Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Like Netflix’s Spaceman with Adam Sandler? Then watch these three great sci-fi movies now

Adam Sandler walks through a jungle in Spaceman
Free Association

When watching Netflix’s new sci-fi drama Spaceman, be prepared for a side of Adam Sandler you rarely see. Sandler plays Jakub Procházka, an astronaut sent on a solo mission to the solar system’s edge. Six months into his mission, Jakub contemplates if his marriage to his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), can be saved upon returning to Earth. With no other human on the ship, Jakub confides in Hanuš, (voiced by Paul Dano), an extraterrestrial spider who helps the astronaut work through his problems.

Ultimately, Spaceman is a film about self-discovery as a man seeks to change his ways before it’s too late. Spaceman begins streaming on March 1 on Netflix. If you’re looking for similar movies, consider watching these three films, including a dramatic showcase for Brad Pitt, an underrated biopic, and a time-traveling saga.

Recommended Videos

Ad Astra (2019)

An astronaut views Earth from space in Ad Astra.
20th Century Fox

Spaceman and Ad Astra feature characters with deep-seated emotional issues who willingly travel into the great beyond to avoid confronting the truth. At the center of Ad Astra is Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), an astronaut tasked with investigating power surges near the end of the galaxy. The U.S. Space Command believes the anomalies are coming from the Lima Project, a space station orbiting around Neptune that was initially run by Roy’s father, H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), who left 29 years earlier to search for intelligent life.

It’s unknown whether Clifford survived or died at the Lima Project. Curious about his father’s whereabouts, Roy agrees to embark on the dangerous mission despite being terrified of a potential reunion with Clifford. At its core, Ad Astra is a parent-child movie. It just so happens that Ad Astra also features some of the most beautiful depictions of outer space.

Stream Ad Astra on Hulu.

First Man (2018)

A group of astronauts led by Ryan Gosling stare in the distance.
Universal Pictures

Admittedly, First Man is more of a dramatic biopic than a sci-fi adventure. However, the themes of loneliness, grief, and marriage from Spaceman make up the DNA of Damien Chazelle’s film. Ryan Gosling stars as Neil Armstrong, the iconic astronaut who became an American hero for his work during the space race. The film chronicles Armstrong’s time at NASA, from his days as a test pilot to leading the Apollo 11 mission and becoming the first man to step foot on the moon.

Behind his work at NASA, Neil was a humble, reserved man who struggled to cope with a personal tragedy he suffered alongside his wife, Janet (The Crown‘s Claire Foy). First Man is a quiet, emotionally moving biopic about a man grappling with being the famous hero he never strived to be. If you can only watch one scene, pick the moon landing sequence, a stunning piece of filmmaking set to a haunting, beautiful score.

Stream First Man on Hulu.

Interstellar (2014)

Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathway curiously stare next to each other in a scene from Interstellar.
Paramount Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures / Paramount/Warner Bros.

Christopher Nolan’s obsession with time and space provided the impetus for Interstellar. Set in the future, Earth is deteriorating as humanity faces severe famine and drought. With extinction a real possibility, the only way to ensure humanity survives is to find another home on a different planet. Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former NASA pilot, is recruited by his former mentor, Professor John Brand (Michael Caine), to fly an expedition across the galaxy and travel to a wormhole near Saturn. If successful, Cooper and his team will explore three planets that could be the next home for humanity.

This trip will take years off his life, forcing Cooper to decide if saving the human race is more important than spending Earth’s final days with his children. Interstellar is much more epic, upbeat, and thrilling than Spaceman. However, both films share similar views on relationships and how love is the ultimate cure for loneliness.

Stream Interstellar on Prime Video or Paramount+.

Dan Girolamo
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
3 sci-fi movies on Peacock you need to watch in November 2024
A close-up of Marty McFly in Back to the Future looking at something outside.

Sci-fi is a genre that everyone loves, whether it’s hard sci-fi or lighter options that incorporate sci-fi themes. There are classic and new sci-fi movies available to stream on all the top streaming services, including Peacock.

For this month, there are three sci-fi movies on Peacock you need to watch in November. Chances are these are movies you watched when they were first released, dating back to the 1980s through 2010s. But these are films with great re-watch value as well, especially if you haven’t seen them in a while. One, in fact, is among the greatest sci-fi movies of all time.

Read more
The best sci-fi movies on Max right now
Dr. Grant tries to lure the T-Rex away in Jurassic Park.

At the beginning of November, Max only added 23 new movies to its cinematic lineup. That's a lot fewer than its streaming rivals. It also means that the sci-fi movies on Max aren't the only genre that's being underserved by Warner Bros. Discovery. Since last month, War for the Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Leviathan, Predators, and High Life have all departed Max. Unfortunately, adding the first three Jurassic Park movies doesn't really do enough to offset that loss.

But since we can only work with what we have, the original Jurassic Park is one of our films in the spotlight for November. The other new addition, Watchmen Chapter 1, isn't arriving until November 18. That is an animated superhero movie, but it also has many sci-fi elements, and it's one of the best comic book stories ever created.

Read more
This mind-bending 2024 movie is popular on Netflix right now. Is it worth watching?
reasons to watch its whats inside netflix the cast of it s what

When a new Netflix original movie hits the streaming service, it can be hard to determine whether that movie is actually worth your time. Netflix makes plenty of great movies, but it makes plenty of schlock as well, and you might be a half-hour into the movie before you realize the movie you're watching isn't actually all that interesting.

Thankfully, It's What's Inside falls into that first bucket of movies that are well worth your time. This smart, psychological thriller/comedy tells the story of a group of friends who are gathered for a pre-wedding party. When one friend arrives late with a device that allows them to switch bodies, though, things quickly spiral out of control. Here are three reasons the movie is worth watching.

Read more