2025 can’t seem to get it together when it comes to the science fiction genre. There have been a number of hits, such as Predator: Badlands, which continues to break box office records on its way to a record return for the franchise, and Jurassic World: Rebirth. However, the misses are making it hard to focus on the winners. War of the Worlds is already in the conversation for the worst sci-fi movie of the decade, with Prime Video phoning in an adaptation that has no redeeming qualities. The legacy sequel Tron: Ares isn’t faring much better, bombing at the box office and potentially being the final nail in the franchise’s coffin.
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Not every sci-fi film that came out this year has baggage, though. Original ideas are breaking through all the roadblocks and doing well for themselves. The Gorge, for example, is one of Apple TV’s most successful films, and its stars, Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, deserve much of the credit for that. Another 2025 sci-fi film can go toe-to-toe with The Gorge on a cast level, but it’s flying under the radar otherwise, despite having a twist for the ages.
Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne Lead a Stacked Sci-Fi Cast
Brad Fuller isn’t exactly a household name, but he’s one of the most important producers in the game. His production company, Platinum Dunes, specializes in making horror movies, with some of its biggest hits being The Amityville Horror, Friday the 13th, The Purge, and Ouija. In recent years, Platinum Dunes has become open to the idea of embracing sci-fi elements, working on The Quiet Place movies. Watching aliens run around clearly affected Brad, as he agreed to produce a script that featured its fair share of extraterrestrial creatures.
Jess Varley’s script for The Astronaut was discovered by Brad, Eric B. Fleischman, and Cameron Fuller. To give the movie instant credibility, The Matrix and John Wick star Laurence Fishburne was cast as one of the leads. Emma Roberts signed on to play the titular character, but Kate Mara later replaced her. With all the contracts signed, filming began in 2023, and by 2025, the movie was ready to be shown to critics at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. While reviews were mixed, no one could deny that The Astronaut swung for the fences with its twist.
The Astronaut‘s Big Reveal Changes Everything
Unlike a lot of sci-fi movies, The Astronaut begins during the tail end of a space mission. Sam Walker, a NASA astronaut, crash-lands on Earth, and after recovering, she goes to a remote cottage to rest up and allow her superior to investigate. Being alone is hard for Sam, but her family comes by every so often, and she has all the amenities that she could need. However, strange events begin to happen at night, including a mysterious creature entering the cottage, forcing Sam to seek safety in a bunker. Surviving one encounter doesn’t do Sam any good, though, because more creatures show up the next time and drop a bombshell.
It turns out Sam isn’t an astronaut but an alien who landed on Earth years ago and was avoiding capture by the government. She took on a disguise to blend in, and it’s starting to wear off, meaning she has to make a choice. At the end of the movie, Sam decides to embrace her true form and leave with her real family. The conclusion is emotional, to say the least, but not many people have seen it because the film only got a limited release in select regions. Hopefully, the years will be kind to The Astronaut because it’s a pretty strong needle in a huge haystack.
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