Upcoming Sci-Fi Movies in 2023

2023 is already proving a spectacular year for film and the sci-fi genre has taken a solid role in its success. Here’s what else we can look forward to this year.

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So far seen blockbuster sci-fi success from tabletop RPG movie adaptation, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, to James Cameron’s Avatar sequel, to the long-awaited Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to name but a few. And yet, there’s so much more to come. The genre keeps evolving, reimagining, and breathing new and unique ideas to translate onto screen and this guide will take you on a tour of what 2023 still has to offer.

In a movie landscape no longer plagued by pandemic-related delays, the release list for 2023 is full to the brim. Whether it’s DC’s first Latino superhero or Wes Anderson’s first incursion into sci-fi cinema, the options are plentiful. It’s not just the theaters that populate the terrain these days though with streaming platforms such as Netflix having a stronghold on the list too.

Of course, movies aren’t the only offering from the sci-fi world as there’s also a whole variety of upcoming sci-fi TV shows in 2023 too that are worth a browse. Plus, if you fancy heading to the archives and devouring some of the finest sci-fi movies then our best sci-fi movies will give you something to chew on. Don’t leave us just yet though, we’ve 2023 upcoming sci-fi movies to immerse ourselves in first.

Meg 2: The Trench – August 4

Jason Statham is BACK punching big sharks right in the face in the sequel to 2018’s unexpected sci-fi hit The Meg. Directed by Ben Wheatley and starring…hang on, Ben Wheatley?? British indie darling Ben Wheatley?? The man who gave us Sightseers, Kill List, and A Field in England?? Somehow, yes! It’s time to find out what an effects-heavy sci-fi movie about punching sharks in the face looks like with Ben Wheatley at the helm. We will be SEATED this summer, as Jonas Taylor (Statham) leads a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Because apparently he didn’t learn any lessons about messing with the sea last time.

Landscape with Invisible Hand – August 18

Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by M. T. Anderson, Landscape with Invisible Hand will take us to a future where aliens have taken over Earth, and two teens in love are hoping to make a living off of their burgeoning relationship, as this kind of human nonsense is fascinating to our new overlords and they will pay handsomely to watch it all play out like a soap. Unfortunately, when the the duo’s love affair sours, they realize that breaking up will destroy the financial stability of both their families.

Blue Beetle – August 18

Next up on the DC slate is Blue Beetle, and Warner Bros are probably hoping this one doesn’t get consigned to the dustbin as easily as their last couple of movies, Shazam 2 and The Flash. When Jaime Reyes graduates from college and returns home to Palmera City, he is suddenly chosen to become host to the Scarab, an ancient alien relic that bestows on him a powerful exoskeleton armor that turns him into the titular superhero, Blue Beetle. Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez star.

Poor Things – September 8

A surrealist science fiction film from The Favourite director Yorgos Lanthimos? Yes, please! In this Bride of Frankenstein-esque tale, a young woman (Emma Stone) is resurrected by a rather complex scientist (Willem Dafoe), but soon gets bored of being under his watchful eye. Poor Things is highly anticipated and could be winning all the awards next season! We shall have to wait and see how it fares when it is released, but Lanthimos is well beloved at this point.

The Creator – September 29

John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, and Allison Janney star in this fascinating upcoming sci-fi movie from Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). It’s set in the throes of a futuristic war between humans and AI, as ex-special forces agent Joshua (Washington) is tasked with hunting down and killing the mysterious “Creator” who has developed a weapon that will soon end the war for good and make humans a thing of the past.

Dune: Part Two – November 3

Another big budget sequel on the block this year is Denis Villeneuve’s follow up to Dune, which will see Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unite with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis in order to ultimately win or lose a bloody war against the villainous House Harkonnen. Austin Butler (Elvis), Florence Pugh (Midsommar), Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux (Death Stranding) are new to the massive ensemble cast in Dune: Part Two. The film has switched release dates a couple of times already, but hopefully this is now in its final slot. Director Villeneuve has hinted he will indulge in a threequel based on Dune Messiah, the second novel in the Dune series, if this does well. Fingers crossed!

Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2 (working title)

Release date: December 20, 2023
Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard

Currently untitled, but definitely in the works, is the all-new Ghostbusters movie with Gil Kenan stepping up into the director role after previously writing and executive producing the first Afterlife movie.

Fans can also expect some of the previous cast to return. Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon are reportedly on board as well as potentially heading back to where it all began, New York. There are new faces too though with Kumail Nanjiani, James Acaster, and Patton Oswalt all signed up to star. The next installment to the franchise will pick up where Ghostbusters: Afterlife left off in 2021, seeing the heroes return to the iconic firehouse.

Rebel Moon

Release date: December 22, 2023
Cast: Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, Cary Elwes, Jena Malone

Epic space opera + Zack Snyder + Star Wars inspired = A recipe for a sci-fi movie fans are excited by. In fact, Rebel Moon was originally pitched as a Star Wars movie and has already successfully signed for Part 2 to be filmed back-to-back. Where it wasn’t picked up for the Star Wars canon though, it has found life as its very own movie coming exclusively to Netflix.

The premise – Kora (Sofia Boutella), a young woman who has a mysterious past, is sent by her colony to nearby planets to assemble a team of warriors to take down their tyrannical ruler, Balisarius (Ed Skrein). A first-look at some epic concept art and a cast list full of big names is all we know so far, but we’ll be sure to update you when we hear more.

The Mothership

Release date: TBA 2023
Cast: Halle Berry, Molly Parker, Omari Hardwick, John Ortiz

Set a year after her husband’s mysterious disappearance from their rural farm, Sara Morse (Halle Berry) discovers a strange alien artifact under her home that may hold the answers. Hoping to finally discover what happened to her husband, Sara sets out on a risky quest with her two children to unravel the truth.

The Mothership represents another investment from Netflix into original sci-fi content that is set to release sometime in 2023. Unfortunately, there’s no official release date or trailer just yet, so we’ll have to wait and see what other morsels of information we can gather from the mothership as and when they allow it.