Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →According to Space.com’s December 27, 2025 year-end ranking, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is the best sci-fi movie of the year. The list below follows Space.com’s first ten positions in order; it is one outlet’s editorial selection, not a critics’ aggregate or an objective consensus. Its broad definition of science fiction includes superhero stories, animation, creature horror and gothic speculation.
How this ranking works
Space.com published twelve picks and this ranking uses its positions one through ten, preserving the source order. One position combines two Predator films, so the ten ranked slots represent eleven titles. The list also leaves out Avatar: Fire and Ash: Space.com’s writer had not watched it when the list was assembled. Disney lists the film’s release date as December 19, 2025, so its absence is a timing caveat rather than a negative ranking. Space.com’s year-end list is the authority for the order and descriptions below; it does not establish a shared scoring rubric or wider critical consensus.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![The Last Starfighter [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51RTvExcw6L._SL160_.jpg)
|
The Last Starfighter [Blu-ray] | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Interstellar (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital) | $19.59 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Sci-Fi: Triple Feature (BD) (Soylent Green, Logan's Run, Omega Man) | $17.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![The Frighteners [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51UyjOp8geL._SL160_.jpg)
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The Frighteners [Blu-ray] | $8.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Star Trek Trilogy: The Kelvin Timeline (4k UHD + Blu-ray + Digital) | $35.97 | Buy on Amazon |
The 10 best sci-fi movies of 2025, ranked
1. Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro’s gothic interpretation stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz. Space.com places it first, arguing that its subject and source material fit a broad science-fiction definition. That framing works if speculative fiction includes a story shaped by creation, science and its consequences; viewers who reserve “sci-fi” for technology-forward or futuristic premises may draw the boundary differently. This ranking adopts the broader definition, without claiming the film is a faithful adaptation.
2. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Directed by Matt Shakman, this superhero adventure stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn. Its retro-futuristic 1960s New York setting, team-and-family dynamics, humor and heart offer a colorful, accessible entry point, while Galactus and the Silver Surfer supply the large-scale threat. It is a strong choice for viewers after superhero spectacle rather than a narrowly technological premise.
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3. Ash
Flying Lotus directs Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais and Kate Elliott in an alien-planet survival story with a horror edge. A woman wakes to find her space-station crew murdered and cannot be sure whether to trust the rescuer who arrives. The straightforward survival hook sits alongside a non-linear feel, vivid imagery and a synth-driven mood. Rotten Tomatoes lists its U.S. wide theatrical release as March 21, 2025, and its streaming release as April 22, 2025. Rotten Tomatoes’ listing for Ash describes the premise and release dates.
4. Predator: Killer of Killers and Predator: Badlands
Space.com groups these two Dan Trachtenberg-directed works in one ranked slot, rather than treating them as a single film. Killer of Killers is an animated anthology; Badlands takes a more humorous buddy-adventure approach, pairing a young Yautja hunter with a Weyland-Yutani android. The combined placement suits viewers curious about different tones and formats within the same franchise.
Rank #2
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Number of Discs: 3
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 169
- Rating: PG13
5. 28 Years Later
Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland return to the franchise for this science-fiction horror story, starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell and Alfie Williams. In a world shaped by the Rage virus, a father and son leave an island refuge. The film leans on post-apocalyptic survival and folk-horror texture, making it a less conventional sci-fi choice than a space or technology-centered film.
6. Superman
James Gunn’s colorful superhero blockbuster stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. Space.com’s case for it is its optimistic tone and lively ensemble; the trade-off is that the number of characters can make the story feel crowded. It belongs here as a broad, accessible sci-fi-adjacent spectacle, though viewers seeking a harder science-fiction premise may prefer another entry.
Rank #3
7. Lost in Starlight
Han Ji-won’s Korean animated romance follows astronaut Nan-young as she joins a Mars mission and her relationship with musician Jay is tested by distance. Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung are among the listed voice cast, and an original K-pop soundtrack gives the film another distinctive element. It is the clearest pick for viewers who want animation, romance and emotional stakes rather than action-led science fiction.
8. Bugonia
Yorgos Lanthimos directs Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in an offbeat paranoid comedy-thriller. Conspiracy-minded beekeepers kidnap a business executive they believe is an extraterrestrial; the story becomes a battle of wits over what is real and what its characters are willing to believe. Choose it for satire and unease rather than conventional space adventure.
Rank #4
9. Lilo & Stitch
Dean Fleischer Camp’s live-action remake stars Maia Kealoha, Sydney Agudong, Billy Magnussen and Hannah Waddingham. Stitch’s origin as an alien biological weapon gives the family adventure its science-fiction hook, while Lilo’s relationship with him and her family supplies its emotional center. The film adapts Disney’s 2002 animated feature.
10. The Gorge
Scott Derrickson’s action-romance-horror blend stars Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sigourney Weaver. Two sniper specialists from enemy countries guard opposite sides of a trench where unnatural creatures lurk; they eventually join forces and fall in love. Its contained setup makes it a fit for viewers who want creature horror and romance alongside the action.
Best Value
Which film should you pick?
- For gothic speculation or alien horror: start with Frankenstein or Ash.
- For superhero spectacle: choose The Fantastic Four: First Steps for retro-futurist team adventure, or Superman for an optimistic ensemble.
- For animation and romance: Lost in Starlight centers a relationship across a Mars mission.
- For conspiracy satire: try Bugonia.
- For action, romance and creature horror: The Gorge offers all three in a contained premise.
- For franchise horror and survival: 28 Years Later brings post-virus dread, while the combined Predator slot spans animated anthology and buddy adventure.
Why Avatar: Fire and Ash is not on the list
The omission reflects the timing of Space.com’s viewing, not a placement below its ten ranked slots: the writer said the film had just opened and they had not yet watched it. Disney identifies it as a science-fiction film and lists its release date as December 19, 2025. That confirms the release context, not how Space.com would have ranked it after viewing. Disney’s official Avatar: Fire and Ash page lists the film’s classification and release information.
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