Top Sci-Fi Movies Of 2025: Box Office Performance & Rankings

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Overall, 2025 wasn’t a particularly strong year for movie theaters worldwide, but some genres did well. Science fiction, in particular, had a successful year, with everything from massive blockbuster hits earning over a billion dollars to surprising adaptations and popular superhero films.

Recent successful science fiction movies were largely built on well-known franchises or came from highly acclaimed directors. Interestingly, a few films in the top ten actually underperformed despite earning decent revenue. Overall, it was a diverse year for sci-fi at the box office.

Bugonia – $42.3 Million

Okay, so Bugonia didn’t exactly break box office records. I checked, and it only made around $42.3 million worldwide. Honestly, that’s a bit disappointing, especially since reports say it cost somewhere between $45 and $55 million to make. As a movie fan, it’s always sad to see a film underperform like that – it basically means it lost money.

The film likely received its budget thanks to the positive reputation Yorgos Lanthimos has built in recent years. While his movies are often unusual, critics consistently praise them, including his work with Emma Stone in films like The Favourite and Poor Things.

Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest film, Poor Things, is his most expensive project to date. It’s actually a remake of the 2003 South Korean movie Save the Green Planet! The story centers around a powerful CEO (Emma Stone) who is kidnapped by two men (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) who are convinced she’s an alien. The film is a great fit for Lanthimos’s style and has been very well-received by critics.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith – $55.5 Million

Despite some recent Star Wars projects not being very well-received, the franchise remains incredibly popular. Interestingly, the negative reaction to many of the sequel films has led dedicated fans to look back more favorably on the prequel movies, particularly Revenge of the Sith.

Many fans consider this the strongest film in the prequel trilogy, as it moves the story forward the most and has the most exciting action. It shows Anakin Skywalker’s complete transformation into Darth Vader, including his dramatic lightsaber duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The movie recently returned to cinemas to mark its 20th anniversary.

Fans who have loved the series for years returned to theaters to see it, especially with the new backstory for Anakin Skywalker that was developed in the Clone Wars TV show. Revenge of the Sith earned $55.5 million, pushing its total worldwide earnings over an incredible $900 million.

The Running Man – $69.3 Million

Image via Paramount Pictures

In 2025, several Stephen King stories were adapted for the screen, and they all performed similarly at the box office. While The Long Walk generally received more positive reviews, Edgar Wright’s version of The Running Man remains a fun and exciting sci-fi action movie.

As a big fan of the original, I was curious about this take on the story. While it’s definitely different from the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film, it still centers around the same basic idea. The movie throws us into a really bleak future controlled by a powerful government, and we follow a guy named Ben Richards as he enters this brutal game show. The goal? Survive for a whole month to win a life-changing amount of money. It’s a high-stakes situation, to say the least!

Despite a budget of $110 million, The Running Man didn’t perform well at the box office, earning only $69.3 million. However, it’s still worth watching because of its strong cast – including Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Emilia Jones, and Josh Brolin – and director Wright’s distinctive filmmaking style.

Mickey 17 – $133.5 Million

In 2025, all of the top-earning science fiction films were either remakes or sequels, with one exception: Mickey 17. This film is based on the 2022 novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton.

The trailer for Mickey 17 quickly grabbed attention with its unique concept. The movie follows Mickey, a man who volunteers for a dangerous space mission to escape debt back on Earth. He’s considered “expendable” – meaning whenever he dies, a clone takes his place.

The unexpected appearance of two identical copies of the same person caused major problems. Although the movie cost a lot to make, with a budget of $133.5 million, it still performed better than many predicted, largely due to the talent involved. Director Bong Joon Ho had recently won several Oscars, and Robert Pattinson is a very popular actor.

Tron: Ares – $142.2 Million

The Tron series tends to reappear every decade and a half with exciting new concepts, but it hasn’t been consistently successful enough to guarantee immediate sequels. This happened with Tron: Legacy in 2010, and it’s happening again with Tron: Ares, the latest film in the franchise.

While Tron: Ares earned $142.2 million globally, making it one of the top sci-fi films of 2025, it wasn’t a financial success for Disney. With a production budget around $220 million, the movie cost the studio a significant amount of money. This continues a pattern of unsuccessful films for actor Jared Leto.

Despite a lukewarm theatrical run, Tron: Ares has found success on Disney+, quickly becoming popular with viewers. This suggests the Tron franchise could continue, possibly as a streaming series instead of a movie. Whether we’ll see a fourth Tron film or a new show remains to be seen.

Predator: Badlands – $184.5 Million

It’s surprising how consistently successful the Predator movies have been. After launching in the 80s, the series appeared to stall after a couple of films. While a 2010 sequel was decent but didn’t perform well, the 2018 release was widely criticized and seemed to signal the end of the franchise.

Things were looking up when Dan Trachtenberg took over. The prequel, Prey, was excellent, and the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers has become the highest-rated installment in the Predator series on Rotten Tomatoes. Predator: Badlands then returned the franchise to theaters and proved to be a big hit, earning $184.5 million and receiving positive reviews.

In Predator: Badlands, the story flips the script, centering on the Yautja themselves. We follow Dak, a young and inexperienced Yautja, on a dangerous hunt for a powerful creature. He teams up with an android named Elle Fanning, and their partnership is likely to appeal to audiences. This new direction suggests a bright future for the Predator series.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – $521.8 Million

Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Most Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are action-packed, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps stands out. This film is set in a stylish, futuristic version of 1964 and tells the story of the Fantastic Four as they battle Galactus, a being who threatens to destroy planets.

As you’d expect from a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, the movie featured plenty of action, especially a thrilling chase through space. Science fiction played a big role throughout, influencing everything from the team’s rescue plan to Reed’s scientific work, and even the introduction of the Silver Surfer.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was a huge box office success, earning over $521.8 million globally. Released as a key film before the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, it also offered the first glimpse of the villain Doctor Doom, making it a must-see for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans.

Jurassic World Rebirth – $869.1 Million

The Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise consistently succeeds at the box office, even though critics often don’t like the movies. Despite poor reviews, particularly for recent films like Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, each new installment still makes a lot of money.

The new film, Jurassic World Rebirth, stars Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali. Although the trailer left some fans uncertain, the movie still proved incredibly popular, earning $869.1 million at the box office.

While it didn’t quite reach the $1 billion earned by the last three films, this movie still performed very well. Critics had mixed opinions, but its success suggests we’ll probably see a sequel in the future.

Avatar: Fire And Ash – $1.473 Billion

The first two Avatar films were massive successes, each earning over $2 billion at the box office and ranking as the top two highest-grossing movies of all time. The newest installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, faced high expectations, and although it didn’t surpass the $2 billion mark, it was still a huge hit with audiences.

In Avatar: Fire and Ash, Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their family face off against the dangerous Mangkwan tribe of Na’vi. The film feels both new and familiar, introducing compelling villains while staying true to the spirit of the original Avatar. Strong performances from Zoe Saldana and Oona Chaplin add to the movie’s impact.

James Cameron’s blockbuster film earned nearly $1.5 billion globally, costing about $400 million to make. Even with that success, a fourth Avatar movie hasn’t been officially announced because of the high production costs. Nevertheless, Cameron’s achievement with these films is remarkable, and they were the top-performing sci-fi movies at the box office in 2025.

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2026-02-24 00:01