance sends a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back to protect Connor.

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Four miserable friends reunite after one of them nearly dies. To cheer themselves up, they decide to spend some time together at a ski resort. Unfortunately, the resort's hot tub isn't what it seems, and they accidentally end up traveling back to 1986. The four friends scramble to find a way back to present day. Starring John Cusack and Craig Robinson.

12 Monkeys (1995)

After a deadly virus destroys humanity in 1996, survivors are forced underground. Decades later, prisoner James (Bruce Willis) agrees to go back in time to find the original virus, so that scientists can work on a cure. However, he arrives too early in 1990, and is promptly institutionalized, where he meets Jeffrey (Brad Pitt), an anti-corporate environmentalist. From there, the mystery only gets more intriguing.

Looper (2012)

In the future, time travel is used by the mob to assassinate people, who are sent back in time and killed by assassins known as "loopers." Joe's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) older self (Bruce Willis) is sent back to be eliminated, but manages to escape before he is killed. Thus begins a twisty time travel epic, that also stars Emily Blunt.

Tenet (2020)

The Protagonist ( John David Washington ), a former CIA agent, is tasked with stopping World War III. Learning to bend time, he attempts to prevent the destruction of the world. Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki co-star.

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Aspiring fashion designer Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) manages to travel back to the 1960s, where she meets singer "Sandie" ( Anya Taylor-Joy ). What starts as a glamorous encounter with the past soon becomings a horrifying nightmare. Co-starring Matt Smith.

Déjà Vu (2006)

A top secret organization has developed the ability to see four days into the past, in order to catch criminals. While hunting a terrorist, ATF agent Doug (Denzel Washington) realizes that this new technology might allow him to stop crimes from happening altogether.

Source Code (2011)

An unusual riff on the time travel movie, Source Code stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Army Captain Colter, who is trying to identify the person responsible for bombing a commuter train. Re-living an eight minute re-creation of the moments leading up to the explosion, Colter is stuck in a terrifying loop, until he can solve the mystery.

Mirai (2018)

A young boy called Kun runs away from home, as he feels neglected by his family after the arrival of his little sister, Mirai. Kun accidentally discovers a time travel portal in a magic garden, and is transported into the past, where he meets his mother as a child. Later, he travels to the future, where he finds his sister as an adult, and completely changes his outlook in the process.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Aubrey Plaza stars as an aspiring journalist whose latest assignment involves a mysterious classified ad about time travel. "You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED," the ad reads. Mark Duplass co-stars.

Groundhog Day (1993)

Although Groundhog Day is technically a "time loop" movie, it wouldn't feel right to leave it off the list. Phil (Bill Murray) is a disgruntled weatherman sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. When he wakes up the next day, he realizes that he's re-living February 2, which happens again and again, until he figures out how to stop it.

Needle in a Timestack (2021)

The wonderful Cynthia Erivo stars alongside Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom Jr., and Freida Pinto in this romantic sci-fi flick. In the future, the wealthy are able to partake in "time jaunting," but the ripples from these changes often cause timelines to warp and change. Needle in a Timestack focuses on a happily married couple whose relationship is jeopardized by an ex intent on changing history.

The Lake House (2006)

Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves star in this completely cheesy but endlessly loveable rom-com that defies time. Architect Alex (Reeves) and doctor Kate (Bullock) write letters to one another via a mailbox at a lake house where they both live at separate times. Despite the time difference, they're able to communicate with one another and forge a relationship via this magical postal system that transcends time.

Predestination (2015)

Ethan Hawke stars as an agent tasked with stopping a deadly attack before it happens, via time travel. Traveling back to 1975, he attempts to find and stop a bomber in New York, but his mission is far from simple. When he returns to the future, his life only gets more complicated.

Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness , and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.

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11 of the best time travel movies to watch on streaming

From hard sci-fi to buds in hot tubs

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Thirty years after their last time travel adventure, Bill and Ted are back in their most excellent journey yet. Bill and Ted Face the Music , starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in their iconic slacker-metalhead roles, is out in theaters and on VOD now.

As a genre, time-travel movies can encompass a lot of different styles. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is a silly, fluffy time-jumping adventure, which stands in stark juxtaposition to the hard sci-fi 12 Monkeys or the melancholy, contemplative About Time . What they all have in common is time travel as a major plot point, whether the creators do their best to explain the science or just kind of hand wave. (A time travel movie is different from a time loop movie, though, which is why you won’t find Groundhog Day , Happy Death Day , or Palm Springs — all excellent films — on this list.)

Below, we’ve rounded up 11 of our favorite time travel narratives you can watch on streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max right now. Party on, dudes.

If you can stomach a narrative about a viral pandemic knocking out most of humanity, Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys is a compelling adaptation of Chris Marker’s legendary short film, La Jetée (which you can stream on Criterion Channel ). The feature remake is mostly notable for its incredible performances — Bruce Willis! Christopher Plummer! An Oscar nomination for Brad Pitt! Willis stars as James Cole, one of the pandemic’s survivors, who’s sent back to 1996 to track down the origins of virus. He overshoots and ends up in 1990, where he’s involuntarily committed to a mental institution. Pitt plays his fellow inmate who, Cole discovers back in the future, may or may not be responsible for the virus.

As far as time travel movies go, 12 Monkeys is firmly in the grim, twist-y, hard sci-fi camp. If that’s your thing, it’s an excellent watch.

12 Monkeys is streaming on HBO Max .

All of the marketing around About Time made it seem like a fun, fluffy rom-com in which Domhnall Gleeson uses his magical time traveling abilities to woo Rachel McAdams. But master of the British rom-com, Richard Curtis ( Love Actually , Bridget Jones’ Diary , Knotting Hill , Four Weddings and a Funeral ), makes About Time a lot deeper. I won’t spoil the twist that throws a wrench into the time travel mechanics, but I’ll just say that it’s more about the anxieties of parenthood than getting a fairy tale ending.

About Time is streaming on Netflix .

Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame satisfyingly wraps up its core characters arcs and made room for the next chapter while also balancing humor, emotional weight, and huge choreographed set pieces. It also features a surprisingly well executed time travel storyline! If you haven’t seen this one since last summer, dive back into its mind-bending middle act.

Avengers: Endgame is streaming on Disney Plus .

Back to the Future trilogy

The story of Marty McFly’s (Michael J. Fox) travels through time in a souped-up DeLorean, aided by his friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), is a classic for good reason. The first movie, in which Marty has to make sure his parents fall in love lest he be erased from existence, is always a hit, but it’s especially fun to revisit Back to the Future Part II just to see what people in 1989 thought 2015 would look like.

Back to the Future , Back to the Future Part II, and Back to the Future Part III are streaming on Netflix .

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was one of those movies that, if you grew up in the ’90s or early 2000s, you’d catch in bits and pieces because it aired constantly on cable. The format was perfect for that kind of disjointed viewing, since it mostly consists of silly scenes in which Bill and Ted get into historical hijinks strung together to form a tiny thread of narrative. But what Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure lacks in plot, it makes up for in heart. The core ethos of Bill and Ted is “Be excellent to each other,” a philosophy that the boys consistently embody. It’s just nice, okay ?

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is streaming on Starz .

Hot Tub Time Machine

If you’re the type of person who hears a title like Hot Tub Time Machine and thinks, “Ugh, that sounds stupid,” Hot Tub Time Machine is probably not for you. But if you’re the type of person who hears a title like Hot Tub Time Machine and thinks, “Hell yeah, that sounds stupid,” you’re gonna have a good time.

Hot Tub Time Machine is streaming on Hulu with Live TV .

If you only know Rian Johnson from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and/or Knives Out , it’s worth going back through his filmography before he helmed one of the biggest franchises in the world. Looper , his last film before The Last Jedi, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis as two different versions of the same man, a time-traveling assassin, known as a “looper,” named Joe. It’s both a compelling time travel narrative and a slick action movie with neat visual effects. In the wise words of Elijah Wood, long live Rian Johnson .

Looper is streaming on FuboTV .

Safety Not Guaranteed

Before he helmed the Jurassic World franchise, gave us the fascinating flop that is The Book of Henry , and was booted from Star Wars: Episode 9, Colin Trevorrow directed Safety Not Guaranteed. The indie comedy stars Mark Duplass as Kenneth, a paranoid, lonely guy who places a classified ad looking for a partner to join him on a time travel mission. He finds that partner in Darius (Aubrey Plaza) who, unbeknownst to him, is a newspaper intern working on a story about him. Duplass excels at playing these kind of weirdos who live on the border between sad and creepy, and it’s an energy that works well with Plaza’s disaffected schtick. Whether or not Kenneth actually built a working time machine is simultaneously the key to the story and also not really the point, and Trevorrow leaves us hanging until the very end.

Safety Not Guaranteed is streaming on Netflix .

Years before directing his breakout English-language feature Colossal with Anne Hathaway, Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo made this thriller about a man who uses a short-span time travel device to discover the identity of a masked attacker. Small-scale and twisty, Timecrimes revels in disorientation and has the dark comedic edge that has come to devine Vigalondo’s films. A whodunnit for the seasoned time-travel movie-watcher.

Timecrimes is streaming for free on Tubi TV with ads.

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The 20 best time-travel movies – ranked!

As Adam Driver accidentally winds up 65m years ago , facing not just dinosaurs but an asteroid, we count down the best films about going backwards, or forwards, through the ages

20. Timecop (1994)

Regardless of what anyone says, I believe in my heart that Timecop was greenlit because someone showed a studio executive a picture of Jean-Claude Van Damme and said the word “Timecop” out loud, at which point they had to throw a script together as quickly as possible. Nothing about Timecop makes sense. It is the most 90s film ever made.

19. Tenet (2020)

I have to be careful here, because Tenet might not be a time-travel movie. Certainly time passes in it and some of the people are going backwards in time in it. But I’ve seen this movie twice now, and it mainly just seems to be about people mumbling everything, except for Kenneth Branagh, who gets to shout very loudly three times. Anyway, here it is.

18. Cavegirl (1985)

Finally, a film that uses time-travel for the correct reason; to allow a horny 1980s high school student to go back to prehistory so that he can convince a smoking hot, bikini-wearing cavegirl to have it off with him. You will note I’ve ranked this above Tenet .

17. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

Weird to think that Austin Powers was originally a fish-out-of-water comedy, in which the promiscuous titular character had to navigate the (then) uptight world of the 1990s. That all fell apart for the sequel, where Powers was sent back to the 60s to shout his catchphrases at people who actually appreciated them. That makes it a time-travel movie, right?

16. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

God, this film. In summary: Ashton Kutcher plays a man who experiences blackouts, only to learn some years later that he can travel back in time and inhabit his younger self’s mind during the blackouts. But in doing so, he unleashes a world of unintended consequences. He becomes a murderer and loses limbs. Seek out the director’s cut if you can, because it ends with Kutcher’s character deliberately strangling himself in the womb with his umbilical cord. No, really.

15. The Tomorrow War (2021)

Wherein Chris Pratt is drafted into a war that takes place 26 years later, because the invading aliens have already killed all the soldiers who were alive at the time. It’s a great premise for a film – we all pay the price for the actions of other generations – let down by a truly confusing ending. Admit it, you forgot this film even existed, even though it cost $200m to make and only came out 18 months ago.

14. The Time Travelers (1964)

A 1964 movie made on the cheap with genuinely terrible effects, The Time Travelers is about a group of scientists who travel to the future, fight some mutants and then return. What sets it apart, though, is its crazed ending. The film ends with the scientists venturing into the distant future, whereupon the film plays through again, faster and faster and faster until it cuts away to a still of the galaxy. Are they trapped in a loop? Is free will an illusion? Did the producers just run out of money? We may never know.

13. The Adam Project (2022)

In which a young boy’s life is turned upside down when he is visited by an older version of himself from the future. The good news? He grows up to be a fighter pilot. The bad news? He also grows up to have all the cadences and surface-level snarky patter of Ryan Reynolds. What follows is a buddy movie where the two buddies are the same person.

12. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

So seminal that it was namechecked in Avengers: Endgame . A flat-out comedy that primarily exists to allow a bunch of middle-aged men to act like teenagers, Hot Tub Time Machine is a film about an enchanted Jacuzzi that sends people back to the mid-1980s. Possibly a bit too bawdy for its own good, there’s a hint of a message about the unreliability of nostalgia here.

11. Flight of the Navigator (1986)

This family film involves a young boy who goes missing in a Fort Lauderdale ravine, only to show up eight years later having not aged. There are UFOs and rubbery little creatures and whatnot, but there’s a real emotional wallop to the moment when the boy realises that the world has moved on without him, right down to the scene (that plays out like a horror movie) where the boy realises that his parents have become unrecognisably ancient, even though they are probably only in their early 40s.

10. Primer (2004)

Some see Shane Carruth’s Primer as the gold standard of what a time-travel film should be. It’s the sort of movie that seems unnervingly realistic, from the down-at-heel engineers to the unshowy nature of time travel itself, where people in effect just get in and out of some boxes. Almost entirely unwilling to explain itself, for years Primer fans have come to rely on a series of graphs and charts to figure out what the film actually is.

9. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

A time-travel movie that may or may not have any actual time-travel in it, Colin Trevorrow’s Safety Not Guaranteed is a delicate wonder of a thing. A man places an ad in a magazine asking for a time-travel companion – “Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before” – and the respondents slowly come to realise that all is not quite as it seems.

8. Planet of the Apes (1968)

If you haven’t seen Planet of the Apes, then the fact that I’ve put it on a list of time-travel movies is probably quite a heavy spoiler, and for that I’m sorry. But what a reveal this is – what seems at first like a silly movie about Charlton Heston being persecuted by some monkeys quickly becomes something darker and much more sinister. That new Adam Driver movie probably could have achieved something similar, if it hadn’t blabbed its big secret in the trailer.

7. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Endgame is a lot, so much so that it is effectively a time-travel movie bookended by two entirely separate movies. And, yes, it takes a lot of liberties with time-travel, from Tony Stark’s “Huh, I did it” invention to the lazy referencing of other time-travel movies as a shorthand for what the characters can do. Nevertheless, when they get to it, the film nails it. The Battle of New York is the obvious highlight, with Captain America fighting Captain America and the Hulk embarrassed by his unreconstructed former self, but the heart of the film really comes when Tony meets his father as a man and learns to let go of the past.

6. Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar is also a lot. But at its core is a simple ethical quandary: would you try to save the world if it meant missing your children’s entire lives? Matthew McConaughey has to touch down on a planet during a space trip. The problem is that every hour he spends there is equal to seven years on Earth. Is the trip important enough for him to miss seeing the wonder of his children grow into adults? Technically, if you want to be fussy about this, Interstellar is a time dilation movie rather than a time-travel movie. But it gets a pass, largely because McConaughey sells the agony of the moment so beautifully.

5. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

There are times when Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure feels like it was written by a toddler off his face on pop. But that’s a deliberate ploy, a way to camouflage all the careful rigour that underpins the script. The lead characters are initially reluctant to embark on their time-travel adventure, until they’re visited by versions of themselves from the near future who compel them to do it; a beautiful and hilarious example of predestination in action. Extra points are awarded thanks to the film’s total lack of interest in consequences. Swiping Abraham Lincoln and Napoleon from their respective eras has no bearing on world history whatsoever, which is probably quite lucky.

4. Looper (2012)

One problem with time-travel movies is that the rules always need to be explained upfront. In lesser hands, this can lead to all manner of clunky, stilted exposition. But when Rian Johnson dabbled in the genre with Looper , he gave us a masterclass in “show, don’t tell”. The sequence where poor Paul Dano’s character is tortured at two different points in time simultaneously, with the older version following instructions carved into the younger version’s arm, is arguably one of the most inventive uses of time-travel in the entire history of cinema. All that plus this is Bruce Willis’s last truly great performance.

3. The Terminator (1984)/Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The lure of the first two Terminator movies were the killer robots running around murdering everyone. But they were very smartly built around a framework of pure time-travel. We only see the future in brief flashes, but what’s important is the present. It is very, very important that Kyle Reese (a guy from the future) has sex with Sarah Connor (a woman from the present), because only that will save humanity as we know it. It’s a hell of a pickup line, but the device also elevates what could have simply been a shonky B-movie into the realm of the classics.

2. Idiocracy (2006)

The smartest time-travel movies use the device as a mirror, telling us more about the times we live in now than the times the characters visit. Enter Idiocracy, Mike Judge’s stinging satire about modern times. An average person is cryogenically frozen and wakes up in the future, shocked to discover that the global IQ has fallen off a cliff in the intervening years. Surrounded by aggressive stupidity, he single-handedly saves the US from famine by suggesting that they use water – and not an electrolyte drink – to grow crops. We are conservatively 15 years from this happening in real life.

1. Back to the Future (1985)/Back to the Future Part II (1989)

The only conceivable first choice. The first two Back to the Future films (the third, which is basically just a western, is far less imaginative) have come to define time-travel as a genre. They deliver a complex set of hard sci-fi rules about what can and cannot happen during time-travel and – miraculously – manage to do it in a way that kids can understand. Good music, cool clothes, a million catchphrases and, in the case of the second film, an unnervingly prescient prediction of how Donald Trump would turn out. Just perfect.

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The 25 Greatest Time-Travel Movies Ever Made

It must say something, surely, about humans, how often time-travel movies are about returning to the past rather than jumping to the future. As Mark Duplass’s forlorn character says in Safety Not Guaranteed , “The mission has to do with regret.” With all the potential to explore the unknown world of the future, so often when our minds conspire to bend the rules of time it’s instead to rehash the old. It’s compelling to watch a character in a movie do what we cannot — right past wrongs or uncover the reason for or meaning behind the events in their lives, whether they be emotionally catastrophic or merely geopolitically motivated.

So absent is the future from the canon, in fact, that when it is involved, typically future dwellers are leaving their own time to come back to the present. Back to the Future Part II aside, it seems as if there’s something about going forward in time that just doesn’t track for humans. (Of course, you could argue that this is because the present-day concept of bidirectional time travel would infinitely multiply or change beyond recognition any future that may occur, but that’s a knot for another article.)

In any case, the time-travel stories deemed worthy of Hollywood budgets aren’t always straightforward in their mechanics. Some films on this list barely qualify as time-travel movies at all; others could hardly qualify as anything else. There are movies about trips through time but also ones about the bending and fracturing and muddying thereof; then there are those about, as Andy Samberg aptly puts it in Palm Springs , “one of those infinite time-loop situations you might have heard about.” There’s even a movie in which we get only 13 seconds’ worth of time travel, when it functions more like a joke whose punch line hits at the film’s climax.

What these films all do have in common is a fascination with changing the way time works. That being said, the list leaves out movies in larger, more extended franchises in which time meddling is a one-off dalliance thrown into a sequel with little by way of foreshadowing: think Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Avengers: Endgame , and Men in Black III . (It also leaves off perhaps the Ur-time-travel movie, Primer , and the quite good Midnight in Paris because their directors don’t deserve the column inches.) We’re looking at self-contained stories using time mechanics from the start, with preference given to those that involve themselves more intently with the ins and outs of time travel; that ask questions about time, aging, memory and so forth; and that try to succeed at it in new and interesting ways. So let’s get to it.

25. Galaxy Quest (1999)

Does Galaxy Quest really count as a time-travel movie? Some compelling reasons argue that it doesn’t: Time travel isn’t a major factor in the plot, and the time traveling that does occur is, yes, only a 13-second jump. But its use of time travel is meaningful insofar as the movie itself is a loving spoof of Star Trek , which makes use of time travel in three films ( one of which made this list ), not to mention dozens of episodes across its various TV iterations. Tacking on time travel as a deus ex machina for the actors in a Star Trek– like show pressed into service as an actual space crew by an endangered alien race is the exact right amount of ribbing in a movie that’s as on point as it is hilarious.

Galaxy Quest is available to rent on Amazon .

24. Happy Death Day (2017)

Pick away at the surface of a time-loop movie and you find a horror movie. Most of the entries on this list are covered in enough feel-good spin to land as comedies, but Happy Death Day stares the horror of the time-loop phenomenon right in the face. (It’s also quite funny.) Reliving the same day over and over is an unimaginably potent form of psychological torture, and adding murder to the equation does little to dull that edge. The film follows a college-age protagonist struggling to escape from a masked slasher hell-bent on killing her again and again while she tries to solve the mystery of how she got stuck in a time loop.

Happy Death Day is available to rent on Amazon .

23. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Seriously, this may be the only good movie in which the film’s whole focus is using a time machine to travel into the future. The fact that it’s a sequel is telling — the characters already traveled into the past in the first movie , and the filmmakers decided to save “traveling even further into the past“ for the third film in the trilogy. Still, Back to the Future Part II is a fun time that makes great use of sight gags and references, recasting scenes from the first film in the distant future year of 2015 with all its hoverboards and self-lacing Nikes.

Back to the Future Part II is available to rent on Amazon .

22. See You Yesterday (2019)

It’s a dirty little secret of time-travel movies that they tend to be, well, pretty white. Tenet ’s Protagonist aside, if Hollywood’s sending someone through time, they’re almost certainly not a Black person, and for obvious reasons: Most of post-contact North American history is deeply unfriendly to people of color, and the problems a person running around out of time and place is going to encounter are deeply compounded if they’ll likely be the target of racist abuse or violence — which makes See You Yesterday all the more compelling. Produced by Spike Lee and featuring one of filmdom’s most famous time travelers in a cameo role, it follows a Black teenage science prodigy who uses a time machine to try to save her brother from being killed by a police officer.

See You Yesterday is streaming on Netflix .

21. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

No offense to the Back to the Future franchise, but time travel never looks more fun on film than it does in the first Bill & Ted movie. It’s a concept that feels distinctly of a different era, so pure is its zaniness, that it’s hard to imagine anyone concocting it today. The titular duo, Californian high-school students in the ’80s, travel through the past looking for historical figures in order to ace a history project, then bring them all back to the present. High jinks ensue! We get Genghis Khan in a sporting-goods store and Mozart on an electric keyboard. What more could you want?

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is streaming on HBO Max .

20. Source Code (2011)

Time-travel-film aficionados know this won’t be Jake Gyllenhaal’s only stop on this list, but no matter. Source Code finds him repeating the same eight minutes over and over as he struggles to find the culprit in a train bombing — with each replay ending in his own death by explosion. For some reason, a romantic subplot is shoehorned into this, along with a bunch of frankly unnecessary technical mumbo-jumbo, but the core idea is a compelling mix of the time-loop movie and the train whodunit that Gyllenhaal is a perfect fit for.

Source Code is available to rent on Amazon .

19. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Some sort of law of nature dictates that every genuinely good idea and/or piece of true art has to at some point be turned into a Hollywood movie. Thank God La Jetée was adapted into something that can stand on its own feet artistically. 12 Monkeys may not retain its source material’s black-and-white look or stripped-down, static-image presentation, but it is a rollicking good time nonetheless. That’s in no small part due to director Terry Gilliam getting the best out of Bruce Willis and a young Brad Pitt, and recasting World War III as a planet-decimating virus. Which, like at least one other movie on this list , “speaks to the present moment,” or whatever.

12 Monkeys is available to rent on Amazon .

18. Run Lola Run (1998)

Unlike almost all of the other films on this list, the terms time travel and time machine don’t show up anywhere in Run Lola Run . Rather, it’s a sort of de facto time-loop scenario in which the protagonist tries repeatedly to pay a ransom to save her boyfriend’s life. In fact, if not for a few key details, it could easily be characterized (and often has been) as an alternate-endings movie rather than a time-travel film. But the fact that Lola seems to be learning from her past attempts with each successive one suggests that she is, indeed, using knowledge gained from previous loops to bring a satisfactory end to this situation.

Run Lola Run is available to rent on Amazon .

17. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

One of the most striking things about Groundhog Day is the mutability and replicability of its core conceit. Perhaps the best case in point is Edge of Tomorrow , sometimes known as Live. Die. Repeat. after its original tagline. It’s the kind of physically grueling movie only an actor as genuinely unhinged as Tom Cruise could pull off. A noncombatant thrust into a war against invading aliens, Cruise’s character finds himself reliving day one of combat over and over, slowly but surely refining his techniques in order to survive the extraterrestrial onslaught. Like the central twosome in the much less violent Palm Springs , he winds up with a partner in (war) crime, teaming up with the similarly time-trapped Emily Blunt, and the explanation for the replay glitch here is actually pretty satisfying.

Edge of Tomorrow is streaming on Fubo TV .

16. Star Trek (2009)

If you could create some sort of an advanced stat to measure controversy generated per unit of interesting filmmaking decisions, J.J. Abrams would have to be near the top in terms of his ability to rig up movie drama from almost nothing. This is a guy whose filmography is like Godzilla rip-off, Spielberg homage, safe reboot of cherished IP, repeat. Star Trek may be his best film, though, a sure-footed reinvention of a dorky sci-fi franchise that made it, well, cool. Somehow, the beauty of Spock and Kirk’s bromance being woven through chance encounters with future selves kind of … works?

Star Trek is available to rent on Amazon .

15. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

There’s a relative dearth of time travel in animated film, which perhaps is a function simply of the fact that it’s less impressive to stage in a world that’s already unreal. If you can Looney Tunes your way through physics, what’s so special about grabbing the flow of time and tying it into a bow? Still, the original Girl Who Leapt Through Time deserves mention here. It’s a beautiful story that interlaces the complexity of time leaping with the intensity of teenage emotion and the thorny process of growing up where the opportunity to redo things leads, over time, to growth — a less shitty Groundhog Day , in a way.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is available to rent on Amazon .

14. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

She may not be the most famous, decorated, or emulated actress of her generation, but Aubrey Plaza is someone whose personality spoke to the irony-soaked 2010s in a way that simply could not be denied. Her character on Parks and Recreation , April Ludgate, was, by all accounts, created specifically to channel Plaza’s real-life personality to the screen, and she plays essentially the same character in Safety Not Guaranteed . Here, she’s a sarcastic intern at a magazine working on a story about a would-be time traveler and using her feminine wiles to slowly gain his trust. The chemistry between Plaza and Mark Duplass is probably the film’s high point; the subplot about the FBI feels like it was clipped out of a bad X-Files episode.

Safety Not Guaranteed is streaming on Tubi .

13. La Jetée (1962)

At only a 28-minute run time, La Jetée is arguably too short to merit inclusion on this list. However, what it lacks in content (and in, well, moving images; it’s almost exclusively a collection of static black-and-white shots set to voice-over), it more than makes up for in inventiveness and influence, and it would be a travesty to leave it out in favor of more recent by-the-book fare. Tracing the tale of a man held prisoner in post-WWIII Paris being used in time-travel experiments as his captors seek to remedy the postapocalyptic state of the world, he’s sent into both the future and the past and ends up unraveling a lifelong personal mystery while he’s at it.

La Jetée is streaming on the Criterion Channel .

12. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Unlike the worse but more straightforwardly time-traveling Tim Burton remake, the relationship between the original Planet of the Apes and time travel is inexact — technically, the astronaut crew that lands on the titular planet does travel forward 2,000 years, but it’s not done via a time machine. The travel isn’t instantaneous: It literally does take them 2,000 years to get there; they’re just unconscious and on life support. Still, the way the film’s ending handles the iconic reveal is exactly in line with the best of the time-travel canon, the telescoping, mise en abyme feeling of the world shifting in front of your very eyes without your moving an inch.

Planet of the Apes is available to rent on Amazon .

11. Groundhog Day (1993)

The famous Bill Murray vehicle essentially invented the infinite-time-loop genre (and it’s hardly a movie that succeeds on the strength of its concept alone), but the idea at its core is so steeped in the casual misogyny of late-’80s and early-’90s cinema that it’s hard to watch today without cringing. Murray’s character employing what amounts to PUA-style techniques over and over and over in a desperate bid to fuck his hapless co-worker just doesn’t hit the way it did back then. If the story arc didn’t present a guy detoxifying himself of the worst aspects of masculinity in order to be worthy of a woman’s love as the primary way for a 20th-century white man to achieve full personhood, this would be much higher on the list.

Groundhog Day is streaming on Starz .

10. Predestination (2014)

This is probably the most complicated film on the list. Following a “temporal agent” (played by Ethan Hawke) who’s trying to prevent a bombing in 1970s New York, it’s based on a Robert A. Heinlein short story and features Shiv Roy herself, Sarah Snook, in a star-making turn as someone with a complicated backstory and a secret. Like the best sci-fi, the film’s premise raises all kinds of fascinating questions about the titular concept and throws in some interesting musings on sex, gender, and the self in the process.

Predestination is streaming on Tubi .

9. Looper (2012)

Wes Anderson gets a lot of flak for his overwrought twee visuals, but Rian Johnson has a knack for making movies that feel and function like dioramas even if they don’t look it. Narratively speaking, everything here is constructed just so — and there’s a certain beauty in that — but who ever had a profound experience of art by looking at a diorama? Looper was probably Johnson’s least precious pre– Star Wars film, which is nice because the temptation to drastically overmaneuver the mechanics of a time-travel story can lead to disaster. The tech used to Bruce Willis–ify Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s face is distracting, and the third act’s retreat from the postapocalyptic city of the future to the postapocalyptic corn farm of the future is a brave choice that the film struggles to land. Still, Johnson’s vision of a future in which organized crime runs time travel is compelling and well worth a watch.

Looper is streaming on Netflix .

8. Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko is a bit of a genre mash-up. Part high-school movie, part sci-fi flick, part bleak meditation on the soullessness of late-’80s America, it’s nevertheless a weirdly successful piece of filmmaking that makes fantastic use of a young Jake Gyllenhaal, a great supporting cast (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Jena Malone, and Patrick Swayze among others), and an absolutely iconic haunting cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” Watching high schoolers navigate parallel universes, wormholes, and time travel is a dicey proposition, but director Richard Kelly makes it work, somehow.

Donnie Darko is streaming on HBO Max .

7. Back to the Future (1984)

While it’s clearly superior to the sequel (and leagues ahead of the final film in the trilogy), the original Back to the Future is a bit of a mess (John Mulaney was right , to be honest). Its racial and gender politics are cringey, and the incest subplot is weird (“It’s your cousin Marvin. Marvin Pornhub . You know that new plot element you’ve been looking for?”), but there’s a clear interest in time travel beyond its shimmering surface: the very real addressing of the “grandfather problem” in time travel via the slow disappearance of Marty from his family photo, the accidental invention of rock music, and a genuine curiosity about the nuts-and-bolts mechanics of time machines. Ahh, what the hell. It’s a romp.

Back to the Future is available to rent on Amazon .

6. Palm Springs (2020)

No offense to Gen-Xers and boomers, but the best time-loop movie of all time is Palm Springs . The film isn’t without its missteps, but it’s much more curious about life than Groundhog Day was through the eyes of Murray’s misanthrope. Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg‘s characters, stuck in the loop together, are a perfect comedic match, and their shared humanity makes for a beautiful arc. The film raises questions about what’s worth doing in life when nothing lasts and how to stay sane when every day is the same. Of course, as a sort of polar opposite of Tenet , it benefited from coming out during the pandemic by speaking, as it does, to the experience of lockdown.

Palm Springs is streaming on Hulu .

5. Tenet (2020)

Interstellar wasn’t enough for Chris Nolan, apparently. Tenet ’s legacy may end up being little more than that of the COVID action movie no one saw — a bloated thriller that Nolan fought to get into theaters and bar from home viewing reportedly to swell the size of his own pockets. It really did suffer from bad timing, though, because this is genuinely a quintessential big-screen popcorn movie whose absurdity is all the more palatable when it’s given the audiovisual bombast it deserves. Ambitious in scope as it traces a war on the past by the future (yes, you read that right), Tenet is as enamored of action tropes as it is in bucking them, and its investment in rendering visible the brain-bendingly knotty mechanics of moving through time is laudable, even when the movie itself remains opaque — as impenetrable as the future, as hazy as the past.

Tenet is streaming on HBO Max .

4. The Terminator (1984)

A partner to Blade Runner in the mid-’80s invention of sci-fi noir, The Terminator is a stunning film in many ways, despite the third act’s now-iffy visual effects. While it’s not James Cameron’s debut, and it would go on to be bested by its sequel , it functions as an incredible showcase for an emerging young director who would exclusively make big stories for the rest of his career. Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfectly cast as the relentless, unemotional killer cyborg sent back from the future to terminate the mother of the eventual resistance leader, and the film’s romantic subplot has just the perfect amount of time-travel-induced cheesiness for it to work.

The Terminator is streaming on Amazon Prime Video .

3. Interstellar (2014)

It’s not inaccurate to say Christopher Nolan is a director who’s more interested in scale and scope than in expressing the minutiae of the human experience in its purest form. But in Interstellar, a Nolan movie in its titular ambitions, there’s a core element of time travel wrought not as sci-fi fireworks but as a paean to the sheer force and will of the power of love. It both does and doesn’t work, depending on your capacity for cheese in space, but even besides that, Nolan’s use of time as story arc — the way Miller’s planet functions, in particular — is conceptually masterful in the best kind of time-travel-movie way.

Interstellar is streaming on Paramount+ .

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Whereas the franchise’s first movie spends more time on the question of time travel, in the second it takes a bit of a back seat to the action itself. It’s hard to fault director James Cameron for this decision; T2 remains one of the best action movies of the ’90s and — along with Jurassic Park and The Matrix — one of the decade’s best when for special effects. The groundbreaking T-1000 would honestly be enough to get this movie on the list; a tween John Connor grappling with questions of predestination and the fact that he is vicariously responsible for his own conception feel almost like icing on the time-travel cake. Much as in 12 Monkeys , time travel here is mistaken for delusion, as valiant Sarah Connor, in a Cassandra-esque nightmare, has to battle against the future only she knows is coming. Of course, Cassandra never had access to any firepower stored in underground desert arsenals.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is streaming on Netflix .

1. Arrival (2016)

It’s fair to wonder whether Arrival really is, in fact, a time-travel movie. The Ted Chiang short story it’s based on isn’t about time travel per se; rather, it’s an exploration of alternate forms of temporal understanding. The linguist protagonist, played by Amy Adams, doesn’t travel through time so much as come to experience it differently. Still, the plot ends up hinging on foreknowledge that she is granted not via visions but by actually experiencing her future simultaneously with her present and past. For our purposes, though, that’s time fuckery enough to merit inclusion, and boy howdy does the film deliver in overall quality. Partly, that’s simply a question of the source material. Chiang is arguably the most talented (and possibly the most decorated) American sci-fi writer of his generation. But the source story is not especially Hollywood friendly, and director Denis Villeneuve has adopted it lovingly, borrowing a plot device from another of Chiang’s stories, the more straightforwardly time-travel-based “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” in order to add some third-act blockbuster flavor. The result is a beautiful meditation on love, choice, and courage that packs art-film ethos into a genuine sci-fi blockbuster.

Arrival is streaming on Hulu and Paramount+ .

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The 25 Best Time Travel Movies of All Time, Ranked

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Time travel movies have been done to death, and many time travel movies suck because they rehash the same old predictable tropes and cliches. But there's still a lot of potential left to be mined in the genre!

Despite the vast number of lackluster time travel movies, there have also been many notable films that came out in the past few decades—and that's on top of the sci-fi classics that still hold up.

At the end of the day, all movies are meant to deliver an entertaining experience for the viewer. With that in mind, here are what I consider to be the best time travel movies of all time.

Warning: I hate spoilers as much as anyone, so I've taken care to exclude spoilers from all movie descriptions in this article. However, knowing that a movie involves time travel could itself be a spoiler! Read on at your own risk.

25. Project Almanac (2015)

Directed by Dean Israelite

Starring Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Virginia Gardner

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 46m)

6.3 on IMDb — 38% on RT

Project Almanac is an underrated time travel movie that probably flew under your radar. Don't let the fact that it seems like a teen drama deter you from checking it out.

A group of high schoolers find something strange in an old home video, which spurs them to investigate—and uncover secrets plans for a time machine. They build it, of course, and that's when the trouble starts.

24. ARQ (2016)

Directed by Tony Elliott

Starring Robbie Amell, Rachael Taylor, Shaun Benson

Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 28m)

6.3 on IMDb — 43% on RT

A strange energy-providing device causes a couple to be stuck in a time loop while being forced to defend the device against a group intent on stealing it. The setup is strange, the ending is stranger.

This low-budget film is really nothing more than a popcorn flick, but it's a fun ride as long as you don't think too deeply about it. Compared to other thought experiment-type time travel movies, this one's pretty good.

23. Click (2006)

Directed by Frank Coraci

Starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1h 47m)

6.4 on IMDb — 34% on RT

Using a magical universal remote, a workaholic finds himself able to skip ahead or rewind back to various points in his life. During those skipped times, his body continues to live on autopilot.

Don't be turned away by the fact that this is an Adam Sandler movie. In one of his best performances ever, Sandler effectively carries this funny-but-heart-wrenching story on his back.

22. Time Lapse (2014)

Directed by Bradley King

Starring Danielle Panabaker, Matt O'Leary, George Finn

Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 44m)

6.5 on IMDb — 74% on RT

When three friends discover a machine that can take photos 24 hours in the future, things take a dark turn as each photo reveals more than they could've anticipated.

Smart writing makes up for the mediocre performances in Time Lapse . If you go into this indie film without much in the way of expectations, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

21. The Endless (2017)

Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

Starring Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez

Drama, Fantasy, Horror (1h 51m)

6.5 on IMDb — 92% on RT

Sci-fi horror done well tends to be pretty rare, but The Endless is a shining example of when it goes right.

The film centers on two brothers who used to belong to an alleged UFO death cult when they were young. Years later, after they'd escaped, they both have different memories of what the cult was like—so they agree to return for one day to set the record straight.

What they find is that the supposed UFO death cult is nothing like how either of them imagined, and they end up embroiled in all kinds of mysterious happenings, including a time loop.

20. The Adam Project (2022)

Directed by Shawn Levy

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Mark Ruffalo

Action, Adventure, Comedy (1h 46m)

6.7 on IMDb — 67% on RT

The Adam Project stars Ryan Reynolds as Adam Reed, a man from the future who goes back in time to save his wife. He's injured and takes refuge in his childhood home, but is accidentally discovered by his younger self. They work together to complete Adam's mission of saving his wife.

It's a simple story with Ryan Reynolds basically playing Ryan Reynolds—which is great, if you're into that—but what sets The Adam Project apart is the deeply moving emotional threads that undergird the characters and weave together into a surprisingly cathartic climax.

19. Primer (2004)

Directed by Shane Carruth

Starring Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 17m)

6.8 on IMDb — 73% on RT

Four entrepreneurs accidentally invent a time travel machine, which ends up ruining their lives when they decide to give it a spin. Primer is the quintessential time travel film and a must-see movie for time travel fans who love poring over the tiniest details.

It's short (only 77-minute runtime) but insanely dense—the kind of movie you have to watch multiple times to really understand what actually happened, and even then you may not fully get it.

18. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

Starring Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson

Adventure, Comedy, Drama (1h 26m)

6.9 on IMDb — 91% on RT

Safety Not Guaranteed is a comedy romance film centering on three magazine staffers who go out to interview a strange man who's looking for a partner for his upcoming time travel mission. They think it's all a joke, but the truth slowly shows itself to be something more.

While the actual act of time traveling doesn't play a huge role, Safety Not Guaranteed is a must-watch for anyone who's looking for a heartfelt drama that's well-written and infused with depth by a solid cast.

17. Triangle (2009)

Directed by Christopher Smith

Starring Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor

Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 39m)

6.9 on IMDb — 80% on RT

In the wake of a yachting accident, a group of friends are rescued by what appears to be a mysteriously empty cruise ship. As they further explore the ship's interior, they encounter horrors unknown.

Again, well-done science fiction horror films are hard to come by, and Triangle stands out for its premise and execution, particularly in how time travel is revealed and incorporated. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but it's certainly interesting and memorable.

16. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Directed by Robert Schwentke

Starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston

7.1 on IMDb — 39% on RT

In The Time Traveler's Wife , Henry is a man who has a genetic anomaly that causes him to time travel. The thing is, he can't control when or where he travels to, and thus struggles to keep his marriage alive.

Based on the novel by the same name, The Time Traveler's Wife may not be able to capture the full magic that made the book so great—there's just too much content to fit into one movie—but it's still a stirring romantic drama with several twists and moving moments.

15. Timecrimes (2007)

Directed by Nacho Vigalondo

Starring Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Bárbara Goenaga

Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 32m)

7.1 on IMDb — 90% on RT

In the Spanish-language Timecrimes , an average man accidentally travels back in time one hour, unleashing a series of disastrous events. That's all you really want to know about this film before diving in.

More to the tune of mystery than action, Timecrimes is a flawless example of a "What actually happened?" narrative that asks you to puzzle things together as events unfold before you. The twists are plentiful here.

14. Palm Springs (2020)

Directed by Max Barbakow

Starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J. K. Simmons

Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery (1h 30m)

7.4 on IMDb — 94% on RT

Palm Springs takes place at a wedding in Palm Springs, California. Two guests inadvertently get stuck in a time loop, reliving the same exact wedding day over and over, and try to find a way to escape.

The premise may not seem like anything special, but the performances by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti elevate this film to new heights. Infused with comedy, drama, and romance, Palm Springs makes full use of its time loop situation to tell an impactful story.

13. Predestination (2014)

Directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig

Starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor

Action, Drama, Sci-Fi (1h 37m)

7.4 on IMDb — 84% on RT

A time-traveling agent's final assignment is to track down the one criminal who he's never been able to capture. But the further down the rabbit hole he goes, the more mind-bending the truths become.

Predestination isn't just a time travel film. What sets this film apart from most sci-fi movies is how deftly it handles its deeper themes, how deep it's willing to go with its characters, and how expertly the narrative unfolds. It's truly one of the most complex time travel movies ever made.

12. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters

Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 53m)

7.6 on IMDb — 34% on RT

A man discovers he has the ability to change the present by traveling back into the mind of his younger self, but around every corner await unintended consequences.

You've heard of "the butterfly effect" before, and The Butterfly Effect effectively takes that concept and turns it into a dark thriller. Ashton Kutcher stars in this film against type and delivers a surprisingly great performance in this gripping film about regret and control.

11. About Time (2013)

Directed by Richard Curtis

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (2h 3m)

7.8 on IMDb — 70% on RT

A man who can travel through time decides to use his power to woo the girl of his dreams, but things aren't as easy as they seem—and the limits of his power cause him to make a tough and important decision.

With Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams taking the lead, About Time ends up being a romantic comedy that's far better than it has any right to be, complete with a superbly moving ending that's completely earned.

10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Adventure, Family, Fantasy (2h 22m)

7.9 on IMDb — 90% on RT

It's Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts and this time Lord Voldemort isn't his main concern. Instead, Sirius Black—the one who was suspected as betraying his parents—has escaped from Azkaban Prison and rumor has it that he's coming to finish Harry off.

Often praised as the best film in the Harry Potter franchise—thanks to impeccable direction by Alfonso Cuaron— The Prisoner of Azkaban isn't just a standout for its time travel subplot but also for its cohesive narrative that combines numerous themes with stellar cinematography.

9. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Directed by Doug Liman

Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi (1h 53m)

7.9 on IMDb — 91% on RT

In the face of an alien invasion, a soldier somehow ends up reliving the same day over and over every time he dies. He must somehow use this to his advantage and defeat the invading aliens while also finding a way to escape the endless loop in which he's trapped.

As far as time loop movies go, Edge of Tomorrow is one of the better executed ones. Not only is the tight story well-paced, but stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt put in excellent performances that carry the narrative forward from start to finish.

8. The Man From Earth (2007)

Directed by Richard Schenkman

Starring David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, John Billingsley

Drama, Fantasy, Mystery (1h 27m)

7.8 on IMDb — 100% on RT

During a retirement party, an aging professor reveals that he's been alive longer than his colleagues can imagine.

The Man From Earth is best described as a "play caught on camera," delivering an engaging mystery that's built on the foundation of an interesting thought experiment.

Not many dialogue-only films are this riveting, which is why you should definitely give this one a watch.

7. Arrival (2016)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 56m)

7.9 on IMDb — 94% on RT

When aliens arrive on Earth, a linguist is brought to the frontlines to decipher their language and establish communications.

Easily one of the most cerebral science fiction movies ever made, Arrival takes things to the next level by exploring deep themes and ideas that few other films have dared to touch. You won't ever forget this one.

6. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt

Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller (2h 9m)

8.0 on IMDb — 88% on RT

In the year 2035, a convict is sent back in time to 1996 with one mission: to investigate the cause of a man-made virus that decimated the world. But his mission is sidetracked when he's sent back to the wrong time period and ends up in a mental hospital.

Featuring one of Bruce Willis's best performances, 12 Monkeys starts off slow but ends with a bang. There's a lot to love about this mind-bending movie if you can get through the slow but necessary setup.

5. Donnie Darko (2001)

Directed by Richard Kelly

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi (1h 53m)

8.0 on IMDb — 87% on RT

A high schooler begins to see visions of a man in a deranged bunny suit who warns him that the world is going to end in a few days—and convinces him to commit all sorts of crimes and unsavory deeds to prevent the oncoming apocalypse.

Donnie Darko is a strange film with time travel elements that aren't as overt as in other time travel films. But if you're itching for a uniquely surreal film experience, it doesn't get much weirder than Donnie Darko .

4. Groundhog Day (1993)

Directed by Harold Ramis

Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1h 41m)

8.0 on IMDb — 94% on RT

An insufferable weatherman finds himself caught in a time loop, reliving the same mundane day over and over again with seemingly no way out of it—and after thousands of repeats, it starts to take its toll on him.

Groundhog Day is a hilarious comedy that's also surprisingly deep if you're willing to unpack it, acting as a lesson in what really brings about happiness and self-improvement. If you're a fan of Bill Murray and haven't seen this yet, what have you been waiting for?!

3. Your Name (2016)

Directed by Makoto Shinkai

Starring Michael Sinterniklaas, Stephanie Sheh, Kyle Hebert

Animation, Drama, Fantasy (1h 46m)

8.4 on IMDb — 98% on RT

One day, a high school boy in Tokyo and a high school girl in the countryside start swapping bodies, seemingly at random but only when they go to sleep. But then the swapping stops. The boy is compelled to find the girl, but investigating leads to a heartbreaking answer.

Your Name isn't just one of the best animated movies of all time, nor simply one of the best Japanese movies of all time, but one of the best, period. It's incredibly heartfelt with a climax that'll hit you in the gut.

2. Back to the Future (1985)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi (1h 56m)

8.5 on IMDb — 93% on RT

A teenage boy from 1985 accidentally goes back in time thirty years with his mad scientist friend. Not only does he need to find a way home, but he accidentally puts his own existence in danger and must make sure his future parents end up falling in love.

Back to the Future is a classic time travel movie and you owe it to yourself to make it the next movie you watch if you've never seen it. Look past the 1980s cheesiness and you'll see an engaging story beneath it all.

1. Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi (2h 49m)

8.7 on IMDb — 73% on RT

With Earth on the brink of extinction, a team of astronauts must travel through a wormhole to find a new planet for humans to colonize. But journeying through outer space comes with all kinds of complications, and finding a habitable planet isn't going to be so easy.

For all its flaws, Interstellar packs a thrilling story on top of dazzling visuals and one of the most moving soundtracks of any film, period. This is the kind of film that'll have you thinking long after the credits roll, and for many reasons beyond just time travel.

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'Great Scott!': Here are the 31 greatest time travel movies ever made, ranked

Let's gun the ol' speedometer up to 88 miles per hour with a look back at the best temporal adventures in movie history. 

Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown and Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in Back to the Future.  Credit: FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Image

No matter how much we try to hold onto time — which is less of a tangible thing and more of an ethereal human construct — it always seems to slip away through our fingers like sands glimpsed through an hourglass. To borrow a lyric from Pink Floyd's "Time": "And then one day you find ten years have got behind you."

Doesn't that just hit you right in the feels?

Perhaps that is why we, as a species, are so enamored with the idea of time travel and the tantalizing, yet elusive, promises the genre has always held in the realm of science fiction. If the ability to travel to the past or the future existed, we'd be able to rectify egregious mistakes, visit with notable historical figures, or fight off unstoppable robot assassins from the future. Okay, maybe not the third thing, but you get the point. Our collective fascination with temporal displacement isn't going anywhere and to that end, we present our ranking of the 31 best time travel movies ever made.

31. Idiocracy (2006)

As the years go by, Mike Judge's sci-fi comedy about a guy with average intelligence who wakes in a world full of morons (effectively making him the smartest man alive) feels less like satire and more like reality. Sad, yet true. Why water crops with an energy drink? Because it's got electrolytes! Why electrolytes? Because electrolytes are what plants crave! Duh, everyone knows that.

30. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Hot Tub Time Machine could have easily taken the lazy route with tired jokes and poorly-written characters. Instead, the film offers up a surprisingly tender message about yearning for the past and getting a second chance to fix the missteps of one's youth. It also helps that the comedy is just as strong as the emotion. What's more: you've got Chevy Chase playing a mysterious repair man who recalls Don Knotts' character in Pleasantville . What else could you really ask for?

29. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Shagadelic baby, yeah! On par with parody greats like Airplane and The Naked Gun , the first Austin Powers film lampoons to the James Bond franchise to perfection. Not only that, but the concept of a womanizing British super-spy from the 1960s trying to navigate the modern world felt ahead of its time, putting forth ideas of contemporization nearly a decade before Daniel Craig stepped into the shoes of 007.

28. Timecop (1994)

Timecop is exactly what it's title suggests: in the future, there exists a police force tasked with monitoring the timeline. Simple as pie. Nineties action icon Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Max Walker, a titular temporal cop who must prevent a dangerous political from altering the past for his own gain.

27. The Time Machine (1960)

No, we're not talking about the Guy Pearce version from 2002 — we're talking about the OG adaptation of the iconic H.G. Wells tale directed by George Pal and starring Rod Taylor. The actor takes on the role of time traveler (duh) who gets way more than he bargained for when he travels to a future where humans battle a subterranean species of monstrous creatures known as morlocks.

26. Flight of the Navigator (1986)

A stone-cold ‘80s classic whose influence can certainly be felt in films like The Adam Project , Flight of the Navigator centers around a young boy who unwittingly travels to the future in an alien spaceship. A remake's been in the works for years, but it doesn't seem like much progress has been made on it.

25. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

One of several sequels on this quantum list, Back to the Future Part II set the stage for Avengers: Endgame three decades in advance with the idea of revisiting fan favorite moments of a previous movie via the utilization of time travel. When future Biff goes back to 1955 to give his younger self the sports almanac, Marty must follow and evade the version of himself in Part I . Great stuff!

24. Time After Time (1979)

H.G. Wells returns in this time-twisting movie in which the sci-fi writer attempting to stop Jack the Ripper, only for the infamous killer to use Wells' time machine against him. Several years later, director Nicholas Meyer would go on to direct another sci-fi classic — Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

23. Time Bandits (1981)

Most likely a major influence on Tony Fleecs' Time Shopper comic (well worth the read!), Time Bandits was among Terry Gilliam's first efforts as director. It's just something you won't get anywhere else: a unique Monty Python spin of the time travel genre. A tale of time-leaping dwarves on the hunt for treasure. As of 2019 , Thor director Taika Watiti was attached to a small screen remake at Apple TV+.

22. Army of Darkness (1993)

Army of Darkness is where the Evil Dead series went completely off the rails in the best way possible. After two outings at a possessed cabin in the middle of the woods, writer-director Sam Raimi needed a change of scenery? He could have gone to another contemporary location, but deciding to thrust Ash Williams back in time to the Dark Ages was a stroke of unexpected genius.

21. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

There was no way we could talk about the best time travel movies ever made and not give a shoutout to Mamoru Hosoda's 2006 masterpiece of an anime.

"The film plays the time-looping games of Groundhog Day, but it's also a sweet, credible study of a girl who wants to turn back the clock on her relationships with two boys who are starting to think more about romance than baseball," Kim Newman wrote in their review for Empire Magazine . "It has few fireworks, but still sticks in the mind, and is a definite upgrade from Digimon: The Movie for director Mamoru Hosoda."

20. Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Immediately following the events of Part II , Marty travels back to 1885 to save Doc Brown from living out the rest of his life in the Old West (Emmett's favorite time period). While there, our favorite skateboarding teenager runs afoul of Biff's ancestor, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen. Oh, and Doc falls in love with a schoolteacher named Clara, giving us a softer side of the mad scientist we've come to know over the last two installments.

19. About Time (2013)

Richard Curtis — the man who gave us Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually — tries his hand at the time travel genre with heartwarming results. Curtis, who both wrote and directed the film, is less interested in the sci-fi element and more preoccupied with the human drama of a young man who suddenly learns that the men in his family can jump through time.

18. Timecrimes (2007)

Writer-director Nacho Vigalondo's tight sci-fi thriller sort of flew under the radar when it was initially released back in 2007. If you haven't yet watched it, we can't recommend this one enough. Its handling of those pesky paradoxes that come with the time travel territory is *chef's kiss*.

17. Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

It only took about three decades to get another entry in the Bill & Ted saga, but Face the Music was well worth the wait. An offbeat exploration of what it means to get older and come to terms with not achieving all the goals you once hoped to achieve, the third outing for Bill Preston and Ted Logan hits all the right notes. Even after all these years, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter have still go it. Rock on!

16. Star Trek (2009)

It had been close to a decade since the release of Star Trek: Nemesis when J.J. Abrams brought the classic franchise back to the big screen. But how do you reboot such a beloved property after so many decades of shows and movies? You take it back to its roots with just a few twists here and there. Enter the narrative device of time travel, which gave audiences fresh takes on Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, and the rest of the Enterprise crew while still remaining true to who these characters were in the OG run.

15. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

You can set anything in the 1970s and you're going to have a good time. Based on the seminal comic book arc by the dynamic X-Men duo of Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Days of Future Past finds Logan traveling back in time (courtesy of Kitty Pryde) to prevent the mutant-hunting Sentinels from every being created. The finished product is a perfect marriage of the Bryan Singer films with the prequel continuity established by Matthew Vaughn in First Class . The ‘70s-set adventure is seriously groovy (who could ever forget that Quicksilver sequence set to Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle"?), while, in the dystopian present, the last gasp of mutant resistance engages in the real last stand against the Sentinels, which have been encoded with Mystique's adaptive cells. Nail-biter is an understatement.

14. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

The second Star Trek feature to be spun out of The Next Generation TV show, First Contact features a race against time (both literally and figuratively) to stop the Borg from preventing humanity's first contact with an alien species (the Vulcans).

"I think the most important plot aspect of the movie and what gave it its title was that Vulcan encounter at the end," co-writer Brannon Braga told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. "This is what Star Trek is and this is where it all began. And you want it to happen. It's what's at stake — Star Trek itself — and that to me gives the movie such a strong core.

13. Run Lola Run (1998)

If you're a fan of that Community episode that explores all the potential outcomes of a simple game night gathering, then you'll probably enjoy Run Lola Run . Similar to Pulp Fiction four years prior, Tom Twyker's third directorial effort plays around with the timeline of its storytelling (something that would serve Twyker well on Cloud Atlas ). When the titular woman's boyfriend loses a bag of money that belongs to a very dangerous crime lord, Lola only has 20 minutes to come up with the dough. A simple and engaging premise gets an added boost from the screenplay's exploration of fate and how our actions can lead to unforeseen consequences.

12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Time travel isn't something we often associate with witches and wizards (Doctor Strange being an obvious exception), but Prisoner of Azkaban features one of the tightest examples of a paradox-free time loop you're likely to find anywhere in the genre. When Sirius Black and Buckbeak the hippogriff are wrongly sentenced to be executed, Harry and Hermione use a Time Turner to save both innocent souls. Director Alfonso Cuarón effortlessly sets up the temporal element long before we ever get to that point, so that when our heroes do go back to change the past, it feels both earned and satisfying. Moreover, the time travel sticks to a concrete set of rules about not changing that which is immutable. Good stuff. Magical even.

11. Source Code (2011)

Groundhog Day , but as a heart-thumping action mystery/thriller. That's Source Code , baby — the second feature-length effort from David Bowie's filmmaker son, Duncan Jones. His follow-up to 2009's Moon proved Jones was not a one-hit high concept pony. Jake Gyllenhaal leads the project as Colter Stevens, a man forced to relive a specific train journey in an effort to find out who bombed the locomotive. Verga Farmiga, Michelle Monaghan, Jeffrey Wright, and Michael Arden round out the cast with Scott Bakula making a voiceover appearance as Colter's dad (most likely a loving reference to Bakula's role as Dr. Samuel Beckett in Quantum Leap ).

10. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

Whoa! On paper, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure sounds so off the wall as to be un-filmable: Two high school slackers with a love of rock n' roll travel through the centuries in a futuristic phone booth given to them by risqué comedian George Carlin in order to ace their history exam and not be sent to military school. If we were Hollywood executives in the late ‘80s, we'd probably ask what kind of reefer screenwriters Chris Matheson (son of famed sci-fi icon Richard Matheson) and Ed Solomon were smoking. But it works! And by golly, it works well.

9. Groundhog Day (1993)

Less of a time travel movie and more of a time loop movie, Groundhog Day is, perhaps, the finest directing effort from late actor/writer/filmmaker Harold Ramis. In this existential comedy, a bitter and self-centered newscaster is forced to relieve the same day over and over again until he learns a bit of humility. He can't leave the epicenter of the titular holiday (Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) and any suicide attempt simply sends him back to the previous morning. It's a horrifying prospect, living out a hellish purgatory of repetition each and every day, but in Ramis's able hands, Groundhog Day keeps things light, earning its place as one of the finest dramedies ever made.

8. Looper (2012)

Looper is noteworthy for two big reasons: 1) Rian Johnson's snappy screenplay never gets too bogged down in the "rules" of the time travel genre and 2) Joseph Gordon-Levitt went the extra mile to wear facial prosthetics that made him look like a younger Bruce Willis. The decision to focus on a low-level enforcer for a group of future mafiosos who dispose of their victims in the distant past is pretty genius stuff. Johnson not only makes time travel feel fresh, he also manages to breathe new life into the crime thriller space. Not an easy feat by any means.

7. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Terry Gilliam just couldn't help himself; the dude just had to churn out another time travel masterpiece 15 years after Time Bandits . And we're very thankful he did. A top-of-his-game Bruce Willis steps into the shoes of a convict who is sent back in time to learn about a mysterious pathogen that wiped out a good chunk of humanity. The movie itself is a remake of the French film made in 1962. Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer co-star. Pitt, who played mental patient Jeffrey Goines, nabbed a Golden Globe victory and Oscar nod for his performance.

6. Arrival (2016)

Denis Villeneuve's first foray into the world of science fiction, Arrival is a thinking person's time travel story. In fact, that little detail isn't really made obvious until the very last act. If you're looking for explosions and cheesy one-liners, then you're looking in the wrong place. Might we suggest our list of best action flicks from the ‘90s? Arrival takes a methodical and procedural approach to the question of: how would the world react if alien spaceships showed up on our doorstep tomorrow? How would we communicate with beings that are so wildly different from ourselves? The film is subdued and thoughtful — a masterful slow burn of an audition for its director's genre chops.

5. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Source Code walked so that Edge of Tomorrow could run. Edge of Tomorrow , Live. Die. Repeat. — Call it whatever you want, just don't call us late for the battle against the Mimics. Under the direction of Doug Liman, Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, and the rest of the cast (which features the late Bill Paxton) clearly have a ton of fun in this movie about a man thrust into a war against his will. He can't fight for crap, but when an alien bleeds time travel blood all over him, he gains the ability to relive the same day over and over again. Liman plays everything organically, taking the time to allow us to learn the rules alongside our hero before he truly figures out how to use his newfound ability to his advantage. Now, when is the sequel coming out?

4. The Terminator (1984)

"Come with me if you want to live!" This shouted by a complete stranger who, just a few moments ago, showed up in a back alley naked as the day he was born. We are, of course, referring to Kyle Reese, the soldier sent back in time to prevent the T-800 from murdering the mother of John Connor, who will one day lead humanity against the machines. Little does Mr. Reese know that he is destined to be the father of that child. Time travel is just a means to an end here: an excuse to pit two flesh bag protagonists against an unstoppable killing machine with one simple goal: assassinate Sarah Connor.

3. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

The fourth Star Trek movie to feature the OG cast members from the '60s-era television series, The Voyage Home , Kirk, Spock, and the rest travel back to San Francisco (circa 1986) and communicate with whales. You shouldn't be laughing over there, because that's actually what happens. Leonard Nimoy, who sat in the director's chair for this one, wanted to go for a very different Trek story.

"No dying, no fighting, no shooting, no photon torpedoes, no phaser blasts, no stereotypical bad guy," he once remarked . "I wanted people to really have a great time watching this film [and] if somewhere in the mix we lobbed a couple of big ideas at them, well, then that would be even better."

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Arnie's T-800 wasn't kidding when he said "I'll be back" seven years prior to the release of T2: Judgment Day . He definitely did come back and with quite a vengeance. Except this time, the killer android with the Austrian accent didn't come to the past to kill young John Connor, but to protect him from a new mechanical threat: the shape-shifting T-1000.

Sequels are tricky to pull off properly, but writer-director James Cameron has yet to fumble the follow-up ball. This film ramped up everything audiences loved about the first movie, deepening the mythology while never losing sight of its heart: the fractured relationship between John and his mother as well as the budding relationship between John and his buff, sunglasses-wearing protector.

1. Back to the Future (1985)

Credit: Universal

You knew this one would be at the very tip-top of our list, didn't you? There's just no getting around it, no matter what timeline you travel to, Back to the Future is the greatest time travel movie of all time. Despite an overt lack of coherent rules and paradox resolution, the movie speeds by (at 88 miles per hour, of course) on charm, memorable characters, and relatable stakes.

And that's not even mentioning the most iconic time machine in the history of the genre: a winged-door DeLorean that runs on a plutonium-powered Flux Capacitor. What's a Flux Capacitor? Again, don't mind the science — just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride to 1955, where young Marty McFly has to ensure that his parents end up together, lest he and his siblings disappear forever.

Speaking with SYFY WIRE in 2019, Back to the Future co-screenwriter Bob Gale summed up the film's immortal legacy: "The idea that we were able to just tell this time travel story and make it not about changing history; making this human story and the big surprise was that everybody in the world has wondered the same thing: ‘What did my parents do on their first date?' It just connects with everybody."

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• Back To The Future
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10 Best Sci-Fi Movies That Get Time Travel Right

Not every movie that incorporates time travel does it skillfully, but these films offer some of the best portrayals.

Time travel is a hard concept to nail in any movie. It's really complex to depict without losing the interest of audiences, yet a simplistic execution of the mechanics is extremely unsatisfactory. As a result, time travel movies are either incredibly satisfying or completely forgettable, with most movies rarely landing in between these extremes.

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Thankfully, most popular movies that dabble in time travel are extremely successful. Given the nature of this concept, it's only a given that movies in the sci-fi genre use this idea the most, with some absolutely excelling in the area of depicting what time travel is all about. Keeping this in mind, here are some of the best sci-fi movies that execute time travel perfectly

Christopher Nolan is a master of his craft, and his brilliant cinematic mind is on full display in Tenet . The movie deals with an incredibly complicated concept of time inversion, and depicts it in a typical Nolan-esque manner.

Tenet might seem complicated just for the sake of being complex, but there's no denying the fact that the movie is still a blast. It might not be Nolan's finest work, but it's still a riveting watch in its own right.

9 Interstellar

Speaking of Nolan's movies that involve time travel, another movie that needs to be mentioned is Interstellar . The film features masterful performances from both Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, making for an enduring highlight of the overall experience.

The movie is definitely complex, but still features a great and gripping story that will tug at anyone's emotional heartstrings. It's another feather in Nolan's distinguished cap of cinematic masterpieces.

8 Back To The Future Part 2

The entire Back to the Future trilogy could definitely bag a spot on this list. However, if fans had to choose one movie out of these three to represent, then Back to the Future Part 2 is certainly a great choice, as it portrays the potential consequences of messing around with the timeline.

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The adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown never fail to excite audiences to this day. Even after all the years have passed, there's just something irresistible about the enduring charm of this movie that makes it so watchable.

7 Edge Of Tomorrow

The writing was on the wall for Edge of Tomorrow to be nothing more than a forgettable action flick that would fade into obscurity over time. However, the movie took everyone by surprise with a time loop mechanic that is fascinating from the get-go.

Tom Cruise's magnetic performance is supplemented by a strong script and great direction. The impressive scope of Edge of Tomorrow might be betrayed slightly by its cliché ending, but that's just a small issue in an otherwise brilliant experience.

6 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

It would be impossible to talk about sci-fi movies with time travel without mentioning the Terminator series . The classic movies in this trilogy are simply amazing, and make it clear as to why these films are still beloved to this day.

While the first Terminator movie was pretty great in its own right, Terminator 2 took everything established in the first movie and cranked it up a notch. The end result is a wild ride that feels absolutely epic in every way.

5 Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams spearheaded the reboot of the Star Trek films, with the end result being nothing short of amazing. The movie serves as a bridge from the old to the new, with the late great Leonard Nimoy reprising his role as the iconic Spock to great effect.

The movie deals with alternate timelines and complicated sci-fi concepts in a way that makes them surprisingly engaging and understandable. Fans were elated to find out that the reboot, which they dreaded would be a failure, was nothing short of a runaway success.

4 Donnie Darko

Movie buffs who want to check out one of the most unique cinematic experiences around should look no further than Donnie Darko . This brilliant sci-fi mystery deals with numerous concepts, with time travel being a fairly minor part of the overall experience.

However, it's the manner in which Donnie Darko weaves time travel in its narrative that makes for one of the greatest endings to any movie. It helps that Jake Gyllenhaal's performance is also captivating in its own right.

3 Palm Springs

Palm Springs is one of the most charming, energetic movies that heavily focuses on time travel. After getting stuck in a time loop, an unfortunate chain of events leads to Nyles getting Sarah stuck in this loop as well.

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A comedic chain of events follows, but Palm Springs doesn't shy away from dealing with certain heavy-handed themes as well, despite its overall lightheartedness. All of this culminates in a nice ending, making Palm Springs one of the most feel-good sci-fi films out there .

2 Source Code

Another sci-fi movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Source Code is another movie that came out of nowhere and wowed audiences with its riveting plot. As is the case with many films on this list, Source Code also deals with the concept of a time loop.

However, it's the nature of this time loop itself that is easily one of the most chilling parts of the entire experience. The plot of the movie starts out with something relatively simple — stopping a bomb blast — but quickly devolves into something truly engaging.

Most people know director Rian Johnson for his work on the new Star Wars trilogy, but this established director has played around with the sci-fi genre before in Looper . The concept of time travel in this movie is executed with absolute brilliance.

The idea of a man meeting his younger self is something that many people have thought of, but Looper takes this concept and runs with it. The idea of time-traveling assassins is also pretty engaging in its own right.

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The Best Time Travel Movies On Netflix To Watch

Vote up your favorite time travel movies currently streaming on Netflix.

When you want to watch a time travel movie, it's only natural that you'd turn to a streamer, and there are always some truly great time travel movies on Netflix. Not quite a genre, the time travel film is more of a sub-sub-genre within science fiction, and Netflix has an odd array of movies that add time travel into body-swap stories, romantic comedies, indie thrillers, and even serious dramas.

Even just among Netflix Originals, you'll find movies as different as The Adam Project (a Spielberg-inspired adventure starring Ryan Reynolds as a time-traveling future pilot) and When We First Met (a romcom in which Adam DeVine uses a time traveling photo booth to seduce Alexandra Daddario). That's not even counting established heavy hitters and deep cuts among Netflix's time traveling movies .

With so many options, a temporally curious viewer can use the help this list offers. Folks just like you are voting up the finest Netflix time travel movies, so you can rest assured that they'll lead you in the right direction. You've got your Netflix, your popcorn, and even an ice cold soda. Now let this list help you pick that final element of movie night.

This sci-fi thriller directed by Rian Johnson,is all about Joe, a "Looper" who assassinates people sent from the future. It's a steady job, until his next target turns out to be his older self. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis play the younger and older Joe, respectively, and their already dangerous relationship grows even more ominous when young Joe encounters a self reliant mother, played by Emily Blunt, and her mysterious, off-putting young son.

The Adam Project

This '80s-flavored sci-fi drama directed by Shawn Levy rides shotgun with Adam Reed, a fighter pilot from a dystopian 2050 traveling back in time to prevent his wife Laura's murder. Ryan Reynolds stars as the older Adam, with Isaiah Haegert and Walker Scobell as the 8 and 12-year-old versions of himself with whom Adam teams up. In addition to altering the past on behalf of his future/past wife, the mini-generations of Adam also gets to revisit his mother and father, played by Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo.

13 Going on 30

This romantic comedy (with a dollop of fantasy) directed by Gary Winick revolves around Jenna, a 13-year-old girl who makes a wish to be "thirty, flirty, and thriving," and wakes up the next day as a 30-year-old woman. Unlike many body-swap movies, this one actually jumps forward in time from 1987 to 2004, making it a body-swap-time-travel film. Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo play the older Jenna and her childhood best friend Matt, who has grown into a man the old fashioned way while Jenna was leaping ahead via whimsical time travel.

Hot Tub Time Machine

A party comedy (with science fiction as an excuse for time travel shenanigans) directed by Steve Pink, this one centers around a group of disillusioned friends - Adam, Lou, Nick, and Jacob, portrayed by John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke - who unwittingly travel back to the 1980s through a malfunctioning hot tub. Trapped in the past and afraid of altering their future, the quartet (one of whom hadn't been born in the ‘80s) have a good time and confront the choices that have defined their adulthoods. Also Crispin Glover has a ball as a bellhop with one arm wrapped around destiny’s shoulders.

Galaxy Quest

A very, very Star Trek -ish comedy directed by Dean Parisot, Galaxy Quest follows the cast of a defunct sci-fi TV show led by Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith as Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, who become real-life heroes when they are whisked away by actual aliens who believe the show was an all-facts historical document. Nesmith's crew includes Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman), Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub), and Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell), who must play their parts to save a naive alien race from war. Sam Rockwell steals the show too. Time travel has a small but pivotal role thanks to the  "Omega 13," a device that reverses time by 13 seconds, allowing Nesmith a second chance to save the day.

When We First Met

Directed by Ari Sandel, this romantic comedy with a splash of sci-fi focuses on Noah, played by Adam Devine, who discovers a magical photo booth that sends him back in time to the day he met Avery, a woman he's convinced is the only one for him, despite her engagement to another man. Alexandra Daddario plays Avery, the object of Noah's affection, who sees him only as a friend even as he hops back in time throughout the 2010s attempting to make her fall in love with him. Butterfly effect consequences with a funny slant ensue.

This sci-fi drama directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead follows two New Orleans paramedics who encounter a series of bizarre, gruesome deaths linked to a mysterious new drug called Synchronic, which messes with users' place in time, sending young users traveling into the past and allowing grown ups to observe different times. Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan star as Steve and Dennis, the paramedics whose friendship and lives are upended by Steve's investigations into the drug's origins and the sudden disappearance of Dennis's daughter.

In the Shadow of the Moon

This noir thriller with sci-fi elements directed by Jim Mickle, is the story of Thomas Lockhart, a determined Philadelphia detective, played by Boyd Holbrook, who becomes obsessed with a case that spans decades. Lockhart's pursuit begins in 1988 when he first encounters a serial killer, played by Cleopatra Coleman, whose crimes not only predict the future but also occur with inexplicable regularity every nine years. As the narrative unfolds, the killer's motives and the mysterious role of time travel become clearer, propelling Lockhart through a temporal chase that defies the linear nature of time.

See You Yesterday

This sci-fi drama, directed by Stefon Bristol and produced by Spike Lee, tells the gripping story of high school prodigies, Claudette "C.J." Walker and Sebastian Thomas, who invent backpacks that allow them to travel through time. Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow play the duo, whose ambitions take a tragic turn when they use their invention to prevent the wrongful police shooting of C.J.'s brother, Calvin. 

• Time Travel

As they say in well-written scripts, "You mean... like time travel?" + also a few bizarre stories about real people who have claimed, despite every law of physics, they have traveled through time.

Best sci-fi movies with 90%+ on Rotten Tomatoes

Here are the top 15 sci-fi movies boasting over 90% scores on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences alike.

Backwards Faces

Quantum cowboys, a trip to the moon, beyond the infinite two minutes, they cloned tyrone, star wars: episode v - the empire strikes back, star wars: episode iv - a new hope, back to the future, dune: part two, terminator 2: judgment day.

It is certainly no mean feat to achieve a Rotten Tomatoes score above 90% from both the critics and the audience members. In fact, when it comes to the sci-fi genre in particular, there’s tough competition and even tougher opinions on the different approaches and themes that are dreamt up and tackled on the big screen. 

You may wonder what tales of dystopia, space, time hopping, and otherworldly beings can secure such a rating across the board. Luckily, you’re in the right place to find out. We’ve a list full of exactly that set on a backdrop of adventure and spanning a real expanse of time, from the 1900s to the present day. Proving, well and truly, that age is just a number. 

There are the best sci-fi movies of all time to explore too, of course, and while there’s some crossover from our list, you’ll be surprised by the difference. RT allows the public eye to review these titles with scrutiny and, in turn, awe. So, let’s jump into the 15 best sci-fi movies. 

If you're looking for something to watch and the entries in this guide are what you like, you should check out our guides for the best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Disney Plus , Netflix , Amazon Prime and Paramount Plus .

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 100% / Audience 98% 
• Release date: December 4, 2022 
• Cast: Lennon Sickles, Andrew Morra 
• Stream on: Amazon Prime (US/UK); Tubi (Aus) 

In the 100% club and the frontrunner on Rotten Tomatoes, 2022's Backwards Faces is an indie sci-fi flick tackling the multiverse in a unique way and with adoring fans. At just over an hour long, the story unfolds with just two actors throughout; Lennon Sickels as Sydney and Andrew Morra as Ken. 

After a one-night stand, theoretical physics student Sydney is far too intrigued to walk out the door once she learns Ken claims to be from an alternate universe. Complex in its theme, much like any sci-fi tale, it tackles it with a lighthearted humor that balances it out prompting its RT score. It's an indie though, so the critic and audience reviews are far less than the bigger titles on our list. But, they still generate an extremely positive response across the board.

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 100% / Audience 93% 
• Release date: June 13, 2022 
• Cast: Kiowa Gordon, Lily Gladstone, John Way 
• Stream on: Crunchyroll (US/UK); not available in Aus 

Bet you didn't think you'd be rambling through 1870s Southern Arizona on horseback on a list full of science fiction, but here we are. Quantum Cowboys is the tale of two drifters, Frank (Kiowa Gordon) and Bruno (John Way) as they help Linde (Lily Gladstone) on her quest to regain her land and an elusive musician.

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Traversing landscapes, genres, and formats, this sci-fi Western is full of psychedelic animation sprinkled with live-action scenes. Prompting The Curb to call it a "mind bender that will have you on the edge of sensory overload." 

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 100% / Audience 90% 
• Release date: September 1, 1902 
• Cast: Georges Méliès, Victor André 
• Stream on: HBO Max (US); Amazon Prime (UK); Mubi (Aus) 

Widely considered to be the first sci-fi film ever created, A Trip to the Moon was created by French magician, actor, and director Georges Méliès. Despite its 1902 release date, it still stands strong as a true inspiration for films that have followed. 

This movie was inspired by a novel by famed author Jules Verne. If you've got an interest in the sci-fi genre, consider this movie an important piece of its history. As the title suggests, it's a trip to the moon. And, the space capsule on which they travel into the galaxy stands strong as an iconic image of the sci-fi genre when silent film was at the fore.

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 99% / Audience 90% 
• Release date: June 5, 2020 
• Cast: Kazunari Tosa, Riko Fujitani, Gôta Ishida 
• Stream on: Apple TV/Amazon Prime (US/UK); not available in Aus 

What would you do if you could predict the future… by two minutes? Cafe owner, Kato, discovers that the TV in his establishment shows him this very thing. Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is joyous sci-fi filmed on just an iPhone in a single location during the midst of the pandemic.

With an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score from critics at 99%, the National Post describes Yamaguchi's work as "an intricate and supremely enjoyable puzzle-box of a story, bursting with charm and momentum in equal measure." 

•   Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 98% / Audience 94% 
•   Release date: August 29, 1986 
•   Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn 
•   Stream on: HBO Max (US); Disney Plus (UK/Aus) 

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) returns to the Aliens franchise after surviving her first run-in aboard the Nostromo. As a direct sequel and with her previous successful escape, Ellen is called upon once again to make contact with aliens after communications with a human colony on the Moon go cold.

Aliens is the second title in the popular franchise (that boasts eight in total with another on the way), but it rates a little higher from critics with an impressive 98% RT score. Released seven years after the first, James Cameron took over directing from Ridley Scott, and he took on the writing too. We'll discuss Alien later on in our list.

•   Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 97% / Audience 92%
•    Release date: September 26, 1927 
•   Cast: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich  
•   Stream on: Fubo TV/hoopla (US); BFI Player (UK); Tubi/Plex (Aus) 

Fritz Lang's Metropolis explores a city of the future with a class divide that threatens to crumble the entire civilization. The wealthy on top and laborers underground is a structure that slowly unravels as themes of political lopsidedness and dystopian fantasy seep through the 2-hour and 33-minute runtime.

In 1927, a foray into the sci-fi genre was progressive, even 25 years after A Trip to the Moon, and its execution back then has made it a firm favorite. Lauded for its ability to make an entirely silent movie about science incredibly compelling, it led critics such as the New York Daily News to call it, "drop-dead stunning".

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics 95% / Audience 100%
• Release date: June 14, 2023 
• Cast: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx
• Stream on: Netflix (US/UK/Aus)

Trio, Fontaine, Yo-Yo, and Slick Charles are thrust together by weird events that suggest there's a government conspiracy that needs disclosing. They may first meet in less-than-legal circumstances, but what they're about to unravel is a hell of a lot worse.  

Streaming giant, Netflix, is no stranger to crafting sci-fi originals and in 2023, They Cloned Tyrone dropped to rapturous applause. The only 100% audience score featured on our list, it has prompted viewers to say this movie "blew my mind" and that it’s "super dark but super funny".

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 95% / Audience 97% 
• Release date: May 20, 1980 
• Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher 

Watching the Star Wars movies in order is a much-debated and still ongoing conversation. If you opt for their release dates though, here’s the second title you'll end up with. And, according to its RT score, the best. 

Darth Vader is in hot pursuit of Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie. But, with Luke off to begin his training with Yoda on Dagobah, Darth targets his Rebel friends while they try to enlist help from Lando Calrissian in Cloud City. Luke must act quickly to help save them, and in turn, ends up in an iconic battle against Darth Vader that becomes one of Star Wars' most famous scenes.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics: 95% / Audience 90%
• Release Date: June 27, 2008
• Cast: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin
• Stream on: Disney Plus (US/UK/Aus)

Disney Pixar, pre-2008, had only toyed with the sci-fi genre through superhero toy Buzz Lightyear and actual superhero family, The Incredibles. So, when Wall-E came out, set entirely in space, animated fans and sci-fi fans alike rejoiced. 

Wall-E is a pleasant little robot tasked solely with collecting rubbish on an abandoned and uninhabitable Earth, compacting said rubbish, and producing it into lovely neat cubes. That is, until he stumbles upon the no-nonsense robot, EVE, who prompts him to embark on an epic adventure to discover the future of humanity.

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 94% / Audience 91% 
• Release date: May 8, 2009 
• Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg
• Stream on: Paramount Plus (US/UK/Aus) 

2009's Star Trek marked the 11th movie in the franchise and a reboot of the original Star Trek TV series, although with an entirely new cast. In the titular roles, there's Chris Pine as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock, embarking on their first-ever mission on the Enterprise. 

There are epic space battles and a mighty villain, Nero, as portrayed by Eric Bana to enjoy as the franchise is reinvigorated once again. The Star Trek franchise lives vastly on Paramount Plus , so it can be enjoyed on the streaming giant alongside some of the best sci-fi movies and TV shows around.  

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 93% / Audience 96% 
• Release date: December 27, 1977 

With a slightly lower, but still vastly impressive RT score, there’s Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. It’s the first in the original trilogy and is truly the film that started it all. It’s Luke Skywalker’s first foray into adventure, the assembly of his crew and the maiden flight of said crew aboard the Millennium Falcon.

It’s space skirmishes of gargantuan proportions and a rescue mission that critics on RT, such as Boston Globe , applaud for being a "rare experience for both adults and kids that shortchanges neither." 

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 93% / Audience 95% 
• Release date: December 4, 1985 
• Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson 
• Stream on: Apple TV/Amazon Prime (US/UK); BINGE/Paramount Plus (Aus) 

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is thrown into a time-traveling adventure when he becomes friends with the wonderfully strange scientist, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). What follows is a movie full of weird and whimsical fun as Marty accidentally travels back 30 years in time, and all by speeding in the flux capacitor-fitted DeLorean.

Despite being almost 30 years old, Back to the Future made a lot of predictions that still spark a lot of conversation today. We're talking drones, fingerprint technology, smart clothing, and… the famous hoverboard.

• Release date: March 1, 2024 
• Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson 
• Stream on: N/A

Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is at war. Following the unraveling events of 2021's Dune, a sci-fi epic based on Frank Herbert's novel of the same name, there's a lot more story to tell and Dune: Part Two steps up to the plate. Paul must unite with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen to enact revenge, while also balancing the very future of the universe in his hands.

The title has picked up a very impressive Rotten Tomatoes score and, despite being the sequel, impresses critics and audiences alike for picking up where the first movie built its empire. The Observer , for just one review, calls it "jaw-on-the-floor spectacular".  

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 93% / Audience 94% 
• Release date: September 6, 1979 
• Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt 
• Stream on: Apple TV (US); Disney Plus (UK/Aus) 

As we've already mentioned, Aliens scraped a slightly better RT score than this, the original and first movie of the Alien franchise. Yet, it's still a wildly impressive score. Alien is where it all began. Director Ridley Scott at the helm telling the sci-fi horror tale of the commercial spaceship, Nostromo.

Sigourney Weaver in the titular role as Warrant Officer Ripley and the rest of the crew embark on a strange and ultimately deadly journey after investigating an unknown transmission. Creatures begin to emerge on their ship and there's nowhere to hide when outside is the vast expanse of the universe. 

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 91% / Audience 95% 
• Release date: August 16, 1991 
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong 
• Stream on: Paramount Plus (US); Amazon Prime (UK/Aus) 

Finally, as Aliens is to Alien, the second Terminator movie is arguably the better one. Rotten Tomatoes agree, and so did we when we ranked The Terminator movies from worst to best. It's an unusual and wildly different sequel to the first. Set 11 years after the events of the original movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger as the famed T-800 is back and better than ever. 

While in the first he was set to destroy a Connor, in Judgment Day, he must protect. And Rotten Tomatoes critics laud it for its massive explosions, stuns, and entertainment factor.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Grace is a freelancer who started writing for Space.com since 2021. She's a huge fan of movies, TV, and gaming, and if she's not clutching her Xbox controller or scanning the streaming platforms for the next must-watch shows, you'll find her spending copious amounts of time writing about them on her laptop. Specialties include RPG, FPS, and action-adventure games as well as 80s sci-fi movies and book adaptations. 

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32 sci-fi movies that deserve a sequel

From space travel to time travel, these are the sci-fi movies begging to tell more stories

Science fiction is one of the oldest genres in movie history, dating back to Georges Méliès’s 1902 film A Trip to the Moon. But because sci-fi asks so much more from its audience to suspend disbelief, and more out of filmmakers to execute on their visions more precisely, a lot of sci-fi classics go underappreciated and under the radar. Some, however, are deserving of more sequels.

Whether they’re based on comics or cartoons, or completely original ideas from writers and directors, sci-fi tentpoles tend to be the riskiest investments in the modern movie business. While hits like Star Wars, Avatar, and Avengers: Endgame are seismic hits that make billions of dollars around the world, some sci-fi movies have a harder time making any noise before it’s too late.

To mark the genre’s continued relevance and to bring attention to some overlooked gems, here are 32 sci-fi cult classic movies that actually deserve a sequel. 

32. Titan A.E. (2000)

In what is currently the last theatrical feature from legendary animator Don Bluth, the remnants of mankind live among hostile alien species all throughout the galaxy. A young man, voiced by Matt Damon, discovers he holds the key to humanity’s new home. Released during a transitional period when Hollywood animated movies were still mostly drawn by hand, Titan A.E. memorably combined Bluth’s beloved style with sophisticated CGI. Decades later, Titan A.E. remains attractive not only for its unusual artistic style, but because of its original story that felt so much bigger than one movie ought to contain.

31. Godzilla Minus One (2023)

One of the most unexpected hits of 2023, Godzilla Minus One from Takashi Yamazaki is a breathtaking, mesmerizing monster horror epic that re-instilled our fear for kaiju terrors. While not a traditional remake or reboot of the original 1954 movie, Godzilla Minus One takes place in Japan’s turbulent postwar recovery period when Godzilla rises from the seas for the first time. With its touching story about community, family, bravery, and sacrifice, Godzilla Minus One shook audiences when they least expected. While Yamazaki has publicly commented on his own ideas for a sequel, producer Minami Ichikawa told GQ Japan in November 2023 that any sequel will be shepherded at a snail’s pace, believing Toho is in no rush to get another hit out the door.

30. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

While fans of Douglas Adams’ book series aren’t such big fans of Garth Jenningers’ Hollywood film version, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy maintains a devout following who still appreciate its humor, special effects, and delightful performances from a strong cast. (Martin Freeman stars, alongside Mos Def, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel, and the late Alan Rickman in a voiceover capacity.) The movie tells of a man from Earth, living in the UK, whose house is being demolished for a highway, only to find that all of Earth is slated for demolition for a space highway. While the complete Hitchhiker’s franchise consists of several different books, the 2005 version simply didn’t make enough bank to warrant sequels based on them. That’s a shame, because it sure would be a treat to finally visit The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

29. Flash Gordon (1980)

The sci-fi comic and movie serial that inspired George Lucas to create Star Wars got a more authentic blockbuster film adaptation in 1980. From director Mike Hodges came Flash Gordon, with Sam J. Jones in the title role, that of a football star who becomes Earth’s hero against the terrifying Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow). Although the movie earned solid reviews and a strong box office showing, Jones reportedly did not get along with producer Dino De Laurentiis. Their disagreements prohibited a sequel from going forward. A shame, considering just how expansive Flash Gordon’s adventures are that are begging to be enjoyed by a wider audience. Since 2014, there have been attempts at a reboot, including an animated movie from Taika Waititi that was canceled in 2019. 

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28. Upgrade (2018)

Leigh Whannell’s sci-fi thriller Upgrade is basically, “What if Venom was a thousand percent darker and more violent?” Logan Marshall-Green stars as a paralyzed widower who is implanted with a cutting-edge computer chip. The chip not only allows him to walk again, but infects him with a super intelligent A.I. alter ego with its own motivations. Viciously violent and tonally bleak, Upgrade isn’t necessarily franchise friendly. But it’s just too good to not want more of Leigh Whannell and Logan Marshall-Green together raising more hell.

27. The Black Hole (1979)

Emerging during Disney ’s flop era, The Black Hole is an original science fiction movie about space explorers who find a lost spaceship floating dangerously close to a black hole. At the time the most expensive live-action movie from Disney and the first to be rated PG, The Black Hole did not win favorable reviews - the late Roger Ebert panned it as “[taking] us all the way to the rim of space only to bog us down in a talky melodrama” - but remains infamous for showing Disney’s willingness to experiment during a prolonged drought. The Black Hole may not be begging for a spot in the Disney parks, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t try again.

26. Jumper (2008)

After the dust settled on the Star Wars prequels, Hayden Christensen appeared in Jumper, based on the 1992 novel and directed by Doug Liman. An original superhero movie concept that hit before the critical mass popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jumper leaps free from restrictive IP parameters and burdensome expectations for shared universe worldbuilding. Still, a sequel could do wonders to make Jumper into something more than a forgotten, one-off production. Even after all these years, Jumper feels like it’s still got places to go.

25. Real Steel (2011)

At first glance, it’s a little hard to believe that a movie about robotic boxers would have a soul. But through some genuinely impressive VFX craftsmanship, the star power of Hugh Jackman, and strong direction from Shawn Levy - since having gone on to direct Free Guy, The Adam Project, and Deadpool & Wolverine - Real Steel packs a wallop as an authentic sports drama about fighting against one’s own limits. Talks of a sequel and even a Disney+ series version have been discussed, but for now, Real Steel remains down for the count.

24. Shin Kamen Rider (2023)

As part of Hideaki Anno’s “Shin” cinematic anthology, Shin Kamen Rider sees the celebrated animator and filmmaker put his own stamp on a Japanese tokusatsu icon. In this reimagining of the original 1971 series Kamen Rider, motorcyclist and college student Takeshi Hongo (Sosuke Ikematsu) confronts his newfound inhumanity and works to destroy the evil organization SHOCKER. While the other movies in the Shin series - Shin Godzilla (2016) and Shin Ultraman (2022) - are equally deserving of sequels, Shin Kamen Rider is singularly great, with so many years of Kamen Rider history to draw further from.

23. A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

In 2018, Ava DuVernay took on adapting Madeleine L’Engle’s seminal 1962 sci-fi novel A Wrinkle in Time, about a young girl who embarks on a journey across the multiverse in search of her father. (Ask Trent Crimm from Ted Lasso about it.) While it had an appealing all-star cast of Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, and Zach Galifianakis, A Wrinkle in Time was just too expensive for its total gross of $133 million to make sequels worthwhile. Still, DuVernay demonstrated a strong grasp of L’Engle’s work via gorgeous renderings of its cosmic spiritualism, which would have made for killer movies based on the rest of the series. For now, A Wrinkle in Time seems lost in a black hole.

22. Serenity (2005)

While its story acts as a conclusion to the beloved sci-fi series Firefly, Serenity is still so singularly great that it makes sequels still fun to think about. Despite a passionate fanbase who rallied behind the movie’s release in 2005, disinterest of regular moviegoers who hadn’t seen Firefly meant Serenity was never going to be a box office smash. Creator, director, and writer Joss Whedon went on to direct billion-dollar hits like The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, and later suffered a career collapse after allegations of misconduct came to light. But with or without Joss Whedon, some fans still believe that no one can stop the signal.

21. Hancock (2008)

In a time before Marvel amassed powerful influence over the movie industry, there occasionally came more off-beat superheroes who strayed away from paved roads. In 2008, Will Smith used his own proven star power for Hancock, in which Smith plays a crude, alcoholic superhero whose discovery of another like him complicates everything. While the movie ends up too overcooked plot-wise, nothing is better than Smith drunkenly flying around L.A. and making a mess of rush hour traffic. If the superhero genre is all about sequels, there’s no superhero more deserving of another chance at redemption than Hancock.

20. Oblivion (2013)

Based on Joseph Kosinski’s own unpublished graphic novel, Oblivion takes place in a futuristic Earth devastated by intergalactic war. A maintenance technician, played by Tom Cruise, is on the verge of finishing a job when he encounters a mysterious woman (Olga Kurylenko) seemingly from his own dreams that leads him to discover the truth about what happened on Earth. While Oblivion is appealing as a stylish standalone movie that admirably told a complete story, it still left enough threads loose for a continuation. And who doesn’t want to see more of Tom Cruise in space?

19. Underwater (2020)

The last theatrical release from 20th Century Fox before it was renamed by Disney, the 2020 sci-fi horror Underwater is a muscular monster feature with one of the most famous literary creatures of all time waiting at the end of it. Kirsten Stewart leads a cast that also includes Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, and John Gallagher Jr., all playing scientists and engineers who live and work deep in the Mariana Trench. As earthquakes destroy the facility, the team tries to make a desperate escape. Despite the widespread influence of H.P. Lovecraft in modern pop culture, there still aren’t that many faithful adaptations of the famous author’s works. But being one of the first original universes in pulp literary fiction, movies like Underwater could, and should, be the first to spawn a franchise featuring all the Great Old Ones.

18. Innerspace (1987)

One of the most inventive and playful sci-fi movies of the 1980s, Innerspace from Joe Dante is basically Fantastic Voyage reimagined as a contemporary romantic comedy. Dennis Quaid plays a handsome but down-on-his-luck Navy aviator who submits to a top secret experiment that shrinks subjects to microscopic size. Somehow, the experiment places the pilot in neurotic grocery clerk Jack (Martin Short), kicking off a kooky buddy comedy where Quaid basically tells Martin Short how to man up. While too much time has passed to really follow any of its characters, it’s hard not to vibe with a modern retelling of the same premise.

17. The One (2001)

Before Spider-Man and The Flash flung through the multiverse, Jet Li fought his way through it. In this vastly underrated sci-fi kung fu movie from 2001, Jet Li plays both hero and villain: noble cop Gabe Law and outlaw Yulaw, who aspires to traverse all parallel dimensions and kill his other selves to gain their strength and become “The One.” The One is easily one of Jet Li’s most ridiculous (and most fun) movies in his career, staying fresh decades later. Now that audiences are more familiar with the multiverse theory, it would be quite something for Jet Li to reclaim his dominance and show all the fancy superheroes that there can still only be “one.” (Cue Papa Roach.)

16. Chronicle (2012)

Before Josh Trank suffered a career downfall after his 2015 Fantastic Four, he was a hotshot up and comer with his remarkable found-footage thriller Chronicle. Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan all play high school teenagers who suddenly possess telekinetic superpowers, which they use for fun until the powers dangerously corrupts one of them. Emotional, harrowing, and inventive with its unique touchstones - with visible influences from the likes of The Blair Witch Project, Akira, and X-Men - Chronicle is too astonishing for just one movie.

15. Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

A passion project of producer James Cameron based on his own anime fandom, Alita: Battle Angel was an immediate cult favorite when it opened to relatively little fanfare in 2019. Based on Yukito Kishiro’s manga, Alita tells of a cyborg who awakes in a new body but lacks any memory of her past. Directed by Robert Rodriguez and starring Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, and Jackie Earle Haley, Alita’s fans still love it for its impressive visual effects, sympathetic characters, and unique sense of sci-fi. While James Cameron believes more Alita movies are possible, it is unknown if the movie is to stay doomed to the scrap heap. 

14. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

Renowned comics author Alan Moore quite famously wants nothing to do with movie versions of his works. This extends to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, with Moore having more or less ignored its existence; artist Kevin O’Neill also expressed in a 2009 interview with The Times UK that he found the script lacking the source material’s spirit. Still, it says a lot that moviegoers who caught the movie back in 2003 have expressed wanting more of it. Basically an “Avengers”-like team-up of public domain figures - we’re talking Allan Quartermain from King Solomon’s Mines, Mina Harker from Dracula, Dorian Gray, and Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde - The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen really lends itself to more, or at least just adapting Volume II of the book. 

13. Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Other than The Matrix, the Wachowskis’ works as filmmakers are only really loved long after the fact. That includes movies like Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas, and especially 2015’s Jupiter Ascending. An epic space romance, Mila Kunis plays a cleaning lady who is informed by a handsome warrior (played by Channing Tatum) that she has a greater destiny beyond the stars. While the movie earned polarizing reviews and an underwhelming box office upon release, the movie has slowly earned positive reappraisal as a modern classic full of imagination. The movie ends on a positive note that leaves open the possibility for sequels, but it’s unknown if more is written in the stars for Jupiter Jones.

12. Galaxy Quest (1998)

By Grabthar’s Hammer… there shall be a sequel! In this laugh riot comedy, former sci-fi TV stars are recruited by aliens to save their species. Predictive of the rise of fandom culture but never belittling it, Galaxy Quest could easily make for a great franchise of its own in the modern era. (Although it would be devastating to reunite with these characters without the late, great Alan Rickman.) There has been some traction regarding a sequel, including rumors of a series for the Paramount+ streaming service. But that a sequel didn’t happen immediately after the original movie’s release speaks to how hard it is for anything in Hollywood to blast off.

11. The Rocketeer (1991)

Before Disney had the keys to the Marvel kingdom, the studio had its own superhero in The Rocketeer (created by Dave Stevens as an indie comic). From director Joe Johnston, Billy Campbell plays the title character, a washed-up pilot who puts on a jet pack and adopts the name The Rocketeer to fight Nazis. Beloved today as a cult classic, The Rocketeer’s lukewarm box office intake meant it did not take off as a franchise for Disney. While there was finally an expansion to The Rocketeer, in the form of a childrens’ cartoon in 2019 and various attempts at sequels and remakes, The Rocketeer has been left dangling instead of flying like it should.

10. Brightburn (2019)

What if Superman were evil? That’s hardly a new idea, but the original superhero horror Brightburn dared to explore that idea, and it did so with flying crimson colors. Produced by James Gunn and helmed by David Yarovesky, Brightburn basically tells an off-brand version of Superman’s origin story - alien child adopted by a kind Kansas couple - but instead of the child growing up into a Man of Tomorrow, he grows into a nightmare incarnate. Elizabeth Banks and David Denman co-star in his overlooked horror movie that shows just how much we as humans are at the mercy of a cruel, indescribable universe.

9. District 9 (2009)

A searing sci-fi with deep-rooted political themes, District 9 marked the feature film debut of Neill Blomkamp who explored his native South Africa’s history of segregation and xenophobia via space aliens as a metaphor. In an alternate 1982, aliens arrive in Johannesburg and are quickly quarantined in the internment camp District 9. The movie picks up 20 years later, with a bumbling bureaucrat (Sharlto Copley in his feature acting debut) slowly turning into one of the aliens. While hope for a District 10 has lingered in the ether, Blomkamp put such hopes on ice, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2023 that progress has stalled indefinitely. 

8. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Unofficially one of the greatest video game movies ever made, Doug Liman’s sci-fi blockbuster Edge of Tomorrow is a time loop thriller that takes Groundhog Day and cranks it up to aggressive extremes. An adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s All You Need is Kill, the movie stars Tom Cruise as a U.S. Major with limited combat experience who is forced onto the battlefield. His death ignites a time loop, allowing him to gain the experience he needs to survive and to team up with a more capable war hero (Emily Blunt). Talk of a sequel has been murmured for years; in 2024, Tom Cruise’s partnership with Warner Bros. led to loose talks of an overdue sequel.

7.  Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

A passion project of writer/director Luc Besson, who funded a large portion of its extravagant $223 million production budget himself, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets adapts the French comics Valérian and Laureline (a childhood favorite of Besson’s). Both the movie and its original source comics tell of two futuristic space explorers who encounter various galactic challenges with equal parts humor and heroism. The film starred Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevigne, and while they lacked chemistry as actors, the rest of the movie made up for it with impeccable and eye-popping sci-fi magnificence. While Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets was just too expensive for any reasonable box office gross to even out, there has still been enough fans of the movie to generate interest in a sequel. 

6. Saban’s Power Rangers (2017)

The coolest heroes of Saturday mornings, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, got the dark PG-13 reboot treatment back in 2017. Its brooding tone and overall angsty emo vibe reminiscent of The CW shows didn’t win over critics, nor did the movie crush its billion-dollar hit rival Beauty and the Beast like a Megazord. But Dean Israelite’s Power Rangers keeps a loyal following who heap it retrospective appreciation for its boldly un -affectionate treatment of ‘90s nostalgia. While its cast of twenty-something actors, including Naomi Scott, Dacre Montgomery, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin, and pop star Becky G have aged past the point of playing teenagers, there are still those who wish for a sequel to finally bring the iconic Green Ranger to the big screen.

5. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

A throwback to sci-fi pulp with innovative VFX filmmaking, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a cult classic still loved for its arresting art deco visual design and unfulfilled potential as a franchise starter. Set in an alternate 1930s, a reporter (Gwyneth Paltrow) hires an old flame, the dashing “Sky Captain” (Jude Law) to investigate the whereabouts of kidnapped scientists. Clearly primed for more stories to tell, it’s bewildering that Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow failed to fly at the box office. The movie remains director Kerry Conran’s one and only theatrical film to date.

4. Event Horizon (1997)

Paul W.S. Anderson is synonymous with below average video game movies. But once, in 1997, Anderson swung for the fences with his own original story in Event Horizon. Starring Laurence Fishburne, Event Horizon takes place in the year 2047 and follows astronauts on a rescue mission to investigate a spaceship that has suddenly resurfaced by Neptune. A moody sci-fi horror in the spirit of Ridley Scott’s Alien, Event Horizon is now enjoyed as a cult classic that is still largely overlooked. A solid sequel could not only bring more deserved attention to the original, but possibly create a brand new franchise out of old parts.

3. Dark City (1998)

After The Matrix blew up in 1999, sci-fi enthusiasts were quick to point out the thematically similar and little-seen movie Dark City, released a year prior in 1998. Directed by The Crow’s Alex Proyas, Dark City follows an amnesiac (Rufus Sewell) who is suspected of murder and works to clear his name and find out his real identity. Characterized by startling and striking visuals and an abundantly bleak atmosphere, Dark City earned positive reviews but fared poorly commercially. Years after its release, Dark City enjoys cult status, though a sequel, great as it might be, still feels way out of reach.

2. Dredd (2012)

Long after the polarizing 1995 movie Judge Dredd with Sylvester Stallone, director Pete Travis gave the world the hard-R treatment the original Judge Dredd comics deserve. In Dredd, Karl Urban stars as the relentless, square-jawed super cop Judge Dredd - part of an order of law enforcers in crime-riddled Mega-City One - with a rookie partner (Olivia Thirlby) caught in a hostile environment. While critics raved over Dredd during its release in September 2012, the movie’s anemic marketing kept audiences from flocking to theaters, cementing its future as a cult classic to be discovered later on. At one point in 2017, Dredd was to expand as a television series, with Karl Urban reprising his role. 

1. John Carter (2012)

In the same year that Disney won big with The Avengers, it also lost big with John Carter. Still one of the biggest box office bombs of the 21st century, Andrew Stanton’s John Carter strove to adapt Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars into the next big cinematic franchise. While reviews were lukewarm, erring towards favorable, John Carter has since found a more devoted following due to its crowd-pleasing story and sense of spectacle. While Disney had hopes for John Carter to start a franchise, its failure was so disastrous that by January 2013, Disney owned a far safer bet in Star Wars. But that doesn’t stop John Carter fans from wondering what the next movie could have been.

Eric Francisco is a freelance entertainment journalist and graduate of Rutgers University. If a movie or TV show has superheroes, spaceships, kung fu, or John Cena, he's your guy to make sense of it. A former senior writer at Inverse, his byline has also appeared at Vulture, The Daily Beast, Observer, and The Mary Sue. You can find him screaming at Devils hockey games or dodging enemy fire in Call of Duty: Warzone.

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10 Amazing Sci-Fi Movies Set On Fictional Planets

• Science fiction films often tell stories set on other worlds, allowing for the exploration of new elements, technologies, and species that don't exist on Earth.
• Films like Avatar, Solaris, and Dune take audiences on intergalactic adventures, showcasing rich world-building, complex political systems, and a blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements.
• Planets like Pandora, LV-223, and Orous offer unique settings with interconnected nature, ancient ruins, and intergalactic capital cities, making them intriguing backdrops for sci-fi stories.

Science fiction films often include elements of advanced technology, alien races, and even time travel, but much fewer explore stories that happen on other worlds. Sci-fi is all about exploring a reality just outside of human reach, and because of that, it sometimes guides and leads human innovation, like with technology on Star Trek inspiring communication devices and holographic videos. A much higher-level concept that edges into fantasy territory is exploring stories that are set in distant, fictional worlds .

There are the obvious franchises that explore alien planets like Star Wars , Star Trek , Marvel, and DC, but many other projects take the intergalactic leap to create a story outside of our solar system. From the mega blockbusters like Avatar and Dune , to the much less well-known Pandorum or Jupiter Ascending , several films take sci-fi adventures off-world. Creating a fictional setting also allows for a story to explore a variety of new elements, technologies, species, and knowledge that simply don't exist on Earth just yet, making a perfect setting for ambitious sci-fi stories.

Avatar (2009)

James Cameron does an incredible job building the world of Pandora , and all of the elements that come with it, in his Avatar films. From the landscape to the wildlife and even the plants, Cameron spent a great deal of time with other creatives to bring Pandora to life and explore what that looks like for the native Na'vi. Pandora captured the attention of Earth thanks to a plentiful supply of a rare substance that humans hope to harvest. However, this rich world and all of its living inhabitants fight back against the human threat thanks to the interconnected nature of the planet and its inhabitants.

Related: Avatar: All 15 Na'vi Clans Explained (Cultures, Locations & Inspirations)

Solaris (1972)

Based on the novel by Stanisław Lem and directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, Solaris is the story of scientists exploring an alien planet in the hopes of understanding its unusual nature and the odd events that keep happening on the planet's surface. As it turns out, the planet Solaris itself is a living being trying its best to communicate with the researchers through apparitions and visions created from their memories. The concept is fascinating, and the 1972 adaptation is the most widely praised of several attempts to bring the high-concept sci-fi story to the screen.

Dune (2021)

Frank Herbert's novel, and its many movie adaptations, Dune is about intergalactic rulers and a high-value trade built around the spice of Arrakis is deeply thought-provoking and explores interplanetary relations and the value assigned to assets. The story itself is an incredible mixture of fantasy and sci-fi with rich world-building, complex political systems, and an element of magic and prophecy, all spliced with advanced intergalactic travel, technologies, and science. Arrakis is also an incredibly intriguing planet inhabited by a humanoid race and giant sand worms which appear to refine the deserts into the incredibly powerful spice that is highly sought after.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005)

Vogsphere, magrathea, and earth ii.

Strictly speaking, Hitchhiker's Guide does begin on Earth, but early in the story, the planet is blown up to make way for an intergalactic space highway. Arthur Dent and his friends travel to a number of intriguing planets including one populated by an extremely bureaucratic race of Vogons and a planet that houses the universe's most advanced computer capable of answering life's greatest questions, and eventually, a newly formed Earth II. The planets that appear throughout and the story in general are light and comical, which makes sense considering the film is an adaptation of a novel from the hilarious writer, Douglas Adams.

Pandorum (2009)

In a future where the Earth's resources have dwindled, humanity sends a group of 60,000 people on an interstellar ark in the hopes of making a new life on a distant Earth-like planet named Tanis. When a few crew members wake up confused and struggling to remember who they are and what the mission is, the story unfolds to reveal they have reached their destination and things have not gone according to plan. Life on Tanis is not what anyone expected , and as the mystery unfolds, it becomes clear why things are not as they should be. The planet is interesting from what is seen, while the ship and its crew are trapped deep in a shipwreck in the ocean for much of the film.

Prometheus (2012)

Ridley Scott returns to the Alien franchise for this outing, which explores the origins of humankind by exploring a highly advanced race of aliens known as the Engineers . In Prometheus , the exomoon LV-223 appears desolate, with interesting ruins and potential clues about the origin of the species hidden away in dark caverns and deep tunnels beneath the surface. Prometheus does a great job exploring this landscape with Doctor Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), an archaeologist leading the mission.

Related: Alien & Covenant Movie Series Timeline Explained

The Chronicles Of Riddick: Pitch Black (2000)

Vin Diesel stars Riddick , a series following the criminal Riddick who has ultra-sensitive, enhanced eyes. When a ship transporting him and several others crash lands on planet M6-117, they discover the desert planet to be mostly arid and with very little life due to the three suns that orbit the planet and keep it in a constant state of day. Apart from when the planet enters a certain phase in the solar cycle where all light is blocked for an extended period by the surrounding planets and nocturnal creatures emerge to destroy the little life that remains on the planet's surface.

Flash Gordon (1980)

When a tyrannical alien warlord decides to turn his attention towards Earth as his next target, he begins by causing several natural disasters. A quarterback named Flash Gordon and some unlikely allies team up to form a team that boards a small spacecraft to travel out to the planet where the troubles seem to be stemming from. Mongo is a planet under the strict rule of Ming the Merciless , and the planet contains a race of humanoid beings with blue or green blood. Mongo also exists in a state somewhat apart from time and space, which allows Ming to terrorize other planets through his Imperial Vortex.

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Jupiter Ascending begins with Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) as a modest Earthling. However, the story quickly escalates and Jupiter finds herself in the middle of an intergalactic family feud between royals who own some of the most valuable resources throughout the galaxy. Jupiter travels to a number of planets, but the primary location where the story develops is the planet Orous. Orous is the intergalactic capital planet , and it is here that Jupiter is taken to realize her part in the plot and claim her inheritance. Orous is also the birthplace of humankind, as all other planets are simply extensions of the civilization that was born there and traveled outward.

Krull (1983)

On a planet in a distant universe, a terrible enemy known as the Beast and his army of slayers besieges the planet, Krull, and kidnaps Princess Lyssa just before she is due to be married. Krull walks the line between fantasy and sci-fi with an array of magic and kingdoms and the enemy forces powerful spaceships and technologically advanced weapons. Krull itself appears to be a planet full of large open landscapes, magic, and mystery , which quickly descends into turmoil when attacked by the evil forces of the Beast.

Screen Rant

15 best movies like james bond.

It can be hard to find stories in movies that are like James Bond's adventures but these similar films deliver all of the same thrills and intrigue.

• For fans of James Bond looking for similar spy movies, Tenet is a must-watch with a stellar cast and thrilling time-travel plot.
• Salt, with Angelina Jolie as a betrayed CIA agent, offers gripping Cold War thrills reminiscent of early Bond movies.
• Our Kind of Traitor provides a grounded and captivating spy story, ideal for those seeking an amateur couple in a dangerous spy world.

Movies like James Bond offer fans a look at super spies, espionage, and world-threatening situations. James Bond is one of the most iconic movie characters of all time, a super spy who has been a huge box office draw for well over 50 years. As a result of this, Bond movies have also formed the basis for not only other serious adaptations of spy novels but parodies of the genre. With so many movies directly inspired by the series, fans searching to find movies like James Bond's adventures discover that it's not hard to find.

The release of No Time to Die closed out the highly-acclaimed Daniel Craig era of Bond movies, leaving many longtime fans of the franchise pumped up for more spy movie thrills even though the role has yet to be recast and a new installment is still very far away on the horizon. Now more than ever is the time for 007 fans to be looking to the past for some of the great movies that have inspired the Bond franchise as well as the thrillers that have taken inspiration from it.

Daniel Craig Is Right About James Bond's No Time To Die Ending

15 tenet (2020), a sci-fi time-travel movie like james bond.

Tenet is a must-watch for fans of the Craig era of 007 films, despite the far heavier science-fiction elements of its plot. The movie stars John David Washington as a secret agent who is tasked with saving the future from an arms dealer who is using time manipulation to carry out his villainous plot. The movie also features a stellar cast including Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debecki, and Kenneth Branagh.

Tenet is the closest that Nolan has come so far to producing a Bond film.

Many film fans have called for Christopher Nolan to take on the Bond franchise in earnest as its influence on some of his action-thriller movies, especially his hugely popular Batman trilogy, is quite evident. Tenet is the closest that Nolan has come so far to producing a Bond film, with Washington's Protagonist carrying out exciting side missions that bring him closer and closer to his target and set up the action-packed climax with some of Nolan's best set-pieces.

14 Salt (2010)

Angelina jolie stars as a betrayed cia agent.

Angelina Jolie steps into the spy game to make the titular Evelyn Salt a super spy worth mentioning alongside both Bond and Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt. A CIA agent accused of being a traitor, Salt goes on the run to prevent a wider plot involving a hidden team of Russian sleeper agents who have secretly infiltrated the highest levels of the U.S. government.

Fans of early Bond movies should love its take on Cold War thrills and fans of the more recent Bond movies won't be left disappointed by Jolie's confidence as an action star. It is also a gripping story with the truth behind Salt's actions and motivations left a mystery for much of the movie. Though the canceled plans for Salt 2 left many disappointed, the original movie still provides a lot of slick spy thrills.

13 Our Kind Of Traitor (2016)

A regular couple sucked into a spy thriller, our kind of traitor.

Our Kind of Traitor is adapted from the novel of the same name by John le Carré.

Sometimes it is more fun to watch an amateur spy at work in a dangerous situation rather than a skilled and trained agent like 007. That is the approach with the grounded and captivating, Our Kind of Traitor . Adapted from the novel of the same name by John le Carré , Our Kind of Traitor follows a civilian couple who become embroiled in a shadowy international plot involving illegal money and assassination . It stars Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris, and Damian Lewis.

The approach to the spy world is certainly more old-school Bond than latter-day Bond, but the intelligent conversations driving the plot forward keep the tension as high as elaborate action sequences do. Fans of Ian Fleming's novels should seek it out for its rich characters and story details , while movie fans won't want to miss the impressive ensemble.

12 Jack Reacher (2012)

Tom cruise stars in the lee child adaptation, jack reacher.

Tom Cruise brought Jack Reacher to the big screen, and, while he might not have the same expensive tastes as Bond, the highly-trained sleuth shares his distinctly uncompromising attitude. Reacher is a tough and formidable military police officer who comes to investigate the case of a former soldier gunning down innocent civilians only to discover that there is a wider conspiracy at play.

With a mysterious European villain (Werner Herzog), Jack Reacher is a gripping mystery with all the tension and quality of a James Bond movie. There was some criticism for Cruise stepping into the role of Reacher who is described in Lee Child's books as being a massive warrior, more akin to how Alan Richardson plays him in the Reacher TV series.

11 Atomic Blonde (2017)

Charlize theron in a john wick-style adventure, atomic blonde.

In Atomic Blonde , Charlize Theron plays secret agent Lorraine Broughton , who's sent to Berlin on a mission to find out who murdered her colleague and to recover an important list. There, she is confronted with the ambiguity of the Cold War-era spy world as she finds herself surrounded by enemies and now knows which of her potential allies is really on her side.

The brutality of the action scenes is the best testament to Theron's commitment to the role, which sees the super spy showing off her Bond-like skills as both a lover and a fighter. The movie is a lot more visually stylized than the James Bond franchise ever is, but that spills over into the action sequences and doesn't just linger in the backdrops. However, as memorable as the action scenes are, Atomic Blonde works well as a gripping thriller.

10 North By Northwest (1959)

Alfred hitchcock's spy masterpiece, north by northwest.

Alfred Hitchcock was a master filmmaker, and his 1956 masterpiece, North by Northwest , is one of several Hitchcock movies that informed the spy genre before Dr. No came out and directly inspired the Bond franchise. The film follows a New York City ad executive (Cary Grant), as he finds himself on the run for his life after being confused with a government agent by international spies.

The genre of mistaken identities can be hit or miss, but North by Northwest is seen as the gold standard for telling these stories with thrills and intrigue. Grant gives an iconic performance as another everyday character who is thrust into the spy world and fights to survive against relentless and skilled enemies. Grant and Hitchcock's collaborations were high points in each of their respective careers with many claiming this is their best work together.

North By Northwest's True Story Inspiration Explained

9 three days of the condor (1975), robert redford in a spy thriller from the 1970s.

Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway star in this icy thriller that uses a more subversive urban-set conspiracy story than Roger Moore's campier James Bond adventures in the mid-1970s. Redford takes on the role of a CIA researcher who finds all of his co-workers assassinated when he returns from lunch, forcing him to go on the run in New York City and stay one step ahead of those trying to kill him.

Three Days of the Condor is an iconic spy movie that helped shape the genre as much as some of the classic James Bond movies did. It is another film that features a spy who is in over his head and Redford's hero is not equipped for this kind of danger. It also features a standout performance from Max Von Sydow as the assassin who is on Redford's trail yet who showcases a fascinating philosophy about his job.

8 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Gary oldman's take on george smiley, tinker tailor soldier spy.

Adapted from the novel of the same name by John le Carré, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a Cold War thriller set during the 1970s and follows George Smiley, played by Gary Oldman, a former British agent who is brought back into the spy game to find a mole . Oldman received his first Oscar nomination for his reserved role while the movie also features standout performances from Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Hardy.

Fans of the literary side of James Bond will love the cast of the film as each of the world-class actors amplifies the stiffer-upper-lip side of Bond to its full dramatic extent and the film delves deeper into the psychology of its characters than most movies. Like many of le Carré's stories, it is a more grounded and real-world spy movie without big action scenes but still manages to pack a punch.

7 Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

A spy movie based on a graphic novel, kingsman: the secret service.

Director Matthew Vaughn has made several movies inspired by or paying homage to James Bond, but The Kingsman was his best effort. The movie stars Taron Egerton as a young hoodlum recruited by Colin Firth's sophisticated spy to join a top-secret organization as one of its newest agents. The movie also stars Samuel L. Jackson as the movie's fun take on a Bond villain.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is more graphically violent than even 007's darkest moments, but those elements are balanced by the film's emphasis on comedy. The Kingsman franchise may be heavily inspired by James Bond , but it adds its twist to the spy genre. Rather than having the titular Kingsman spy organization be an extension of a government, they're an independent body. The movies satirize the tropes of the genre as much as they save the world.

Every Kingsman Movie, Ranked Worst To Best (Including The King's Man)

6 the man from u.n.c.l.e. (2015), a spy movie based on the 1960s tv show, the man from u.n.c.l.e..

Henry Cavill has long been a fan-favorite to take on the role as Bond, but he has already played a Bond-like role in a criminally underseen spy movie. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an adaptation of the 1960s TV series of the same name and follows two spies, one from the USA and one from the Soviet Union , who work with the daughter of a missing scientist to stop a plot involving a nuclear bomb.

Guy Ritchie brings out a back-and-forth dynamic between the main trio, evoking a classic James Bond movie feeling. It is also the best case that has been made for Cavill starring as Bond with the actor delivering a funny, charming, and heroic performance that steals the movie. The movie's period setting also evokes the relatively simplistic beauty of the early Bond movies from the 1960s.

5 The Bourne Identity (2002)

The movie that forced james bond movies to change.

The Bourne Identity was a game-changer for the action and spy genres, bringing hard-hitting fight scenes and intense grounded set-pieces to the genre that can sometimes get over the top. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Robert Ludlum, the story follows Jason Bourne as he is pulled out of the ocean, barely clinging to life with four bullet holes in his back. Suffering from amnesia, Bourne must uncover the truth about his past.

The film was a massive success for critics and at the box office, offering a low-key take on the concept of a superspy that the 007 franchise emulated , especially in Daniel Craig's Bond movie, Quantum of Solace . Matt Damon made for a surprisingly effective action star and Jason Bourne became another of cinema's most iconic spies while also being a complex character.

How Jason Bourne Improved (& Saved) The James Bond Movies

4 mission: impossible – fallout (2018), tom cruise takes m:i to a higher level, mission: impossible - fallout.

While James Bond has the longevity and iconic status on its side, the Mission: Impossible movies have gradually surpassed 007 to become the best spy franchise right now. Mission: Impossible - Fallout continues to prove that with the sixth entry into the franchise which finds Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team attempting to stop a mysterious figure from detonating a nuclear warhead and bringing about a new world order.

Hailed by critics as one of the best in the series, the film contains several of the Mission: Impossible franchise's most death-defying stunts, ones only in danger of being topped by Cruise himself in the next installment, Dead Reckoning . Henry Cavill also joined the team for this adventure, furthering his credentials for the 007 role, and the action sequences match the Bond franchise's emphasis on practicality with impressive gusto.

3 The Rock (1996)

A spy movie starring the first james bond actor.

Filled with explosive shootouts and chases, this Michael Bay thriller sees Nicolas Cage play an FBI chemical weapons expert forced to team with a captured spy to break into Alcatraz and stop a group of rogue Special Forces soldiers threatening San Francisco with deadly nerve gas.

There's an excess of the kind of action and adventure sequences that fuel the spy movies. Many fans regard this as Bay's best movie to date with thrilling and entertaining action sequences without being weighed down by the humor injected into his later movies. The most fun aspect of the movie is the chemistry between Cage and Sean Connery as the two unlikely heroes. Sean Connery's character plays off of his past as James Bond and the action sequences on display all but guarantee a good time for 007 fans.

James Bond Theory: The Rock Is Sean Connery's Real Final 007 Movie

2 the ipcress file (1965), a spy thriller starring michael caine, the ipcress file (1965).

The Ipcress File was released during the rising popularity of James Bond in 1965 and Michael Caine portrays the main character, a spy named Harry Palmer. Unlike Bond, Palmer struggles with bureaucracy and leads a far less exotic lifestyle that focuses on the reality of post-war life in Europe . The movie follows Palmer as he investigates the cases of British scientists being captured and brainwashed.

Caine's Harry Palmer movies remain one of their most interesting counterpoints in British cinema.

Palmer makes for a unique and entertaining protagonist in the spy genre with a wisecracking nature to him . Caine reprised the role several more times and, though they never achieved the popularity of Eon Productions' Bond films, Caine's Harry Palmer movies remain one of their most interesting counterpoints in British cinema. It is an exciting alternative to the earlier Bond movies while still capturing the spy intrigue and compelling mission at the center of the story.

1 Patriot Games (1992)

Harrison ford in the jack ryan thriller, patriot games (1992).

Following The Hunt for Red October, Harrison Ford became the second actor to play Jack Ryan , the CIA analyst hero at the center of several of Tom Clancy's novels. Patriot Games follows Ryan as he prevents the assassination of a prominent British official. Ryan then becomes the target of a terrorist, played by Sean Bean. Along with Ford and Bean playing the hero and villain roles, Patriot Games also includes Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Harris, and James Earl Jones.

The film features stellar performances from the cast, most notably Harrison Ford as Ryan, who reprised the role in Clear and Present Danger . Both films offer an interesting take on the espionage hero, one of the best movies like James Bond , but the British connection makes Patriot Games one of Ryan's most Bond-like movie outings to date.

Hugh Jackman Is a Time-Traveling Duke in This Underrated Sci-Fi Romance

He may be the perfect Wolverine, but Jackman also makes for a dashing 19th century duke.

The Big Picture

• Hugh Jackman shines in the rom-com Kate & Leopold with chivalry and infectious positivity.
• Co-starring Meg Ryan, the film has a controversial time-travel twist, but is a charming rom-com that is full of personality.
• Hugh Jackman's performance showcases his versatility and charisma beyond his action-focused roles.

Hugh Jackman is one of the most popular actors of this century, with a filmography of widely beloved and diverse films. Breaking out in Hollywood in his role as arguably the most iconic X-Men character , the Australian actor swiftly became an A-lister and never looked back. Though his earlier roles were notable for being action-focused , Jackman's rise to stardom didn't just happen in the superhero genre. In a brief reprieve between X-Men and X2 , Jackman had a starring role in the charming 2001 rom-com, Kate & Leopold , playing a duke trapped out of time who falls in love with a woman from another century. Though he's most recognized these days as the Wolverine, Jackman went back to his theater roots with his performance as Leopold, 3rd Duke of Albany, demonstrating his incredible acting versatility, that drove him to stardom and parked him there for over two decades.

Kate & Leopold

In a romantic fantasy, a duke from the 19th century inadvertently travels through time to modern-day New York, where he falls for a career-driven woman. Their burgeoning romance confronts the vast differences between their worlds and times.

What Is 'Kate & Leopold' About?

Kate & Leopold is a charming romantic comedy that combines elements of sci-fi and time travel with a classic New York love story. Jackman plays the titular Leopold, a 19th century duke of Albany with a fascination for technology, but a lack of accomplishments to his name. On the night that he's asked to choose a wealthy bride in order to avoid destitution, the curious duke chases an odd-looking individual through a time portal that sends them forward to the 21st century. The traveler, Stuart ( Liev Schreiber ), is an aspiring physicist who discovered the vortex in time that allows people to travel back and forth from the past. A fish-out-of-water with a heartwarming curiosity about all the inventions from the century he skipped, Leopold explores a new New York City while he awaits a return portal back home.

Leopold soon makes a memorable impression on Stuart's downstairs neighbor and his co-title holder, Kate, played by rom-com legend Meg Ryan . A marketing strategist on the verge of a major promotion, Kate counterbalances Leopold's innocent curiosity with a more cynical and diligent spirit. From their demeanor, motivations, and outlook on responsibility, Kate and Leopold are initially an unlikely pair. But regardless of their differences, the two eventually develop a strong rapport that is strengthened as they glean valuable insights about life and its meaning from one another.

Hugh Jackman Is an Endearing and Chivalrous 19th Century Duke

Jackman's background on stage would come into play for plenty of his film roles, like The Greatest Showman and Les Miserables , but it was in Kate & Leopold that he truly showed off his skills to the mainstream audience. Amusingly released between the first two X-Men films, Jackman thoroughly impresses with his portrayal of a character that is practically the polar opposite of Wolverine. Where Wolverine is blunt and anti-social, Leopold is chivalrous and kind. And it's that goodhearted nature that makes Leopold such a beloved character. The duke approaches 21st century living with such an endearing and infectious positivity, charming nearly everyone he crosses paths with thanks to his attention to etiquette and tangible authenticity.

Though he's coming from the past, Leopold is not one to be bogged down by antiquity and prejudiced ways of thinking, even managing to share some important insights with the people that he meets. While his general mannerisms and lack of technical know-how make him feel out of place in modern New York , Leopold demonstrates profound authenticity and gallantry that makes him positively endearing . When he learns of Kate's professional ambitions, he is thoroughly encouraging and supportive, while still maintaining a stalwart line of defense against her boss' disrespect. After a single night out with Kate's younger brother, he gives the younger man genuinely effective advice about being clear about his romantic intentions with the woman he's interested in, helping him secure a date. Leopold may have learned about the toaster from the 21st century, but the new millennium also had some things to learn from the duke lost in time.

Hugh Jackman Mentors Taron Egerton in This Comedic Sports Drama

'kate & leopold' has charm, comedy, and a little bit of controversy.

However, there is one part of Kate & Leopold that is a little controversial, and is the consequence of the messy situation that is a time-travel romance. Leopold is actually the great-great-grandfather of Stuart, a patriarch high up in his family tree, which is an amusing premise for the connection between the two. While this isn't complicated by itself, the fact is made more uncomfortable after Kate returns to the 19th century to marry Leopold. Kate is introduced as Stuart's ex-girlfriend, but, unfortunately, ends the film as his great-great-grandmother. After some fiercely negative feedback , director James Mangold cut out scenes that reference Kate and Stuart are biologically created from the theatrical release , minimizing the controversy around the possible incestuous time travel mishap of dating one's own distant grandmother. This shouldn't drag the film down too much, however, as long as audiences stick to the same thing that we did with the Back to the Future scenes with Marty McFly's mom, and simply buckle down and push through.

Despite this complicated situation, Kate & Leopold is a certified classic rom-com that's overflowing with personality and charm. The inclusion of a time travel element is distinct, adding a new ingredient to a classic boy-meets-girl set against a gorgeous New York backdrop. All the beloved traits of a love story are there: the differing but complementary personalities, the unfair obstacles that stand in their way, and inescapable chemistry. Though Kate first appears impervious to Leopold's charm, his genuine kindness soon wins her over and the connection between the two feels electric. There have been a number of other movies in the years since that explore the concept of falling in love with a time traveler, becoming a bit of a sub-genre in its own right . Films like The Time Traveler's Wife and The Lake House explore the bittersweet nature of these relationships, while Netflix's The Knight Before Christmas takes Kate & Leopold's more straightforwardly positive approach to this type of story.

Even though he's earned a Guinness World Record for longest career as a live-action Marvel character , Jackman was never destined to be typecast in such a singular type of role. Even from his early years in Hollywood, he flashed that unimpeachable charisma and heart as a romantic lead, starring in one of the most underrated classic rom-coms ever made.

Kate & Leopold is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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Time Travel & Time Loop Movies

Excludes Star Trek and Planet of the Apes

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Back to the Future (1985)

PG | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox , Christopher Lloyd , Lea Thompson , Crispin Glover

Votes: 1,307,552 | Gross: $210.61M

2. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

PG | 108 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

After visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985...without interfering with his first trip.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox , Christopher Lloyd , Lea Thompson , Tom Wilson

Votes: 572,874 | Gross: $118.50M

3. Back to the Future Part III (1990)

PG | 118 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Stranded in 1955, Marty McFly learns about the death of Doc Brown in 1885 and must travel back in time to save him. With no fuel readily available for the DeLorean, the two must figure how to escape the Old West before Emmett is murdered.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox , Christopher Lloyd , Mary Steenburgen , Tom Wilson

Votes: 481,063 | Gross: $87.73M

4. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

PG | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Music

Two rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.

Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Alex Winter , George Carlin , Terry Camilleri

Votes: 141,716 | Gross: $40.49M

5. Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)

PG | 93 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

A tyrant from the future creates evil android doubles of Bill and Ted and sends them back to eliminate the originals.

Director: Peter Hewitt | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Alex Winter , William Sadler , Joss Ackland

Votes: 81,084 | Gross: $38.04M

6. Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

PG-13 | 91 min | Adventure, Comedy, Music

Once told they'd save the universe during a time-traveling adventure, two would-be rockers from San Dimas, California find themselves as middle-aged dads still trying to crank out a hit song and fulfill their destiny.

Director: Dean Parisot | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Alex Winter , Kristen Schaal , Samara Weaving

Votes: 53,062

7. Looper (2012)

R | 119 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi

In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.

Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Bruce Willis , Emily Blunt , Paul Dano

Votes: 603,138 | Gross: $66.49M

8. 12 Monkeys (1995)

R | 129 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Bruce Willis , Madeleine Stowe , Brad Pitt , Joseph Melito

Votes: 646,893 | Gross: $57.14M

9. Donnie Darko (2001)

R | 113 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.

Director: Richard Kelly | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal , Jena Malone , Mary McDonnell , Holmes Osborne

Votes: 850,379 | Gross: $1.48M

10. The Terminator (1984)

R | 107 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.

Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Michael Biehn , Paul Winfield

Votes: 924,651 | Gross: $38.40M

11. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.

Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Edward Furlong , Robert Patrick

Votes: 1,174,679 | Gross: $204.84M

12. La Jetée (1962)

Not Rated | 28 min | Short, Drama, Romance

The story of a man forced to explore his memories in the wake of World War III's devastation, told through still images.

Director: Chris Marker | Stars: Étienne Becker , Jean Négroni , Hélène Chatelain , Davos Hanich

Votes: 37,072

13. Groundhog Day (1993)

PG | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

A narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.

Director: Harold Ramis | Stars: Bill Murray , Andie MacDowell , Chris Elliott , Stephen Tobolowsky

Votes: 685,372 | Gross: $70.91M

14. Primer (2004)

PG-13 | 77 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Four friends/fledgling entrepreneurs, knowing that there's something bigger and more innovative than the different error-checking devices they've built, wrestle over their new invention.

Director: Shane Carruth | Stars: Shane Carruth , David Sullivan , Casey Gooden , Anand Upadhyaya

Votes: 114,211 | Gross: $0.42M

15. Source Code (2011)

PG-13 | 93 min | Action, Drama, Mystery

A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train within 8 minutes.

Director: Duncan Jones | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal , Michelle Monaghan , Vera Farmiga , Jeffrey Wright

Votes: 549,974 | Gross: $54.71M

16. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

PG-13 | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.

Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Tom Cruise , Emily Blunt , Bill Paxton , Brendan Gleeson

Votes: 737,355 | Gross: $100.21M

17. Time Bandits (1981)

PG | 110 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.

Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Sean Connery , Shelley Duvall , John Cleese , Katherine Helmond

Votes: 68,388 | Gross: $42.37M

18. Midnight in Paris (2011)

PG-13 | 94 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.

Director: Woody Allen | Stars: Owen Wilson , Rachel McAdams , Kathy Bates , Kurt Fuller

Votes: 449,994 | Gross: $56.82M

19. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.

Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Hugh Jackman , James McAvoy

Votes: 745,464 | Gross: $233.92M

20. Predestination (I) (2014)

R | 97 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi

As his last assignment, a temporal agent is tasked to travel back in time and prevent a bomb attack in New York in 1975. The hunt, however, turns out to be beyond the bounds of possibility.

Directors: Michael Spierig , Peter Spierig | Stars: Ethan Hawke , Sarah Snook , Noah Taylor , Madeleine West

Votes: 304,853 | Gross: $0.07M

21. Timecrimes (2007)

R | 92 min | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi

A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences.

Director: Nacho Vigalondo | Stars: Karra Elejalde , Candela Fernández , Bárbara Goenaga , Nacho Vigalondo

Votes: 68,804 | Gross: $0.04M

22. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

PG-13 | 103 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Peggy Sue faints at a high school reunion. When she wakes up, she finds herself in her own past, just before she finished school.

Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: Kathleen Turner , Nicolas Cage , Barry Miller , Catherine Hicks

Votes: 40,833 | Gross: $41.38M

23. Deja Vu (2006)

PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

After a ferry is bombed in New Orleans, an A.T.F. agent joins a unique investigation using experimental surveillance technology to find the bomber, but soon finds himself becoming obsessed with one of the victims.

Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Denzel Washington , Paula Patton , Jim Caviezel , Val Kilmer

Votes: 327,752 | Gross: $64.04M

24. Somewhere in Time (1980)

PG | 103 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance

A Chicago playwright uses self-hypnosis to travel back in time and meet the actress whose vintage portrait hangs in a grand hotel.

Director: Jeannot Szwarc | Stars: Christopher Reeve , Jane Seymour , Christopher Plummer , Teresa Wright

Votes: 32,554 | Gross: $9.71M

25. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

R | 99 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi

A malfunctioning time machine at a ski resort takes a man back to 1986 with his two friends and nephew, where they must relive a fateful night and not change anything to make sure the nephew is born.

Director: Steve Pink | Stars: John Cusack , Rob Corddry , Craig Robinson , Clark Duke

Votes: 186,559 | Gross: $50.29M

26. Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)

R | 93 min | Comedy, Mystery, Sci-Fi

When Lou's shot in the groin, Nick and Jacob drag him in the Hot Tub Time Machine to go back in time and save Lou. The three end up 10 years in the future, where they need to go to find the shooter.

Director: Steve Pink | Stars: Rob Corddry , Craig Robinson , Clark Duke , Adam Scott

Votes: 41,671 | Gross: $12.28M

27. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

PG-13 | 95 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

Dr. Evil is back and has invented a new time machine that allows him to go back to the 1960s and steal Austin Powers' mojo, inadvertently leaving him "shagless".

Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Mike Myers , Heather Graham , Michael York , Robert Wagner

Votes: 248,929 | Gross: $206.04M

28. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

R | 86 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Three magazine employees head out on an assignment to interview a guy who placed a classified advertisement seeking a companion for time travel.

Director: Colin Trevorrow | Stars: Aubrey Plaza , Mark Duplass , Jake Johnson , Karan Soni

Votes: 130,871 | Gross: $4.01M

29. 13 Going on 30 (2004)

PG-13 | 98 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

Unpopular schoolgirl Jenna Rink makes an unusual wish on her birthday. Miraculously, her wish comes true and the 13-year-old Jenna wakes up the next day as a 30-year-old woman.

Director: Gary Winick | Stars: Jennifer Garner , Mark Ruffalo , Judy Greer , Andy Serkis

Votes: 217,059 | Gross: $57.23M

30. The Time Machine (2002)

PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds humankind divided into two warring races.

Director: Simon Wells | Stars: Guy Pearce , Yancey Arias , Mark Addy , Phyllida Law

Votes: 130,447 | Gross: $56.68M

31. The Time Machine (1960)

G | 103 min | Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi

A man's vision for a utopian society is disillusioned when travelling forward into time reveals a dark and dangerous society.

Director: George Pal | Stars: Rod Taylor , Alan Young , Yvette Mimieux , Sebastian Cabot

Votes: 44,865

32. Timecop (1994)

R | 99 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

Max Walker, an officer for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician who's intent on changing the past to control the future.

Director: Peter Hyams | Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme , Mia Sara , Ron Silver , Bruce McGill

Votes: 64,215 | Gross: $44.85M

33. The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

PG | 102 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

A United States Navy destroyer escort participates in a Navy "invisibility" experiment that inadvertently sends two sailors forty years into the future.

Director: Stewart Raffill | Stars: Michael Paré , Nancy Allen , Eric Christmas , Bobby Di Cicco

Votes: 16,759 | Gross: $8.10M

34. Philadelphia Experiment II (1993)

PG-13 | 97 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

In the sci-fi thriller The Philadelphia Experiment the sole survivor of a wartime experiment is catapulted 41 years into the future and must race to save the world as we know it. It's now 10 years later--1993.

Director: Stephen Cornwell | Stars: Brad Johnson , Marjean Holden , Gerrit Graham , John Christian Graas

Votes: 2,234 | Gross: $0.00M

35. The Jacket (2005)

R | 103 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

A Gulf war veteran is wrongly sent to a mental institution for insane criminals, where he becomes the object of a doctor's experiments, and his life is completely affected by them.

Director: John Maybury | Stars: Adrien Brody , Keira Knightley , Daniel Craig , Kris Kristofferson

Votes: 119,315 | Gross: $6.30M

36. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

R | 113 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Evan Treborn suffers blackouts during significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life by reading his journal.

Directors: Eric Bress , J. Mackye Gruber | Stars: Ashton Kutcher , Amy Smart , Melora Walters , Elden Henson

Votes: 521,364 | Gross: $57.94M

37. The Butterfly Effect 2 (2006)

R | 92 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Nick Larson discovers a supernatural way to alter his life and travel back in time to key moments in his life by looking at photographs.

Director: John R. Leonetti | Stars: Eric Lively , Erica Durance , Dustin Milligan , Gina Holden

Votes: 37,331

38. Freejack (1992)

R | 110 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

Bounty hunters from the future transport a doomed race car driver to New York City in 2009, where his mind will be replaced with that of a dead billionaire.

Director: Geoff Murphy | Stars: Emilio Estevez , Mick Jagger , Rene Russo , Anthony Hopkins

Votes: 17,470 | Gross: $17.13M

39. Timequest (2000)

R | 92 min | Sci-Fi

A story about a man who travels back in time to Fort Worth, Texas on November 22, 1963 and prevents the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Director: Robert Dyke | Stars: Victor Slezak , Caprice Benedetti , Vince Grant , Bruce Campbell

40. Run Lola Run (1998)

R | 80 min | Action, Crime, Thriller

After a botched money delivery, Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks.

Director: Tom Tykwer | Stars: Franka Potente , Moritz Bleibtreu , Herbert Knaup , Nina Petri

Votes: 207,064 | Gross: $7.27M

41. The Lake House (2006)

PG | 99 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance

A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside house begins to exchange love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it's too late.

Director: Alejandro Agresti | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Sandra Bullock , Christopher Plummer , Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Votes: 157,711 | Gross: $52.33M

42. The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (1988)

PG | 92 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Men seeking relief from the Black Death, guided by a boy's vision, dig a tunnel from 14th century England to 20th century New Zealand.

Director: Vincent Ward | Stars: Bruce Lyons , Chris Haywood , Hamish Gough , Marshall Napier

Votes: 3,982 | Gross: $1.33M

43. Frequency (2000)

PG-13 | 118 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

An accidental cross-time radio link connects father and son across 30 years. The son tries to save his father's life, but then must fix the consequences.

Director: Gregory Hoblit | Stars: Dennis Quaid , Jim Caviezel , Shawn Doyle , Elizabeth Mitchell

Votes: 115,787 | Gross: $45.01M

44. Triangle (2009)

R | 99 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Five friends set sail and their yacht is overturned by a strange and sudden storm. A mysterious ship arrives to rescue them, and what happens next cannot be explained.

Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Melissa George , Joshua McIvor , Jack Taylor , Michael Dorman

Votes: 129,895

45. The Final Countdown (1980)

PG | 103 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Director: Don Taylor | Stars: Kirk Douglas , Martin Sheen , Katharine Ross , James Farentino

Votes: 26,963 | Gross: $16.65M

46. About Time (I) (2013)

R | 123 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

At the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as you might think.

Director: Richard Curtis | Stars: Domhnall Gleeson , Rachel McAdams , Bill Nighy , Lydia Wilson

Votes: 386,106 | Gross: $15.32M

47. Project Almanac (2015)

PG-13 | 106 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

A group of teens discovers secret plans for a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.

Director: Dean Israelite | Stars: Amy Landecker , Sofia Black-D'Elia , Virginia Gardner , Jonny Weston

Votes: 84,264 | Gross: $22.35M

48. Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009)

PG-13 | 83 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi

While drinking at their local pub, three social outcasts attempt to navigate a time-travel conundrum.

Director: Gareth Carrivick | Stars: Chris O'Dowd , Marc Wootton , Dean Lennox Kelly , Anna Faris

Votes: 36,579

49. Kate & Leopold (2001)

PG-13 | 118 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

An English Duke from 1876 is inadvertently dragged to modern day New York where he falls for a plucky advertising executive.

Director: James Mangold | Stars: Meg Ryan , Hugh Jackman , Liev Schreiber , Breckin Meyer

Votes: 89,097 | Gross: $47.12M

50. Interstellar (2014)

PG-13 | 169 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

When Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans.

Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Matthew McConaughey , Anne Hathaway , Jessica Chastain , Mackenzie Foy

Votes: 2,101,991 | Gross: $188.02M

51. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Henry DeTamble, a librarian, possesses a unique gene that lets him involuntarily travel through time. His wife, Claire Abshire, finds it difficult to cope with it.

Director: Robert Schwentke | Stars: Eric Bana , Rachel McAdams , Ron Livingston , Michelle Nolden

Votes: 157,945 | Gross: $63.41M

52. Army of Darkness (1992)

R | 81 min | Comedy, Horror

When Ash Williams is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead in order to return home.

Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Bruce Campbell , Embeth Davidtz , Marcus Gilbert , Ian Abercrombie

Votes: 194,435 | Gross: $11.50M

53. Idiocracy (2006)

R | 84 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Corporal Joe Bauers, a decidedly average American, is selected for a top-secret hibernation program but is forgotten and left to awaken to a future so incredibly moronic that he's easily the most intelligent person alive.

Director: Mike Judge | Stars: Luke Wilson , Maya Rudolph , Dax Shepard , Terry Crews

Votes: 182,555 | Gross: $0.44M

54. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

R | 109 min | Action, Sci-Fi

A machine from a post-apocalyptic future travels back in time to protect a man and a woman from an advanced robotic assassin to ensure they both survive a nuclear attack.

Director: Jonathan Mostow | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Nick Stahl , Kristanna Loken , Claire Danes

Votes: 418,639 | Gross: $150.37M

55. Terminator Genisys (2015)

PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

When John Connor, leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline.

Director: Alan Taylor | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Jason Clarke , Emilia Clarke , Jai Courtney

Votes: 292,614 | Gross: $89.76M

56. Interstellar (2014)

57. a connecticut yankee in king arthur's court (1949).

Approved | 106 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy

A singing mechanic from 1912 finds himself in Arthurian Britain.

Director: Tay Garnett | Stars: Bing Crosby , Rhonda Fleming , Cedric Hardwicke , William Bendix

Votes: 2,746

58. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

PG | 142 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.

Director: Alfonso Cuarón | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Richard Griffiths

Votes: 691,898 | Gross: $249.36M

59. Planet of the Apes (1968)

G | 112 min | Adventure, Sci-Fi

An astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet where highly intelligent non-human ape species are dominant and humans are enslaved.

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner | Stars: Charlton Heston , Roddy McDowall , Kim Hunter , Maurice Evans

Votes: 193,465 | Gross: $33.40M

60. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

PG | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

To save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in 1986 to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback whales.

Director: Leonard Nimoy | Stars: William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy , DeForest Kelley , James Doohan

Votes: 91,509 | Gross: $109.71M

61. Star Trek (2009)

PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.

Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Chris Pine , Zachary Quinto , Simon Pegg , Leonard Nimoy

Votes: 620,380 | Gross: $257.73M

62. Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)

R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

Billy Pilgrim has mysteriously become unstuck in time. He goes on an uncontrollable trip back and forth from his birth in New York to life on a distant planet and back again to the horrors of the 1945 fire-bombing of Dresden.

Director: George Roy Hill | Stars: Michael Sacks , Ron Leibman , Eugene Roche , Sharon Gans

Votes: 13,915 | Gross: $0.57M

63. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

PG-13 | 111 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

The Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. Captain Picard and his crew pursue them to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes his maiden flight reaching warp speed.

Director: Jonathan Frakes | Stars: Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , Brent Spiner , LeVar Burton

Votes: 132,104 | Gross: $92.00M

64. Repeaters (2010)

89 min | Action, Crime, Drama

Three twenty-somethings find themselves in an impossible time loop, where each day they awaken to the same terrifying day as the preceding one.

Director: Carl Bessai | Stars: Dustin Milligan , Amanda Crew , Richard de Klerk , Alexia Fast

Votes: 7,055

65. Christmas Do-Over (2006 TV Movie)

PG | 90 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Kevin tries to be involved with his son and ex-wife's family for Christmas. During dinner, he thought his Christmas *day* couldn't be more screwed; his son suddenly wishes it was Christmas ... See full summary  »

Director: Catherine Cyran | Stars: Jay Mohr , Daphne Zuniga , David Millbern , Adrienne Barbeau

Votes: 1,414

66. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

PG-13 | 100 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

While attending his brother's wedding, a serial womanizer is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends.

Director: Mark Waters | Stars: Matthew McConaughey , Jennifer Garner , Emma Stone , Michael Douglas

Votes: 94,633 | Gross: $55.25M

67. A Christmas Carol (2009)

PG | 96 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

An animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Jim Carrey , Gary Oldman , Colin Firth , Steve Valentine

Votes: 129,568 | Gross: $137.86M

68. Before I Fall (2017)

PG-13 | 98 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

February 12 is just another day in Sam's charmed life, until it turns out to be her last. Stuck reliving her last day over and over, Sam untangles the mystery around her death and discovers everything she's losing.

Director: Ry Russo-Young | Stars: Zoey Deutch , Halston Sage , Cynthy Wu , Medalion Rahimi

Votes: 56,830 | Gross: $12.24M

69. Mr. Nobody (2009)

R | 141 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance

A boy stands on a station platform as a train is about to leave. Should he go with his mother or stay with his father? Infinite possibilities arise from this decision. As long as he doesn't choose, anything is possible.

Director: Jaco Van Dormael | Stars: Jared Leto , Sarah Polley , Diane Kruger , Linh-Dan Pham

Votes: 245,900 | Gross: $0.00M

70. Tenet (2020)

PG-13 | 150 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Armed with only the word "Tenet," and fighting for the survival of the entire world, CIA operative, The Protagonist, journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a global mission that unfolds beyond real time.

Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: John David Washington , Robert Pattinson , Elizabeth Debicki , Juhan Ulfsak

Votes: 593,090 | Gross: $58.46M

71. Assassin's Creed (2016)

PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha and gains the skills of a Master Assassin, before taking on the secret Templar society.

Director: Justin Kurzel | Stars: Michael Fassbender , Marion Cotillard , Jeremy Irons , Brendan Gleeson

Votes: 208,937 | Gross: $54.65M

72. Happy Death Day (2017)

PG-13 | 96 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery

A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer's identity.

Director: Christopher Landon | Stars: Jessica Rothe , Israel Broussard , Ruby Modine , Charles Aitken

Votes: 162,895 | Gross: $55.68M

73. Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

PG-13 | 100 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery

Tree Gelbman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.

Director: Christopher Landon | Stars: Jessica Rothe , Israel Broussard , Phi Vu , Suraj Sharma

Votes: 85,384 | Gross: $28.15M

74. Batman Ninja (2018)

PG-13 | 85 min | Animation, Action, Sci-Fi

Batman, along with a number of his allies and adversaries, finds himself transplanted from modern Gotham City to feudal Japan.

Director: Junpei Mizusaki | Stars: Kôichi Yamadera , Wataru Takagi , Ai Kakuma , Rie Kugimiya

Votes: 21,944

75. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

PG | 92 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Sherman, a young boy, misuses a time machine made by his scientist father Mr. Peabody and causes the world history to go haywire. It is now up to Mr. Peabody to rescue his son and the world.

Director: Rob Minkoff | Stars: Ty Burrell , Max Charles , Stephen Colbert , Leslie Mann

Votes: 77,863 | Gross: $111.51M

76. Land of the Lost (2009)

PG-13 | 102 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A space-time vortex sucks scientist Rick Marshall, his assistant Holly and a survivalist Will into a world populated by dinosaurs and painfully slow creatures called Sleestaks.

Director: Brad Silberling | Stars: Will Ferrell , Danny McBride , Anna Friel , Jorma Taccone

Votes: 75,317 | Gross: $49.44M

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