What Will Be This Year’s Best Science Fiction Movie?

The sci-fi genre hasn’t been as high profile in recent times as it was in the golden age of the 1940s and 1950s when it became a hugely significant part of the entertainment industry. 2024 has some big new releases lined up though, so could one of the following movies reignite the genre this year?

In the sci-fi thriller ‘I.S.S.,' Ariana DeBose plays an astronaut at the International Space Station who has to grapple with a terrible event on Earth. https://t.co/qzWDbtVH1w

— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 19, 2024

I.S.S. Has Received Mixed Reviews

This movie became one of the year’s first sci-fi releases upon release in January. It stars the likes of Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina as astronauts who join the International Space Station. The American and Russian crew members get on well with each other until they witness nuclear war breaking out on Earth and are forced to fight for control of the station. 

Reviews of I.S.S. have been mixed so far but its release is a sign that the sci-fi genre continues to appeal to many people. This can be confirmed by looking at other parts of the entertainment industry, such as music, gaming, and even the online gambling space. Take for example the inclusion of Starburst among the best slot machines with bonus games. It’s proved to be one of the most enduringly popular online casino games and has been joined by other sci-fi slots like Slingo Space Invaders and Cosmic Cash.  

Megalopolis is Francis Ford Coppola’s Long-Anticipated Epic

One of the most intriguing films of the year, Megalopolis was written and is being directed by Francis Ford Coppola. An all-star cast including Forest Whitaker, Adam Driver, and Aubrey Plaza appear in a future world where the main characters need to agree on how to rebuild New York into a utopia after it was totally destroyed by a disaster.

Coppola has been working on the idea for more than four decades and is said to be spending about $120 million of his own fortune to finally bring it to life. Filming ends in early 2024, with its premiere possibly coming at the Cannes Film Festival in May. However, no firm release date has yet been mentioned for it.

Rebel Moon: Part 2 Sees Many Characters Return

2023’s Rebel Moon – Part One quickly became Netflix’s number-one movie despite overall poor reviews. The story of an evil empire ruling a fictional galaxy was criticised for its overt similarities to other sci-fi movies, but that didn’t stop Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Scargiver from getting the green light. An April release date is expected for this tale of a group of rebels fighting back against the powerful Motherworld.

Many of the same characters from the first installment are back for this second film, with Sofia Boutella as rebel fighter Kora and Djimon Hounsou playing the part of General Titus. It’s not yet clear whether the second Rebel Moon will go straight onto the Netflix service or get a limited theatrical run before it heads over to the streaming platform.

The fact that all these sci-fi movies offer such different experiences reveals how diverse the genre has become. Opinion is likely to be divided over which is the best release in 2024, with each fan finding reasons to back their favourite.