The sci-fi genre has grown into one of the most successful in modern pop culture, with various subgenres emerging over its many decades of popularity. However, at the genre’s core, there will always be stories that take place out among the far reaches of space, imagining a time or place when travel between planets and solar systems is possible. Naturally, such stories almost exclusively feature interstellar vehicles, with many great sci-fi spaceships becoming almost as famous as the movies or TV shows in which they feature. Many spaceships have become truly iconic in their own right, though the majority belong to sci-fi’s most successful franchises.
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While Star Trek and Star Wars have cool spaceships, they aren’t the only movies to deliver interesting and eye-catching designs. Many other films in the sci-fi genre have boasted incredibly innovative interstellar vehicles, though they rarely get the same love as those from the genre’s behemoth franchises. With that in mind, here are the coolest movie spaceships that don’t originate from Star Wars or Star Trek.
7) Serenity (Serenity)
An example of a great sci-fi show that continued after it was cancelled, Firefly landed on the big screen in 2005 with Serenity. The namesake of the movie, the Serenity feels less like a ship and more like a character in its own right. The Firefly-class ship is characterized by its thorax-like curves and its somewhat rustic charm, particularly compared to many of the more advanced ships featured in the movie.
6) Icarus II (Sunshine)
Danny Boyle’s Sunshine is an underrated sci-fi movie from the 2000s that deserves more love, and that extends to the movie’s starship, the Icarus II. As part of a last-ditch effort to deliver a massive bomb intended to reignite Earth’s dying Sun, the crew of the Icarus II is aware of how bleak their prospects are from the outset. The long ship reflects the desperation of the movie’s human population, as it seems designed for function over form. The imaginative design perfectly fits the movie’s aesthetic, making it seem especially well-conceived.
5) Discovery One (2001: A Space Odyssey)
One of the few sci-fi movies from the 1960s that has aged incredibly well, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a classic of the genre. Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film has become an iconic piece of sci-fi history, with its ship, the Discovery One, providing the setting for much of its story. While it may not look especially remarkable by today’s standards, the Discovery One’s place in sci-fi history alone makes it stand out as an especially cool and influential design.
4) Event Horizon (Event Horizon)
There are many great 1990s sci-fi movies, but very few of them can boast the cult following of Event Horizon. The movie leans heavily into themes of cosmic horror, largely centered on the titular ship. The Event Horizon is effectively a derelict haunted house floating through space, with its imposing design both instantly recognizable and subtly unsettling. For all the horrors it houses, the Event Horizon is undeniably an incredibly cool ship.
3) Prawn Mothership (District 9)
District 9 might be a great sci-fi movie set entirely on Earth, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t feature any spaceships. The arrival of the Prawn Mothership is one of the most visually striking moments in the entire movie, and though it doesn’t feature for too long, it stands out as especially cool. The ship’s subtle design clearly evokes the traditional flying saucer, but with complex mechanics and machinery hanging from its underside. It perfectly matches the visual style of the film and paints a fascinating picture of the aliens’ society through clever design.
2) Endurance (Interstellar)
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is hailed as one of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s, and rightfully so. Focusing heavily on the scientific elements of its sci-fi premise, Interstellar features the Endurance, the ship sent out to locate a potential home for humanity among the stars. Its circular design makes it stand out starkly from the more traditional designs of spaceships throughout sci-fi history, making it both eye-catching and instantly recognizable as a result.
1) USS Cygnus (The Black Hole)
The Black Hole is a largely forgotten 1979 Disney sci-fi movie that was once the most expensive film ever produced by the studio. Following the crew of a research vessel as they discover the seemingly abandoned USS Cygnus at the edge of a black hole, and while it has been widely forgotten, its visuals deserve remembering. The Cygnus is one of the most breathtaking spaceship designs in cinematic history, but sadly, it has been widely forgotten alongside the movie it features so heavily in.
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