Good news for viewers everywhere — tons of great sci-fi movies are streaming completely for free! There is plenty of free content on services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Peacock’s no-cost options. In recent years, the free content has improved because major companies are investing in free streaming services.
This is especially great news for sci-fi fans since many fantastic new and classic sci-fi films have made their way to these free streamers. Whether you want a big box office hit, an award-winning indie film, or a legendary cult classic, you can find them there for free. Here are 10 of the best sci-fi movies you can stream right now without paying a dime.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Stargate (1994)
If you’re a sci-fi fan, you probably already know about the Stargate franchise. In the original film, archaeologists uncover a mysterious circular structure in Egypt that’s revealed to be a portal to other worlds. After activating the stargate, a team travels through a wormhole and finds themselves on an alien planet with structures that resemble those found in ancient Egypt. They also discover that the Egyptian god Ra is actually an alien with malicious intent.
Stargate became an unexpected hit, grossing more than $71 million in America and over $196 million globally. It also launched one of the most iconic fandoms in sci-fi history and spawned the insanely popular spinoff series Stargate SG-1. If you love sci-fi, Stargate is a must-watch.
Watch Stargate for free on The Roku Channel.
The Thing (1982)
Inspired by the 1938 story Who Goes There?, John Carpenter’s classic The Thing follows a group of men stranded in an Antarctic research base while being hunted by a parasitic alien. Even worse, the alien can assimilate and imitate other life forms, forcing the group to constantly question who might be infected … and who might not even be human.
On top of being a sci-fi classic, The Thing is also a favorite in the horror community thanks to its fantastically disgusting practical effects, which have an oozing, purulent grossness that CGI could never achieve. In the decades since its release, The Thing has become downright iconic, earning its own remake in 2011 and inspiring episodes of hit shows like The X-Files and Futurama.
Watch The Thing for free on Tubi.
Super 8 (2011)
Super 8 is J.J. Abrams’s stylized and somewhat polarizing 2011 sci-fi epic. Set in Ohio during the summer of 1979, the film follows a group of kids who encounter a bizarre accident one night while filming a homemade movie on a Super 8 camera. Soon, strange events happen around town and a mysterious creature lurks in the darkness.
The movie was both praised and criticized for its style – most notably its liberal use of lens flare, which divided viewers, with some thinking it was a great stylistic choice and others finding it distracting. In 2011, IndieWire even titled an article about the then-upcoming film, New 30 Second ‘Super 8 Clip Has At Least 30 Lens Flares In It.
Ultimately, Super 8 became a hit, with many loving its retro vibes, its fun group of kids, and its great mystery. Two of its biggest fans included the Duffer Brothers, and the similarities between Stranger Things and Super 8 are pretty obvious. “I loved Super 8, but then it was just gone,” the brothers said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast in 2022. “No one else did it. And I do think there was an appetite, or that’s what I hoped, for this type of storytelling.” With the success of Stranger Things, it seems the Duffer Brothers were absolutely right about there being an appetite.
Watch Super 8 for free on Pluto TV.
Europa Report (2013)
In the indie sci-fi film Europa Report, a group of astronauts head to Jupiter’s moon to search for signs of extraterrestrial life. Before even arriving at Europa, problems arise that put the astronauts’ lives at risk, and once they land on the moon, the situation becomes even more dire.
Europa Report was praised by critics, and though it had a very limited theatrical release, it performed well on DVD and earned a cult following. The movie is noted for its gritty, realistic, and often brutal depiction of space exploration. Variety praised the film’s realistic vision, saying, “Without contriving any sort of overt threat, the film conveys the terror of deep space as a still, silent void, indifferent to human suffering or survival…” Instead of going for an alien-heavy splatterfest, the movie attempted to stay grounded in as much reality as possible, showing a near future with technology similar to our own today.
Watch Europa Report for free on Tubi and Roku.
Melancholia (2011)
Provocative auteur Lars Von Trier brought clinical depression to poetic life in 2011’s Melancholia. In the film, a young bride (Kirsten Dunst) becomes consumed by ennui on her wedding night. The situation becomes even more dire when it’s discovered that a rogue planet named Melancholia will likely become trapped in Earth’s orbit and eventually collide with our planet, destroying everything. Everyone deals with the news differently: some panic and commit suicide, others believe the events are somehow part of a cosmic destiny, and some solemnly accept their impending death.
Melancholia isn’t an easy film to watch. It leaves a haunting, empty feeling inside you, but it’s so incredibly gripping and well-made that you can’t look away. Dunst was even awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, a recognition she deserved. It’s the best performance of her career (sorry, Bring It On fans), and one that deserves to be watched by the widest possible audience.
Watch Melancholia for free on Tubi.
Species (1995)
Horny nerds around the world were given a gift with 1995’s Species. In the film, scientists create an alien/human hybrid named Sil (Natasha Henstridge). Their little experiment quickly grows to a mature age, and being part alien she now only has one mission: fornicate and procreate to make her species flourish.
While the whole sex angle could have made Species a little tawdry, it actually works perfectly within the plot and makes a lot of sense, giving the film a good dose of purpose and suspense. Plus, Sil’s alien form is actually pretty damn cool and is a great example of practical effects done right. Joining Henstridge in the cast were big names like Ben Kingsley and Forest Whitaker, who gave some good star-power that helped make what could have been a throwaway B-movie a really enjoyable and fun sci-fi hit.
Watch Species for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Jim Henson’s fantasy film The Dark Crystal was a modest hit when it premiered in the 1980s, but it’s since developed a massive cult following and is considered by many fans to be Henson’s best work. In the movie, a young boy must complete a prophecy and find a missing crystal piece to save his race. What really makes the movie special are the intricate costumes and puppets that the Jim Henson Company is known for, as they create a dark, mystical, and almost Tim Burton-esqe setting.
In recent years, the film has gained so much popularity that it has received spinoff novels and mangas, and Netflix even launched its own prequel series to the film called The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance in 2019.
Watch The Dark Crystal for free on Pluto TV.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Galaxy Quest proves that great comedy doesn’t need to be raunchy. This PG movie brilliantly pays homage to (and is a biting satire of) Star Trek and nerdy sci-fi culture as a whole. The film follows the washed-up cast of an old sci-fi TV series called Galaxy Quest (which is clearly a nod to Star Trek). What the cast doesn’t know is that aliens have been watching reruns of the show and now think that the actors are actual galaxy-traversing space heroes.
Galaxy Quest is loaded with sci-fi tropes, and the movie expertly plays with them, twists them, and mocks them, all while very lovingly giving the genre lots of recognition and respect. Galaxy Quest works because you can tell its filmmakers were in on the joke and were sci-fi fans themselves. Plus, the movie has an outstanding cast, including big names like Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, as well as comedy experts like Missi Pyle and Rainn Wilson.
Watch Galaxy Quest on Pluto TV.
The Void (2016)
Lovecraft fans will love 2016’s The Void. In the movie, a group of strangers find themselves at a mostly-abandoned hospital that’s surrounded by robed cultists. Things get even worse when people start turning into monsters after the cult leader reveals he’s found a way to make deals with otherworldly entities. Like all Lovecraftian horror films, The Void has an emphasis on cosmic terrors and lots of tentacles, pus, slime, and morbid creatures.
The Void received mostly positive reviews, but it did get some negative criticism for its plot — which leaves a lot unexplained. But for fans of the body-horror genre, or anyone who enjoys Lovecraft’s famous style, the movie won’t disappoint thanks to its great monsters.
Watch The Void on Tubi.
Cube (1997)
In Cube, a group of strangers wake up in a giant cube made of smaller, ever-shifting cubes. The movie never fully explains who made the cube or why the group has been trapped in it. Instead, it focuses on the desperation and paranoia that arises as they try to escape. The group is also forced to deal with another dilemma: some of the cubes are rigged with traps, and the only way to know which rooms are trapped is by solving a secret code within each cube’s room numbers.
Cube was praised by critics and even won Best Canadian Feature Film at its Toronto Film Festival premiere. Many have also noted its similarities to Saw, calling it a spiritual precursor to that movie thanks to its gritty, confined spaces and morbid traps. Cube‘s popularity has also led to two sequels and a 2021 Japanese remake. In 2022, Bloody Disgusting reported that Lionsgate was also in the early stages of working on an American remake.
Watch Cube for free on Pluto TV.
