Sci-fi movies to watch out for in 2026: Spielberg’s aliens, Ryan Gosling in space, and a Black Mirror-inspired erotic horror
Steve Spielberg returns to his alien movie roots while a spin-off of M3GAN is set to hit the big screen in 2026. These are the sci-fi flicks to watch out for this year.
The sci-fi scene has taken off in recent years, with films like M3GAN and Dune charting high at the box office.
As the new year commences, there are a few long-awaited sci-fi flicks coming to the big screen that are not to be missed.
Cybernews has compiled a short list of sci-fi films that we think are worth watching.
Stephen Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” releases in June
Stephen Spielberg, director of Jaws and Schindler’s List, is known for his alien invasion movies.
Having directed the cult classic E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg is currently working on another alien invasion movie, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and Colin Firth, set for release this spring.
The trailer features Blunt’s character, a weather presenter on a national news station, being utilized as a conduit for extraterrestrials who wish to communicate with planet Earth.
Spielberg has left much to the imagination, as the mysterious alien movie’s plot hasn’t been explicitly revealed.
The only clue we have is this sentence on IMDB:
“If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?”
In an interview with Deadline, O’Connor said that Disclosure Day is “like old-school Spielberg,” closer to his original alien films.
This star-studded and likely lavish movie is set for release in June 2026.
Ryan Gosling’s space odyssey in “Project Hail Mary”
For those who love Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary will be the must-see movie of the year.
The film features Gosling as science teacher Ryland Grace, who wakes up aboard a ship floating in space, completely unaware of how he got there and what his mission is.
As Grace slowly regains his memory, it becomes clear that he has been tasked with saving Earth by utilizing his scientific knowledge to understand a mysterious substance that is causing the sun to die out.
The film is based on Andy Weir’s novel, Project Hail Mary.
This isn’t the first time one of Weir’s novels has been adapted for the big screen, as his novel The Martian was released in cinemas in 2015.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who have both helped produce movies like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse and 22 Jump Street, are directing Weir’s adaptation.
The film is an Amazon MGM Studio production and was specifically created to be seen in IMAX cinemas, as viewers can experience the vastness of space, according to Amazon.
Project Hail Mary is set for release in March 2026.
No “Mercy” for Chris Pratt
Amazon and Sony Pictures present Mercy, a sci-fi film that plays into our fears surrounding artificial intelligence.
The movie, starring Chris Pratt, explores ever-present concerns surrounding the use of AI in our justice systems.
A detective, played by Pratt, has been accused of murdering his wife and must stand before an AI judge.
The technology that he originally stood behind will decide his fate, as Pratt’s character only has 90 minutes to prove his innocence. Otherwise, he will be executed.
Director Timur Bekmambetov has explored the idea of technology and justice in previous films like LifeHack (2025), which features four teenagers who attempt to pull off a bitcoin heist.
Mercy has also been filmed for IMAX and will be released in January 2026.
“Soulm8te” is a stark warning about AI robot companions
Soulm8te is an erotic horror with a sci-fi twist, marking the third installment of the M3GAN series.
The spin-off film, directed by Kate Dolan, appears to draw inspiration from Charlie Brooker’s series Black Mirror, particularly from his earlier episode “Be Right Back,” albeit with a sinister twist.
In the film, a man loses his wife and, to grieve her loss, replaces her with an artificially intelligent humanoid robot.
But while attempting to create a truly sentient android partner, he creates something truly evil.
Soulm8te is being produced by horror movie giant Blumhouse Studios, which has released various films such as Black Phone and Five Nights at Freddy’s.
However, the movie currently doesn’t have a distributor or a trailer. Soulm8te was set to be released in January 2026 by Universal Pictures, but has since been pulled from the release calendar.
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