Prime Video: 14 of the Best Sci-Fi Movies You Should Stream Right Now

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Aaron Pruner Writer

Aaron covers what's exciting and new in the world of home entertainment and streaming TV. Previously, he wrote about entertainment for places like Rotten Tomatoes, Inverse, TheWrap and The Hollywood Reporter. Aaron is also an actor and stay-at-home dad, which means coffee is his friend.

6 min read

So you're in the mood to stream a sci-fi movie or two, but don't know where to go. Maybe give Prime Video a shot. The Amazon-owned streamer is jam-packed with fun titles, and when it comes to genre entertainment, you can find a load of cool science fiction movies to delve into. That is, if you have the patience to scroll through all the less-than-satisfactory ones.

Real talk: for every good sci-fi movie, Prime Video is stocked with a bunch of missable ones. Instead of wasting your time looking through all the films you don't want to watch, keep reading, as I did the heavy lifting for you. Below is a list of the sci-fi movies worth watching. Keep in mind, these titles are all included with your Prime membership, so this roundup has nothing to do with add-on subscriptions or the films currently available for rent.

Every flavor of science fiction is at your disposal here, with stories about alien invasions and alternate dimensions to mad doctors and dystopian futures. Scroll on to find CNET's roundup of the best sci-fi movies currently on Prime Video. I'll regularly update this list, so be sure to check back each month.

Read more: Prime Video: 23 of the Best Sci-Fi TV Shows You Need to Stream Right Now

Superman

James Gunn's first feature film as head of DC Studios delivers a refreshing take on the iconic Kryptonian. David Corenswet brings a new sense of flawed charm to that of Clark Kent/Superman. Rachel Brosnahan is fantastic as Lois Lane and Nicolas Hoult is delightfully cringey as Lex Luthor. Unlike previous adaptations, this one posits the notion that kindness is punk rock. And it is.

Director: James Gunn

Stars: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult,

Running time: 129 minutes

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

What happens when two high school slackers at risk of failing their history class assignment discover a time-traveling phone booth? Well, they go to different points in time to collect historical figures to support their presentation, obviously. This silly movie helped launch the careers of Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, and reintroduced comedy icon George Carlin to the world. Excellent.

Director: Stephen Herek

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

Running time: 90 minutes

Masters of the Universe

Before Nicholas Galatzine beckoned the power of Grayskull in 2026's live-action adaptation of the famous toy line from the '80s, Dolph Lundgren did so in 1987 in the first movie to bring He-Man to life. Frank Langella takes on the role of Skeletor and, if you take a close look, you'll find a young Courteney Cox playing Julie Winston. Is it silly? Sure, but that's part of the movie's charm.

Director: Gary Goddard

Stars: Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster, Billy Barty, Courteney Cox, Jon Cypher, Chelsea Field

Running time: 106 minutes

Serenity

Three years after cult sci-fi series Firefly went off the air, Serenity continued the story. The movie, which is like a space western, spy thriller and action flick mashup, follows the crew of the Firefly as they strive to protect a psychic named River from a hired killer after she sees some government secrets she really wasn't supposed to see.

Director: Joss Whedon

Stars: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Ron Glass, Summer Glau

Running time: 119 minutes

John Dies at the End

John Dies at the End is based on the book by Jason Pargin (who wrote under the pen name David Wong). You could categorize this movie as sci-fi, as horror and as comedy, and you'd be correct all three times. Don Coscarelli directed the film, which follows two slacker friends who travel to other dimensions after taking a drug called Soy Sauce. Oh, and they must save the planet from monsters, aliens and inter-dimensional beasts.

Director: Don Coscarelli

Stars: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman, Doug Jones

Running time: 99 minutes

The Running Man

Edgar Wright came through with a flashy remake of the '80s cult classic. What's different about this Running Man? There's no Arnold Schwarzenegger or Richard Dawson, but the movie absolutely strikes a chord. And, it's truer to the Stephen King (I mean, Richard Bachman) short story. Basically, the idea here is that it's the future, and people love this reality TV show that follows a man who is hunted everywhere he goes. If he survives, he wins a fortune. Yeah, I'd watch that.

Director: Edgar Wright

Stars: Glen Powell, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin

Running time: 134 minutes

Re-Animator

You could absolutely consider Re-Animator to be a horror movie -- and it is. But the subject matter of life regeneration in this H.P. Lovecraft-inspired B-movie classic puts it in the sci-fi category, as well. It's campy, gory and peak '80s fun. You're welcome.

Director: Stuart Gordon

Stars: Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, David Gale

Running time: 86 minutes

Triangle

There are time loop movies, and then there's Triangle. This is a little underdog of a movie filled with enough twists and terror to keep you invested. Heck, it burrowed itself into my brain when I first saw it in 2009 and stayed there for a while. The movie follows a woman named Jess as she struggles to survive a killer on a deserted boat. Sounds simple enough, but things go haywire rather quickly.

Director: Christopher Smith

Stars: Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor, Michael Dorman, Henry Nixon, Liam Hemsworth

Running time: 99 minutes

Highlander

Highlander follows an immortal man named Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) who faces off in a centuries-long battle against five immortal enemies in the streets of New York City. This movie is peak '80s sci-fi, which means if you're looking for an action movie that leans heavily into the schlocky absurdity of the genre, this is the title for you.

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Stars: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown

Running time: 111 minutes

Limitless

What if there were a pill that could turn any person into a hyperintelligent super genius? Limitless aims to answer that question. The movie stars Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra, a down-on-his-luck writer who takes the untested drug and uses it to massively level up his life. Of course, what goes up must come down, and Eddie soon finds out that sometimes, it's best to leave mysterious meds alone.

Director: Neil Burger

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Johnny Whitworth, Andrew Howard, Hill Harper, Richard Bekins, Daniel Breaker, Robert John Burke

Running time: 105 minutes

The Tomorrow War

Chris Pratt stars in this action movie that follows a group of soldiers who travel back in time to warn of a future where humanity is losing the war against an army of alien invaders. Mankind's only hope lies in a group of would-be heroes who are tapped to travel to the future in order to save the present.

Director: Chris McKay

Stars: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, Betty Gilpin, Jasmine Mathews, Sam Richardson, J.K. Simmons

Running time: 138 minutes

A Quiet Place: Day One

A Quiet Place: Day One takes audiences back to the very beginning of the alien invasion. While it may not be a necessary entry in the franchise -- like, say, 10 Cloverfield Lane -- the movie digs its heels into the human experience amid an otherworldly cataclysmic disaster. Come for the disaster, stay for the cute cat.

Director: Michael Samoski

Stars: Joseph Quinn, Lupita Nyong'o, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, Thea Butler, Denis O'Hare

Running time: 99 minutes

Donnie Darko

This mind-bending cult classic stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a misunderstood high schooler who, after seemingly surviving a horrific accident, begins traveling through time. In the process, he discovers the joy of being alive and in love. Themes of depression, repression and alternative universes fill this delightfully bizarre film. Also, let's not forget that giant demon bunny named Frank.

Director: Richard Kelly

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Seth Rogen, Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze, Mary McDonnell, Noah Wyle

Running time: 113 minutes

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AARON PRUNER

Writer

Aaron covers what's exciting and new in the world of home entertainment and streaming TV. Previously, he wrote about entertainment for places like Rotten Tomatoes, Inverse, TheWrap and The Hollywood Reporter. Aaron is also an actor and stay-at-home dad, which means coffee is his friend. See full bio