This is especially the case for French animation, with films like Fantastic Planet and Robot Dreams being great examples of the country's exceptional tendency for animated sci-fi.

But every so often, a title slips through the cracks — especially when it skips theaters altogether. That’s the case with “The Fix,” a 2024 sci-fi thriller directed by Kelsey Egan.

We’ve put together a list of seven sci-fi movies that didn’t need to be franchises. From cult classics to blockbusters, these films are all perfectly self-contained with no threads left dangling.

3% is a sci-fi drama leaning more toward a dystopian thriller, and it is an intense watch. Set sometime in the future, the story shows a world that shuttles young adults to compete in dangerous games.

Some of the greatest scenes in sci-fi movies include an iconic parental reveal by one of cinema's most famous villains. There's the unforgettable image of a robot slowly coming to life as ...

Streaming Prime Video One of the most underrated sci-fi thriller movies is streaming free on Prime Video — it’s even more intense than I remember Opinion By Alix Blackburn published April 19, 2025 ...

Neuromancer has inspired many hit movies in the sci-fi genre, most notably The Matrix. However, Gibson’s style and ideas can be seen in a range of projects such as Repo Man, Ready Player One ...

A Drop of Corruption: An Ana and Din Mystery by Robert Jackson Bennett A quirky detective and her faithful assistant take on their most perplexing case yet: a murderer that can seemingly walk ...