Let’s say you’re in the mood for sci-fi, but you also want to add a bit of whimsy to it. This often includes crazy blasters, intense politics, maybe some magic, or giant creatures that make no sense in the real world. This is the complicated but beautiful genre of science fantasy.
While there are plenty of sci-fi films out there, as well as phenomenal fantasy movies, it is rare to find a good combination of both that incorporates aspects of fantasy and sci-fi. However, there are a few reliable classics you can truly never go wrong with.
Looking for a great science fantasy film to watch? Here are six great movies that I absolutely recommend to anyone who hasn't seen them.
The Star Wars franchise
Okay, this is kind of cheating, but I have to put the Star Wars franchise here. And while I’m sure there will be people who will say, “That’s just pure sci-fi!” It’s really not.
Star Wars is, in and of itself, a fantasy because of its name. There’s never going to be something as crazy as Star Wars in our lives because of the grand scheme of it. There aren’t people on another planet with blasters in white suits or this weird thing called “the Force” that is capable of telekinetic abilities or any of that. That, right there, is pure fantasy.
But what makes the Star Wars films fun as a sci-fi fantasy series is that they don't take themselves too seriously. Yes, themes run throughout the nine films (and other non-Skywalker saga ones), but really, Star Wars is for people who want a fun sci-fi fantasy story and maybe even fall in love with a character or two.
Out of all of these, I think Star Wars is the easiest one to fall into because the story isn’t too intense, and as long as you can follow the core trio of each film trilogy, you’re pretty much golden. It’s a great franchise to begin with.
You can stream all the Star Wars films on Disney+.
Dune: Part 1 and Dune: Part 2
Alright, so we’re going from something as simple as Star Wars to the heavy political and genocidal conflict with Dune because why not?
For those who don’t know what the Dune franchise is about, the basic premise is that it follows Paul Atreides of House Atreides and how he must keep his family and people safe amidst a war regarding the most valuable resource in the universe: "spice."
Yes, I know that premise doesn’t sound like much, but these films have so much more layered into them that it’s almost impossible not to give them a shot at least once. I like to call these “thinker” sci-fi fantasy films because even though they're fun, you will be sitting on the couch afterward analyzing. And now, with Dune: Messiah coming out at the end of 2026, it’s the perfect time to watch both.
You can stream both films on HBO Max.
Masters Of The Universe
While Masters of the Universe might not have done so well in the box office this year, it’s done well in my heart and deserves far more praise than it got.
This film adaptation is, of course, based on the franchise of the same name and stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, who must return to his home planet in order to face his destiny. In order to do so, he must become the titular “He-Man” and take down Skeletor (Jared Leto), an evil sorcerer that seeks to cause destruction for his planet.
Masters of the Universe is straight up just a fun freaking time. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It’s a seriously entertaining film that does not take either of its elements too seriously, and I think if you’re looking for a fun adaptation of a beloved franchise, this is the way to go.
You can stream Masters of the Universe on Amazon Prime.
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Directed by Jon Favreau, Zathura: A Space Adventure is basically like Jumanji but makes it an epic sci-fi fantasy film—which makes sense because it’s a spinoff. Starring a young Josh Hutcherson and a pre-Twilight Kristen Stewart, the film is an adaptation of the book of the same name and follows two brothers who find a board game that, when played, transports their house into outer space and they somehow must win to make it back home and survive.
This was one of the first sci-fi fantasy films I watched as a kid, and even now, I still love it. I’ll never quite understand why it didn’t do so well in the box office because it genuinely is a great time. And I for one will always recommend it.
The performances are a fun time, and I think anyone who really enjoys outlandish concepts will get a kick out of it.
You can stream Zathura: A Space Adventure on Netflix.
Avatar
You’d think that Avatar would be pretty much just sci-fi, but to me, I see it as sci-fi fantasy because, well…look at those beings. No way exists. At least with some sci-fi films, there’s the possibility of the concepts, but I can’t imagine there’s a whole other planet of blue beings out there that are the size of giants. And honestly, Pandora is a beautiful planet, but in reality, that sort of thing doesn’t exist in our galaxy.
If you’ve somehow lived under a rock for several years and have never seen Avatar, it’s essentially about humans traveling to an alien moon called Pandora to lead the humans in a mission to take over when Earth becomes uninhabitable. But while he’s there, he learns the way of the people, falls in love, and causes a whole mess.
While some of the most recent Avatar films have dropped a little in quality, the first still offers plenty of value and is one you should certainly check out. There are some moments that the films draw on that parallel ancient myths and beliefs, but most of this is pure sci-fi fantasy that's fun.
You can stream Avatar on Hulu.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Everything Everywhere All at Once is an interesting film because it crosses genres time and time again. You can’t really put it specifically in one box. But I would define it as a science fantasy because of the different parallel universes. And it does it beautifully.
The film follows Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh), who learns she must travel across parallel universes and interact with different versions of herself to prevent a malevolent force from destroying not only her life but every other universe.
Yes, it’s ridiculous in the best way. But it’s honestly very well done and features an incredible story that earned several Academy Award nominations. It even won Best Picture. It’s truly one of a kind, and I highly suggest checking it out.
You can stream Everything Everywhere All at Once on Hulu.
So many films to watch, so little time. I think we’ll have to settle in for a movie weekend to watch all of these!
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