9 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Hulu Right Now (May 2025)

A protracted, very long time in the past, in a galaxy far-off… This film modified the world. Initially titled merely Star Wars, this film would grow to be the cornerstone of one of many world’s largest franchises, and with good purpose. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher are irresistible because the three younger heroes who would ultimately save the galaxy from the evil Galactic Empire. 

Though there is a very Seventies look to the Star Wars creatures and particular results, it is simple to think about how this film would have blown folks’s minds on its authentic launch. Extra importantly, the story and characters maintain up. A New Hope is not only an awesome sci-fi film — it is a landmark in cinematic historical past that redefined the style for generations. George Lucas, the visionary director and creator, crafted a universe crammed with wealthy lore and compelling characters, every contributing to a timeless narrative of fine versus evil.

Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Darkish Knight) brings us one other mind-bending movie that explores what it means to be human. Interstellar is famend for its scientific accuracy, thanks partly to the involvement of theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, who served as an govt producer and scientific marketing consultant. However past its lofty scientific bona fides, the movie explores intimate human relationships that make even its out-of-this-world premise appear relatable and grounded. 

Matthew McConaughey stars as Cooper, a former NASA pilot turned farmer who’s tasked with piloting a spacecraft to discover a new liveable planet for humanity. The dystopian world that the astronauts depart behind looking for a brand new one is affected by disinformation and local weather catastrophes, making the story appear all too acquainted this present day. Nolan’s clever observations about humanity attain grand proportions as Cooper and fellow scientist Dr. Amelia Model (Anne Hathaway) flip to area to hunt salvation. The solid additionally consists of Jessica Chastain, who portrays Cooper’s grownup daughter, Murph, and Michael Caine as Professor Model, a visionary physicist with a vital plan to save lots of humanity. 

Although it went on to spawn a Tyrannosaurus rex-sized franchise, the primary Jurassic Park movie stands head and shoulders above all the remaining. Now that cloning expertise is admittedly bringing animals back from extinction, its themes are extra related than ever. Within the first film, rich businessman John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) realizes his dream of de-extincting dinosaurs within the mysterious Isla Nublar theme park. Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) arrive to evaluate the security of the island, however the creatures inevitably break unfastened, leaving Grant and Sattler to assist Hammond’s grandchildren (Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello) survive the chaos. Jeff Goldblum additionally stars as scientist Ian Malcolm, who famously explains how “life finds a manner.”

Along with being an exciting journey with groundbreaking visuals and a incredible soundtrack, Jurassic Park raises fascinating questions on scientific ethics and the way people work together with the pure world. The groundbreaking particular results nonetheless maintain up and look higher than most CGI creatures in films in the present day.

Dune director Denis Villeneuve helms this considerate, quieter tackle an alien invasion story. There are few explosions or shoot-outs on this one — as an alternative, Arrival focuses on the character of communication. Amy Adams stars as Louise Banks, a superb linguist who’s enlisted to try to decipher the language of aliens (referred to as heptapods) who’ve landed on Earth. Jeremy Renner performs Ian Donnelly, a physicist who bonds with Banks as they endeavor to grasp the heptapods. As twelve international superpowers try to grasp the aliens’ function, pressure grows excessive. 

The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and received for Finest Sound Enhancing. Along with posing fascinating theories about how different civilizations would possibly talk, Arrival will get you fascinated with the character of affection, time and relationships. It’s an attractive, quiet movie that leaves an enormous impression.

A prequel to the 1987 movie Predator, Prey is a historic sci-fi story about an early encounter with the titular aliens. (The aliens in query are keen on looking people as trophies.) Prey takes place in 1719 and follows Naru (Amber Midthunder), a younger Comanche girl who longs to grow to be a hunter as an alternative of a healer. When a Predator lands on Earth, desperate to search out and kill people, it’s as much as Naru and her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers) to cease the creature. Naru should hunt the Predator to guard her tribe. On the identical time, her tribe comes into battle with French fur merchants who’re destroying the native inhabitants of buffalo. 

Naru is an inspiring protagonist — a robust fighter with a fierce will and willpower. Midthunder’s efficiency is intense and unyielding as she refuses to grow to be a sufferer of the alien menace. She takes cost of her future and turns the tables on the Predator, turning into the hunter as an alternative of the hunted. Prey has rightfully been referred to as the very best movie within the Predator franchise, and because it’s a prequel, it’s an awesome place to begin if you happen to’re new to the story.

Within the not-too-distant future — truly, the 12 months 2035, which feels manner much less distant now than it did in ‘04 — a robotic referred to as Sonny (Alan Tudyk) is the prime suspect within the homicide of a scientist (James Cromwell). Detective Spooner (Will Smith), who hates robots, is set to show Sonny’s guilt, however the fact is extra sophisticated than he initially suspects. Impressed by sci-fi author Isaac Asimov’s work, I, Robotic asks us to look at the position that humanity performs in its personal destruction. 

The film is an element sci-fi motion story and half homicide thriller with an interesting protagonist you’ll be able to root for and a twisty plot that may hold you guessing. Tudyk, finest recognized for his goofier roles in Disney movies like Moana and Frozen, will get to point out off his extra dramatic performing chops because the conflicted Sonny, who acts extra human than a few of his enemies. 

One among Jim Carrey’s strongest performances, The Truman Present is about leisure, id and freedom. As an toddler, Truman (Carrey) was adopted by a tv community. Unbeknownst to him, his whole life has been broadcast as a 24/7 tv present. Community govt Christoff (Ed Harris) controls the delicate, high-tech faux world through which Truman resides. However as Truman turns 30, he begins to note the issues in his world and to insurgent towards his picture-perfect sitcom life. He grows unhappy along with his spouse, who unbeknownst to him is performed by an actress (Laura Linney), and endeavors to reunite with Sylvia (Natascha McElhone), a “background character” he fell in love with throughout his college days. 

Carrey retains his zany allure and penchant for coining catch phrases, however he additionally reveals depth and complexity as a person who’s questioning the character of his personal actuality. The film was so influential {that a} psychiatrist encountered a number of schizophrenic sufferers who believed they had been in a actuality present after the film premiered. The delusion went on to earn the identify “Truman Present Syndrome.” As screenwriter Andrew Niccol instructed 3 News NZ, “You already know you’ve got made it when you’ve got a illness named after you.”

“Don’t panic!” This hilarious sci-fi movie is predicated on the beloved novel of the identical identify by Douglas Adams, and it guarantees to ship the reply to “The Final Query of Life, the Universe and The whole lot.” A tall order, maybe, and it is going to be as much as you to resolve if the reply is passable. Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock) stars as Arthur Dent, a totally peculiar man who, by a collection of unbelievable circumstances, turns into the final dwelling survivor of Earth after its destruction.

Alongside along with his good friend Ford Prefect (Yasiin Bey, previously generally known as rapper Mos Def), he escapes the planet and joins Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell) and Zaphod’s girlfriend Trillian (Zooey Deschanel) on a quest aboard a stolen spacecraft with an unknown aim. This film is intelligent, fast-paced, and at instances philosophical, however it’s additionally a foolish good time. The performances are sharp, the dialogue is witty and it imagines area in a manner that’s totally different from different films within the style.

This underappreciated movie is a remake of the 1990 traditional starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Somewhat than being set on Mars, like the unique, the 2012 model of Complete Recall is about on Earth, giving it a grittier, extra grounded feeling. Colin Farrell stars as Douglas Quaid, a manufacturing unit employee affected by desires of being a undercover agent. He seeks the assistance of Rekall, an organization that implants synthetic reminiscences into folks’s minds to assist them really feel as in the event that they’ve lived their dream life. As an alternative of implanting false reminiscences, nevertheless, the method reawakens actual reminiscences which were repressed in his mind. 

After discovering that he actually was a undercover agent, Quaid begins uncovering increasingly lies in his life, just like the id of his spouse Lori (Kate Beckinsale), and even his actual identify. However nothing is ever sure when you’ll be able to’t belief your individual reminiscences, and Quaid struggles to differentiate actual reminiscences from false ones. 

Farrell’s chemistry with co-star Jessica Biel, who performs his long-lost lover Melina, is palpable, main you to root for the couple whilst you doubt the reality of their origins. Invoice Nighy is delightfully enigmatic because the chief of a resistance motion. Complete Recall possesses a revolutionary spirit that may hold you invested in Quaid’s journey to find his true id.