6 Must-Watch Sci-Fi Movies on Tubi Right Now (July 2025)

One of the Watch With Us team’s favorite sci-fi films ever, Arrival eschews explosions and action sequences in favor of quiet, thoughtful meditation on the nature of communication, conflict and time. Amy Adams stars as Dr. Louise Banks, who is recruited by the U.S. military to communicate with alien beings after mysterious spacecraft land around the world. The narrative delves into the challenges of deciphering the alien language to prevent global tension and potential conflict. Jeremy Renner costars as physicist Ian Donnelly, with whom Louise shares a growing connection.

Denis Villeneuve of Dune fame directs this beautiful movie, which captures the delicacy of language and love. Without giving away the twist ending, we’ll just say that it presents a whole new angle on the adage that it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

This sci-fi thriller stars Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra, a struggling writer who discovers a mysterious drug known as NZT-48. This pill dramatically enhances his intellectual capabilities, allowing him to recall information perfectly and process data at lightning speed. These enhancements, however, come with extreme side effects, and Eddie soon finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue, dealing with the consequences of his newfound abilities. Robert De Niro plays Carl Van Loon, a powerful businessman interested in those skills.

Limitless combines action and high-stakes drama as it ponders the ethics of cognitive enhancements. The movie was such a hit that it even inspired a spinoff TV series. And it makes sense, because the question it raises — if you could unlock the full potential of your mind, what would you do? — is intoxicating. Limitless is a compelling watch for anyone intrigued by the possibilities of human evolution.

This bizarre indie movie is a critique of social media culture taken to extremes and stars Melvin Gregg (American Vandal) as a young man, referred to only as #000000014, who finds himself in a prison-like room where his movements are being watched through a computer in the wall. He soon realizes that his activities are being streamed on the internet, and that certain actions earn him “credits” as he becomes more popular. The credits allow him to buy objects or services to survive in the room.

#000000014 eventually learns that other people are being held in similar conditions and used as entertainment for the masses, and he connects with a few of them — including #006395873 (Bradley Whitford), #052605011 (Alice Braga) and #038491828 (Danielle Campbell). Their conflicting views on the system have deadly consequences, and #000000014 must eventually decide what he wants his role in this strange show to become. Share? is Black Mirror-esque in its critique of current technology and influencer culture, and the performances by its small cast make it a captivating film.

This groundbreaking silent film is one of the earliest, most influential examples of the genre’s capabilities. Directed by Fritz Lang, Metropolis takes place in a dystopian society where the wealthy elite live in luxury above ground, while oppressed workers toil below in harsh conditions. The narrative follows Freder Fredersen (Gustav Frölich), the son of the city’s mastermind, and Maria (Brigitte Helm), an inspiring figure among the workers. As Freder learns about the injustices faced by the workers, he becomes involved in a revolutionary struggle that seeks to bridge the gap between the two classes. The film’s iconic scenes, including the depiction of a robotic double of Maria, explore themes of industrialization and social disconnection that remain relevant today.

The social commentary of Metropolis continues to resonate in a world that’s increasingly dominated by technology and artificial intelligence. The stunning and immersive set design of the film is a clear influence on many of the most iconic sci-fi movies in cinema history. For true science fiction movie lovers, this film is an education — and an entertaining one at that.

“Life finds a way.” So too, it seems, does the Jurassic Park franchise, which has been reinventing itself since the ’80s. Set 22 years after the events of the original Jurassic Park, the movie transports audiences to the fully operational dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, located on Isla Nublar. The park is a vision realized from the initial concept developed by John Hammond. To maintain visitor interest and boost attendance, the park’s geneticists create a new, genetically engineered hybrid dinosaur called the Indominus rex. However, when this creature escapes, it wreaks havoc on the island, leading to chaos that must be contained by the park’s operations manager, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), and a skilled Velociraptor trainer, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt).

The cutting-edge visual effects are the star of the show in this 2015 film, and they still hold up well today. Jurassic World: Rebirth just hit theaters, and if seeing it left you craving more dino action, this is a good way to start.

This thought-provoking sci-fi movie is a thoughtful example of speculative fiction from acclaimed sci-fi writer Jerome Bixby (best known for the short story It’s A Good Life). In the film, university professor John Oldman (David Lee Smith) bids goodbye to his colleagues as he prepares to leave his current position. At his impromptu farewell party, he ends up revealing to his colleagues that he is actually a 14,000-year-old Cro-Magnon man. The revelation leads to intense reactions from his colleagues, including disbelief and profound existential dread. The film explores themes such as the nature of human history, immortality and the evolution of human society, all unfolding through dialogue-driven exchanges that are both intellectually stimulating and engaging.

The Man From Earth is a minimalist movie — it mostly takes place in Professor Oldman’s living room — but it’s a powerful and cerebral one. In a meta sci-fi twist, this film gained popularity when it was shared via BitTorrent, a technological novelty in 2007. This origin story feels perfectly attuned to John Oldman’s observations about the changing nature of human society. The Man from Earth‘s enduring appeal lies in its ability to engage audiences by challenging the limits of belief and inviting them to ponder what it truly means to be human across the vast expanse of time.

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