This page will look at our Top 100 Science Fiction Movies….statistically speaking. Since 2011 we have been collecting movie stats and ranking movies. For this page we researched 100s and 100s of science fiction movies from 1902 to 2016.
During that research we found box office grosses, critic reviews, audience voting and award recognition on 625 science fiction movies. The following table lists the Top 100 Science Fiction Movies that have the BEST COMBINATION OF BOX OFFICE, REVIEWS AND AWARDS.
Top 100 Science Fiction Movies rules: (1) Superhero, King Kong and Godzilla movies would not be included in the study…..why? To us they fall into the fantasy category versus the science fiction category. (2) To be included in the page the movie’s box office grosses needed to be known. (3) The movie needed to have played in North American theaters. To help find all of these movies two books were a big help: Chris Barsanti’s The Sci-Fi Movie Guide and Tom DeMichael’s Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ. If your favorite science fiction movie did not make the Top 200 then there is a good chance you can find it on our massive 625 Science Fiction Movies page.
Top 100 Science Fiction Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Top 100 Science Fiction movies by stars of the movie
- Sort Top 100 Science Fiction movies by adjusted domestic box office using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Top 100 Science Fiction movies by domestic box office rank
- Sort Top 100 Science Fiction movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort Top 100 Science Fiction movies by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each movie received.
- Sort Top 100 Science Fiction movies by Ultimate Movie Ranking (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
1 | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) AA Best Picture Nom |
Harrison Ford & Alec Guinness |
398.00 | 1,924.0 | 3,443.80 | 1 | 94 | 10 / 06 | 99.8 | |
2 | Gravity (2013) AA Best Picture Nom |
Sandra Bullock & George Clooney |
274.10 | 363.4 | 958.90 | 6 | 87 | 10 / 07 | 99.7 | |
3 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) AA Best Picture Nom |
Drew Barrymore & Directed by Steven Spielberg |
416.70 | 1,527.9 | 2,839.80 | 1 | 87 | 09 / 04 | 99.7 | |
5 | Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) AA Best Picture Nom |
Tom Hardy & Charlize Theron |
154.10 | 197.0 | 484.50 | 21 | 86 | 10 / 06 | 99.7 | |
4 | Inception (2010) AA Best Picture Nom |
Leonardo DiCaprio & Michael Caine |
292.60 | 399.7 | 1,127.90 | 6 | 86 | 08 / 04 | 99.6 | |
7 | Avatar (2009) AA Best Picture Nom |
Zoe Saldana & Directed by James Cameron |
748.80 | 1,076.2 | 3,990.40 | 1 | 85 | 09 / 03 | 99.6 | |
6 | Aliens (1986) | Sigourney Weaver & Michael Biehn |
141.00 | 409.6 | 409.60 | 3 | 94 | 07 / 02 | 99.6 | |
8 | The Martian (2015) AA Best Picture Nom |
Matt Damon & Jessica Chastain |
228.40 | 292.1 | 805.80 | 8 | 88 | 07 / 00 | 99.5 | |
9 | WALL·E (2008) | Fred Willard & Jeff Garlin |
223.80 | 336.0 | 782.70 | 5 | 93 | 06 / 01 | 99.5 | |
10 | Terminator 2 (1991) | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 204.80 | 524.5 | 1,331.10 | 2 | 89 | 06 / 04 | 99.4 | |
11 | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) | Richard Dreyfuss & Directed by Steven Spielberg |
124.40 | 601.3 | 1,431.30 | 3 | 91 | 08 / 01 | 99.4 | |
12 | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) | Harrison Ford & Carrie Fisher |
255.30 | 1,058.4 | 2,086.20 | 1 | 92 | 03 / 02 | 99.4 | |
13 | A Clockwork Orange (1971) AA Best Picture Nom |
Malcolm McDowell & Directed by Stanley Kubrick |
51.50 | 336.6 | 336.60 | 5 | 88 | 04 / 00 | 99.3 | |
14 | 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | Directed by Stanley Kubrick | 56.90 | 468.4 | 468.40 | 1 | 92 | 04 / 01 | 99.3 | |
15 | Back to the Future (1985) | Michael J. Fox & Christopher Lloyd |
209.60 | 636.5 | 1,154.20 | 1 | 91 | 04 / 01 | 99.2 | |
16 | Alien (1979) | Sigourney Weaver & Directed by Ridley Scott |
106.10 | 455.5 | 455.50 | 2 | 92 | 02 / 01 | 99.2 | |
17 | The Truman Show (1998) | Jim Carrey & Ed Harris |
125.60 | 288.7 | 607.10 | 11 | 91 | 03 / 00 | 99.1 | |
18 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) | Harrison Ford & Daisy Ridley |
910.70 | 1,164.5 | 2,611.50 | 1 | 90 | 05 / 00 | 99.1 | |
19 | Star Trek (2009) | Chris Pine & Leonard Nimoy |
257.70 | 370.4 | 554.40 | 7 | 89 | 04 / 01 | 99.1 | |
20 | The Matrix (1999) | Keanu Reeves & Laurence Fishburne |
171.50 | 365.3 | 987.50 | 5 | 85 | 04 / 04 | 99.1 | |
21 | Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) | Chris Pratt & Bradley Cooper |
335.20 | 442.3 | 1,023.00 | 2 | 88 | 02 / 00 | 98.8 | |
22 | Minority Report (2002) | Tom Cruise & Directed by Steven Spielberg |
132.10 | 245.5 | 666.10 | 17 | 88 | 01 / 00 | 98.7 | |
23 | Planet of the Apes (1968) | Charlton Heston | 42.90 | 352.7 | 352.70 | 7 | 86 | 02 / 00 | 98.6 | |
24 | Men in Black (1997) | Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones |
250.70 | 588.8 | 1,384.20 | 2 | 84 | 03 / 01 | 98.6 | |
25 | Jurassic Park (1993) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 381.10 | 992.2 | 2,624.10 | 1 | 81 | 03 / 03 | 98.5 | |
26 | 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) | Kirk Douglas & James Mason |
22.90 | 535.7 | 535.70 | 3 | 82 | 03 / 02 | 98.5 | |
27 | Dune: Part Two (2024) | Timothée Chalamet & Zendaya |
282.10 | 282.1 | 711.80 | 6 | 87 | 00 / 00 | 98.5 | |
27 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) | Woody Harrelson & Elizabeth Banks |
415.00 | 550.3 | 1,134.10 | 1 | 86 | 00 / 00 | 98.4 | |
28 | Interstellar (2014) | Matthew McConaughey & Michael Caine |
188.00 | 248.1 | 890.80 | 16 | 81 | 05 / 01 | 98.3 | |
31 | District 9 (2009) AA Best Picture Nom |
Sharlto Copley | 115.60 | 166.2 | 303.00 | 26 | 86 | 04 / 00 | 98.3 | |
29 | Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013) | Zoe Saldana & Karl Urban |
226.20 | 300.0 | 597.80 | 11 | 84 | 01 / 00 | 98.2 | |
30 | First Contact (1996) | Patrick Stewart & Jonathan Frakes |
92.00 | 224.4 | 365.90 | 17 | 83 | 01 / 00 | 98.1 | |
32 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) | DeForest Kelly & William Shatner |
78.90 | 289.3 | 355.70 | 6 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 97.9 | |
34 | The Terminator (1984) | Arnold Schwarzenegger & Michael Biehn |
53.10 | 170.4 | 298.80 | 13 | 91 | 00 / 00 | 97.9 | |
33 | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) | Harrison Ford & Mark Hamill |
296.30 | 1,014.0 | 1,581.40 | 1 | 78 | 04 / 00 | 97.7 | |
35 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) | Chris Pratt & Kurt Russell |
389.80 | 468.5 | 1,037.80 | 5 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 97.6 | |
36 | Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) | Leonard Nimoy & Walter Koenig |
109.70 | 318.8 | 386.50 | 6 | 77 | 04 / 00 | 97.6 | |
38 | Star Trek: Beyond (2016) | Simon Pegg & Anton Yelchin |
158.80 | 198.0 | 428.00 | 16 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 97.5 | |
37 | Rogue One (2016) | Felecity Jones | 522.20 | 650.8 | 1,303.60 | 1 | 78 | 02 / 00 | 97.4 | |
40 | Arrival (2016) AA Best Picture Nom |
Amy Adams & Jeremy Renner |
100.50 | 125.3 | 253.50 | 30 | 90 | 08 / 01 | 97.3 | |
42 | War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017) | Woody Harrelson | 146.90 | 176.5 | 589.70 | 22 | 85 | 01 / 00 | 97.2 | |
42 | The Hunger Games (2012) | Jennifer Lawrence & Woody Harrelson |
404.00 | 547.1 | 930.70 | 3 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 97.2 | |
41 | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) | Natalie Portman & Samuel L. Jackson |
380.30 | 640.5 | 1,429.60 | 1 | 77 | 01 / 00 | 97.1 | |
43 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) | James Franco | 176.80 | 240.3 | 655.00 | 11 | 77 | 01 / 00 | 96.9 | |
44 | Cocoon (1985) | Jessica Tandy & Directed by Ron Howard |
76.10 | 231.1 | 259.10 | 6 | 73 | 02 / 02 | 96.8 | |
45 | War of the Worlds (2005) | Tom Cruise & Directed by Steven Spielberg |
234.30 | 394.6 | 996.70 | 4 | 73 | 03 / 00 | 96.6 | |
46 | Predator (1987) | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 75.90 | 209.3 | 315.50 | 7 | 74 | 01 / 00 | 96.4 | |
48 | Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) | William Shatner & George Takei |
74.90 | 191.8 | 248.10 | 15 | 76 | 02 / 00 | 96.4 | |
47 | Total Recall (1990) | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 119.40 | 304.3 | 665.90 | 7 | 73 | 02 / 00 | 96.2 | |
49 | The Thing from Another World (1951) | Howard Hawks | 7.60 | 163.2 | 209.40 | 19 | 86 | 00 / 00 | 96.2 | |
52 | Super 8 (2011) | Directed by J.J. Abrams | 127.00 | 172.6 | 353.60 | 21 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 96.0 | |
50 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) | Jennifer Lawrence & Julianne Moore |
332.10 | 438.2 | 990.10 | 3 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 95.9 | |
51 | On the Beach (1959) | Gregory Peck & Fred Astaire |
13.60 | 245.1 | 397.10 | 17 | 71 | 02 / 00 | 95.9 | |
53 | Back to the Future Part II (1989) | Michael J. Fox & Christopher Lloyd |
159.10 | 432.0 | 1,011.80 | 3 | 71 | 01 / 00 | 95.5 | |
54 | The Matrix ReLoaded (2003) | Keanu Reeves & Laurence Fishburne |
281.60 | 503.4 | 1,326.70 | 4 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 95.5 | |
58 | Dune (2021) AA Best Picture Nom |
Timothée Chalamet & Dave Bautista |
106.20 | 112.6 | 413.30 | 13 | 78 | 10 / 06 | 95.4 | |
55 | I Am Legend (2007) | Will Smith | 256.40 | 401.7 | 917.20 | 6 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 95.4 | |
59 | Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) | William Shatner & Christopher Lloyd |
76.50 | 245.3 | 279.40 | 9 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 95.4 | |
57 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) | Woody Harrelson & Donald Sutherland |
281.70 | 360.3 | 835.60 | 7 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 95.3 | |
60 | Time Bandits (1981) | Sean Connery & Directed by Terry Gilliam |
42.40 | 164.3 | 164.30 | 11 | 82 | 00 / 00 | 95.3 | |
59 | Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) | Woody Harrelson & Directed by Ron Howard |
213.80 | 253.0 | 465.00 | 12 | 69 | 01 / 00 | 95.2 | |
60 | Jurassic World (2015) | Chris Pratt | 666.20 | 851.9 | 2,155.50 | 2 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 95.2 | |
61 | Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) | Adam Driver & Mark Hamill |
515.20 | 606.3 | 1,264.10 | 3 | 67 | 03 / 00 | 95.1 | |
62 | Signs (2002) | Mel Gibson | 228.00 | 423.7 | 758.80 | 6 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 95.0 | |
64 | Men in Black 3 (2012) | Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones |
179.00 | 242.4 | 845.10 | 14 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 94.9 | |
65 | Contact (1997) | Jodie Foster & Matthew McConaughey |
100.90 | 237.0 | 401.90 | 15 | 68 | 01 / 00 | 94.8 | |
66 | Back to the Future Part III (1990) | Michael J. Fox & Christopher Lloyd |
108.00 | 275.1 | 674.70 | 9 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 94.7 | |
67 | Transformers (2007) | Shia LaBeouf | 319.20 | 500.2 | 1,112.00 | 3 | 66 | 03 / 00 | 94.7 | |
69 | Blade Runner 2049 (2017) | Harrison Ford & Ryan Gosling |
92.10 | 110.6 | 311.50 | 34 | 90 | 05 / 02 | 94.7 | |
68 | Independence Day (1996) | Will Smith & Jeff Goldblum |
306.20 | 746.7 | 1,993.60 | 1 | 64 | 02 / 01 | 94.5 | |
71 | Sleeper (1973) | Woody Allen & Diane Keaton |
24.40 | 148.7 | 148.70 | 15 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 94.4 | |
73 | Twelve Monkeys (1995) | Bruce Willis & Brad Pitt |
57.10 | 141.6 | 418.40 | 31 | 83 | 02 / 00 | 94.4 | |
73 | Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) | Reese Witherspoon & Paul Rudd |
198.40 | 285.1 | 548.40 | 11 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 94.2 | |
74 | Robots (2005) | Robin Williams & Mel Brooks |
128.20 | 215.9 | 439.10 | 15 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 94.2 | |
75 | Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) | Natalie Portman & Ewan McGregor |
308.20 | 572.8 | 1,202.90 | 3 | 65 | 01 / 00 | 94.2 | |
77 | Ready Player One (2018) | Directed by Steven Spielberg | 135.80 | 160.7 | 686.00 | 24 | 78 | 01 / 00 | 94.1 | |
78 | The X Files (1998) | David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson |
83.90 | 192.8 | 434.80 | 22 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 94.1 | |
78 | Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) | Rick Moranis | 130.70 | 355.0 | 355.00 | 6 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 94.0 | |
79 | I, Robot (2004) | Will Smith | 144.80 | 251.4 | 602.80 | 12 | 65 | 01 / 00 | 93.9 | |
79 | Prometheus (2012) | Charlize Theron & Directed by Ridley Scott |
126.50 | 171.3 | 546.30 | 24 | 74 | 01 / 00 | 93.9 | |
80 | The Abyss (1989) | Michael Biehn & Directed by James Cameron |
54.20 | 147.2 | 243.70 | 24 | 78 | 04 / 01 | 93.8 | |
81 | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) | Liam Neeson & Ewan McGregor |
457.10 | 973.8 | 2,150.90 | 1 | 61 | 03 / 00 | 93.5 | |
82 | Edge of Tomorrow (2014) | Tom Cruise & Emily Blunt |
100.20 | 132.2 | 488.90 | 34 | 84 | 00 / 00 | 93.1 | |
84 | RoboCop (1987) | Peter Weller | 53.40 | 147.3 | 147.30 | 16 | 77 | 02 / 00 | 93.0 | |
83 | Blade Runner (1982) | Harrison Ford & Directed by Ridley Scott |
27.60 | 101.1 | 133.40 | 27 | 91 | 02 / 00 | 92.9 | |
85 | Galaxy Quest (1999) | Tim Allen & Sigourney Weaver |
71.60 | 152.5 | 193.20 | 29 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 92.8 | |
88 | The Andromeda Strain (1971) | Arthur Hill | 25.30 | 165.3 | 165.30 | 13 | 70 | 02 / 00 | 92.5 | |
86 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) | Vince Vaughn & Jeff Goldblum |
229.10 | 538.0 | 1,452.90 | 3 | 59 | 01 / 00 | 92.4 | |
87 | Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) | Daisy Ridley & Mark Hamill |
620.20 | 745.3 | 1,601.60 | 1 | 57 | 04 / 00 | 92.3 | |
91 | The Fly (1958) | Vincent Price | 8.60 | 154.0 | 154.00 | 24 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 92.2 | |
92 | Lucy (2014) | Scarlett Johansson & Morgan Freeman |
126.70 | 167.1 | 611.40 | 25 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 92.1 | |
92 | Home (2015) | Jim Parsons & Steve Martin |
177.40 | 226.8 | 493.70 | 15 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 92.1 | |
93 | TRON: Legacy (2010) | Jeff Bridges | 172.10 | 235.1 | 546.60 | 12 | 58 | 01 / 00 | 92.0 | |
93 | A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) | Haley Joel Osment & Directed by Steven Spielberg |
78.60 | 150.0 | 450.10 | 28 | 72 | 02 / 00 | 91.9 | |
94 | Fantastic Voyage (1966) | Stephen Boyd | 13.80 | 134.8 | 134.80 | 22 | 72 | 05 / 02 | 91.8 | |
96 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) | Donald Sutherland | 24.70 | 114.0 | 114.00 | 26 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 91.6 | |
97 | The Fly (1986) | Jeff Goldblum & Geena Davis |
40.50 | 117.6 | 176.20 | 25 | 81 | 01 / 01 | 91.5 | |
98 | Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) | William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy |
82.30 | 353.3 | 596.80 | 6 | 54 | 03 / 00 | 91.4 | |
99 | Westworld (1973) | Yul Brynner | 21.20 | 129.2 | 129.20 | 17 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 91.3 | |
101 | Star Trek: Generations (1994) | Patrick Stewart & William Shatner |
75.70 | 199.9 | 317.00 | 15 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 91.3 |
Didn’t see your favorite science fiction movie? Want more science fiction movie stats? Then our 640 Science Fiction Movie Page is just for you.
Wonderful page. I appreciate all the hard work you put into this page. Glad to see Star Wars doing so well. I was also glad to see Moon sneaking into the list.
Hey Stein….thanks of the nice words about the page….I was glad that Moon got into the Top 200 too…..thinking I will be updating this page yearly….and it will probably get kicked out of the Top 200 soon….but for now it is there. Star Wars is the Godfather of Science Fiction movies…not thinking it will ever get bumped from the top spot.
The Top 200 eh… and I’ve seen 1,2,3… all of them, all 200. I must be a sci-fi fan, gosh. 🙂
Sci-fi has always been my favorite movie genre and I used to read a lot of sci-fi too, Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Van Vogt. My username Lensman was taken from a series of sci-fi novels by E.E. Doc Smith the ‘father of space opera’. I wrote an article about him at Hubpages.
Bruce, just noticed… there’s classic sci-fi missing from the list [cue gasps] and it’s missing from the 625 too, one of my favorites – http://hubpages.com/entertainment/A-Trip-to-Metaluna-This-Island-Earth-1955
No worries, it wasn’t a box office success and the critics weren’t impressed by it but to the true sci-fi fan it’s one of the all time classics.
Great to see one of my top favorites topping the UMR and box office charts – Star Wars 1977, my favorite from that series. And the Empire Strikes Back tops the critics chart, I don’t know why but you have Wall-E topping the critics chart on the previous page.
Kubrick’s 2001 down to no.8 on the critics chart, and beaten by a Pixar cartoon, oh how the mighty have fallen. 😉
The Mask of Fu Manchu features a laser weapon but I’m still not sure it qualifies as sci-fi. Forever Young sci-fi or fantasy? Flatliners sci-fi or horror?
I enjoyed Star Trek Beyond but it hasn’t been a big hit. I hope they make more.
Excellent work Bruce. Horror next? [Bruce groans] Voted Up!
Hey Steve….congrats on 100%….I am not too far behind you….as I am at 196. Laurent is also pretty close…as he is at 149….I think it is safe to say we are all sci-fi fans. Thanks for the behind the scenes information on your internet name. Although I have to admit…I am not to aware of E.E. Doc Smith…though I do remember your HubPage on him…but I need to go back and get a refresher.
I have included This Island Earth…..it got close to the Top 200…..but not close enough….it can now be found on the “now” 626 Science Fiction Movie Page. Thanks for the headsup on that movie.
I fixed the Wall-E issue on the other page…needless to say….getting that massive table lined up was a pain for sure.
As for Mask of Fu Manchu and Forever Young….they are questionable ones….but in the end they made the cut.
I agree with you about Star Trek Beyond….how it was not a bigger hit makes no sense to me either.
As always…thanks for your input and thoughts on these science fiction movie.
Hello Bruce,
Wow great job. I love SF movies. In this list there are many great, cult and masterpiece movies. Terminator, Inception, Star Wars, Back To the Futur, Soylent Green, 12 Monkeys, Metropolis, Blade Runner, Alien, Oblivion etc, etc.
I’ve seen 149 movies listed in this table. Only few I didn’t like.
I send you my file for the 1950’s movies. Did you received it ?
Hey Laurent. Thanks for the nice words about our Top 200. You have seen almost 75% of these movies…..Steve is at 200….while I am at 194. You have listed some great movies as your favorites. I got your latest figures….though Debbie has not put them into the Laurnet file in our database…..thanks for sending that information and for commenting.
I’ve seen lots of these movies! I was surprised at some of the titles included, like Jurassic Park, but I guess that does qualify as science fiction. Great list! I like the links to stars’ pages!
Wow a Katie sighting…I am impressed. Glad you liked the page and even gladder you checked out the page of your own free will.
Really like the Top 50. I do have a question is The Truman Show a science fiction movie? A wonderful list.
Hey Helakoski…..originally The Truman Show did not make the cut…..but when I was looking at some of the other lists out there…it was listed on almost all the lists….so I included it here too. Thanks for stopping by.