10 Best New Sci-Fi Movies No One Is Talking About

The past few years have been great for science fiction fans, with many big movies getting a lot of attention. Jurassic World Rebirth continued the series’ success at the box office, but Tron Ares and Mickey 17 didn’t perform as well commercially. On the bright side, The Substance became a surprising hit, earning five Oscar nominations. Plus, a re-release of Avatar: The Way of the Water has reminded everyone how much they love the series and built excitement for the new Avatar movie coming out later this year.

I’ve been digging into sci-fi lately, and I’ve found so many amazing films that just haven’t gotten the attention they deserve! They weren’t big blockbusters, and a lot of people seem to have missed them, but they’re real gems. I wanted to share what I think are the 10 best recent sci-fi movies that you probably haven’t heard of – and seriously, they’re worth checking out. They range from really weird and thought-provoking to just plain fun and cheesy, but all of them are fantastic.

‘The A-Frame’ (2024)

The A-Frame is a chilling science fiction horror film about a physicist who unintentionally creates a gateway to another dimension. Hoping to find a cancer cure, he starts dangerous and unethical experiments on people, leading to terrible results and raising questions about the boundaries of scientific research.

Philosophical Science Fiction

This unique and unsettling indie film is a slow-burn sci-fi thriller that combines disturbing body horror with deep psychological themes. It’s a truly thought-provoking movie, but unfortunately, its challenging content and limited promotion have kept it from finding a wider audience.

‘Primitive War’ (2025)

In 1968 Vietnam, the film Primitive War, starring Jeremy Priven, tells the story of a U.S. Army unit sent to investigate the vanishing of a Special Forces team. Their search leads to a shocking discovery: they’ve stumbled into territory ruled by dinosaurs – some of the most dangerous creatures ever to live.

A Refreshing Take on the Dinosaur Creature Feature

Though it doesn’t have the big budget and special effects of Jurassic World Rebirth, this film is a surprisingly good, low-budget alternative. It embraces its B-movie roots and offers more fun and imagination than many big studio monster movies. This enjoyable Australian film blends sci-fi, horror, and action, making it a worthwhile watch for anyone who loves dinosaur-themed adventures.

’40 Acres’ (2024)

40 Acres is a thrilling science fiction story about a family struggling to survive after a devastating fungal pandemic. This event wiped out most animals, collapsed the food supply, and led to a brutal civil war as people desperately compete for food and land.

A Thought-Provoking Hidden Gem From Canada

Two centuries after the first Civil War, a family of African-American farmers began a new life in rural Canada – and the film 40 Acres explores the lasting impact of their story. It’s a compelling look at human nature and the way the past shapes the present. Though critically acclaimed with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie hasn’t yet reached a wide audience.

‘Somnium’ (2024)

Somnium centers around a young actress who takes a job at a strange company that can actually make dreams come true. But as she gets more involved in their secretive work, her life starts to fall apart, and she begins to question what’s real and what isn’t, losing her sense of who she is.

‘Somnium’ Explores Similar Issues to ‘The Substance’

Somnium is a gripping sci-fi thriller that delves into complex ideas like obsession, how technology shapes us, and what’s real versus what isn’t. It explores themes of identity, loneliness, and how we see ourselves, and is as thought-provoking and suspenseful as acclaimed films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Substance. It’s a film that deserves wider recognition.

‘Buying Time’ (2024)

The novel Buying Time feels like something straight out of the Black Mirror series. It’s set in the near future, where a new disease is widespread. The country offers a “health chip” through its healthcare system, which protects people but takes years off the lives of those who can’t get it.

Eerily Relevant

As a sci-fi fan, I recently stumbled upon this really interesting, low-budget British indie film. It’s a conspiracy thriller, and honestly, it feels a little too real, especially given what’s happening in the UK right now with talk of digital IDs and the strain on their healthcare system after the pandemic. People are saying it’s a thought-provoking film with great acting and a cool visual style, but it’s a shame it hasn’t gotten much attention outside of Britain. I highly recommend checking it out if you can!

‘The Shrouds’ (2024)

David Cronenberg is a celebrated director known for his unsettling films that blend body horror with explorations of what it means to be human. His movies often delve into feelings of isolation, the complexities of the mind, and the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition. While he’s famous for sci-fi and horror classics like The Fly, Videodrome, and Scanners, Cronenberg shifted gears after 1999’s eXistenZ, directing crime thrillers such as A History of Violence and Eastern Promises, and the darkly humorous Maps to the Stars.

‘The Shrouds’ Is Cronenberg’s Most Personal Work

After the success of Crimes of the Future, David Cronenberg delivers his most deeply personal film yet, The Shrouds. Inspired by the loss of his wife, Carolyn Zeifman, to cancer, the film centers on a man grappling with grief who invents a technology allowing people to watch the decomposition of their loved ones through a digital ‘shroud’. When the technology is damaged and his wife’s grave is disturbed, he begins an investigation that leads him into the complex and often unsettling depths of human emotion, exploring how technology, grief, and obsession connect.

The movie received critical acclaim for its original idea, beautiful visuals, disturbing body horror, and intense psychological story. Despite being nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, it only earned $1.4 million at the box office.

‘Arco’ (2025)

Arco is an animated sci-fi adventure film produced by Natalie Portman. It tells the story of a 10-year-old boy named Arco, who lives in the future (2932) and is accidentally sent back in time to 2075 via a rainbow. He finds a world struggling with severe climate change and teams up with a girl named Iris to try and find a way back to his own time.

‘Arco’ Is Fun Yet Important Viewing

This film is a visually gorgeous and wonderfully animated story about courage, overcoming challenges, and the strength of friendship. It touches on important issues like climate change and our dependence on technology, but does so in a thoughtful way, never feeling like it’s lecturing the audience. It’s enjoyable for everyone, and features fantastic voice acting – the original French version stars Margot Ringard Oldra, Oscar Tresanini, Swann Arlaud, Alma Jodorowsky, and Vincent Macaigne, while the English dub boasts stars like Will Ferrell, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Flea, and Andy Samberg.

‘Time Rewind’ (2025)

Time Rewind is a suspenseful time travel story about a man who wakes up with no memory and is accused of his daughter’s murder. He soon discovers she may have gone back to 1989 and altered the past, and he must travel back in time himself to rescue her.

‘Time Rewind’ Takes Viewers Back to London in the Late ‘80s

Time Rewind is a clever and thrilling film filled with ‘80s charm. Director Lincoln Fenner created this deeply personal movie, drawing inspiration from his own childhood experiences and search for belonging. The film tackles tough topics like bullying and the possibility of making amends.

Although the film received critical praise and won over 20 awards worldwide, it hasn’t yet found a large audience and remains largely unknown to general moviegoers.

‘Ash’ (2025)

Directed and scored by musician Flying Lotus, Ash is a suspenseful sci-fi horror film. It follows an astronaut who wakes up on a space station orbiting an alien planet, finding all of her crewmates dead. Suffering from memory loss and growing paranoia, she’s unsure if she can trust the man who claims to know her and has come to save her.

A Mind-Bending Experience

With its unique and captivating style, Ash takes the familiar story of being stranded on a spaceship and turns it inside out. It blends reality and fiction, creating a tense, dreamlike atmosphere filled with psychological unease. Combining stunning visuals with a chilling electronic soundtrack, the film transforms from a simple story of survival into a disturbing exploration of what it means to be human when you can’t even trust your own memories.

‘The Assessment’ (2024)

In a future with strict rules about having children, Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel play a married couple going through a demanding week-long evaluation to see if they’re fit to be parents. The tests become increasingly strange and difficult, turning into an emotionally draining experience for both of them.

‘The Assessment’ Favors Psychological Depth Over Snazzy Effects

The Assessment is a science fiction film that prioritizes suspense and character development over flashy visuals. While critics and viewers who’ve seen it praise the acting, unsettling mood, and interesting story, it didn’t perform well financially, earning only $280,000 despite an $8 million budget. Unfortunately, it was largely overlooked and overshadowed by more prominent sci-fi releases.

2025-11-01 05:06