The sci-fi genre has long been one of the most popular across various media, with movies in particular helping to raise its profile as especially successful. Throughout the years, many of the best sci-fi movies have cemented themselves as classics not just of the genre, but of cinema itself. The speculative stories of science fiction are often packed with deep allegory and thought-provoking ideas, making use of interesting narrative themes as well as having the potential to be blended with tropes from other genres. As such, sci-fi has become a big-screen staple, but many of its best stories owe their success to written source material.
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There are many sci-fi masterpiece books that have been adapted to film. Some of the best of the genre have actually been adapted more than once, though, with different filmmakers trying their hand at bringing the narratives to life on the big screen. Adaptations of important works of science fiction are often massively popular, though one of the multiple attempts to bring the story off the page usually stands out as better than others.
7) Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the all-time great works of fiction, and its dystopian story has earned a place in our collective cultural lexicon as a result. The sci-fi masterpiece was adapted into a movie first in 1956, again in 1984, and again in 2023. The best movie version remains the one released in the titular year, starring John Hurt and Richard Burton. Though some still consider it inferior to the original novel, 1984’s 1984 remains the best live-action movie based on Orwell’s book.
6) Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell
Who Goes There? is a sci-fi story that many know by a different name, which is an indicator of just how good the big-screen adaptation is. First adapted in 1951 under the name The Thing from Another World, it was then remade in 1982 with the much snappier title of The Thing. The latter is remembered as one of John Carpenter’s best movies and by far the best adaptation of John W. Campbell’s original book, overshadowing the source material as well as its predecessor.
5) The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
There are a handful of sci-fi stories that have become synonymous with the early days of the genre, and The Invisible Man is one of them. Written by H.G. Wells in 1897, the story has been adapted onto the big screen on more than one occasion, with some more faithful than others. Picking a single adaptation as the best isn’t easy, but 2020’s The Invisible Man, directed by Leigh Whannell, narrowly wins out. The tense, paranoid nature of the story really captures the protagonist’s torment, bringing the iconic story to life with an impressively modern feel.
4) The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney
Referring to Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers as a masterpiece in its own right might seem contentious, but the success of its adaptations has earned it that status. The novel has been adapted onto the big screen four times, in 1956, 1978, 1993, and 2007. The best movie version by far is the 1978 film, which stars Donald Sutherland, Leonard Nimoy, and a young Jeff Goldblum. Remembered as one of the most terrifying sci-fi movies ever made, 1978’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers bleakly adapts Finney’s novel in the best way possible.
3) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is widely considered the book that started the entire science fiction genre and is considered one of the great literary masterpieces. Shelley’s story has been adapted countless times on the big screen, both faithfully and decidedly loosely, making choosing just one as the best incredibly difficult. However, the best Frankenstein movie remains the 1931 version, which starred Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster. In terms of its influence, longevity, and faithfulness to the source material, it remains the best adaptation of Shelley’s original work.
2) War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds was first published in 1898, and was among the first stories to tell the tale of humanity battling an alien threat. It’s another classic sci-fi story that has been adapted many times, but the best is the 2005 version starring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning, directed by Steven Spielberg. War of the Worlds established Tom Cruise as the king of sci-fi movies to many, and it remains one of the most visually striking adaptations of Wells’ novel.
1) Dune by Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert redefined modern sci-fi with his novel Dune, which helped popularize the space opera subgenre among a wide audience. The 1965 novel was adapted onto the big screen by David Lynch in 1984, but Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 version has become known as one of the best sci-fi movie reboots of all time. A faithful and visually exceptional adaptation of Herbert’s novel, Denis Villeneuve’s take on the sci-fi epic is by far the best movie version of the story to date.
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Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme
