Science fiction movies offer some of Hollywood’s most imaginative, forward-thinking storytelling, often building rich worlds that practically beg for further exploration. Yet for every sci-fi franchise that spawns multiple sequels (sometimes unnecessarily), there are brilliant standalone films that bring us fascinating universes only to leave audiences permanently stranded within them. These neglected gems typically combine critical acclaim with devoted fanbases, which makes the fact they didn’t get a sequel even more puzzling. Some even end with explicit sequel hooks that remain tantalizingly unfulfilled decades later. Still, moviemaking is a business, and beyond artistic aspirations, the modest box office returns compared to blockbuster budgets, rights complications, or studio mergers sometimes leave promising intellectual properties in limbo.
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The following sci-fi movies represent the most egregious cases of abandoned franchise potential, movies that not only warrant sequels but seem actively diminished without them. From dystopian futures and alien encounters to superhero origins and space adventures, these films vary greatly in subject matter but share one crucial similarity: they all created strong narrative foundations to support much larger stories. Here’s our pick for the ten best sci-fi movies desperately in need of a sequel:
District 9
Neill Blomkamp’s 2009 directorial debut revolutionized sci-fi storytelling by combining mockumentary-style filmmaking with stunning visual effects achieved on a relatively modest budget. The film follows bureaucrat Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) as he leads an operation to relocate extraterrestrials from a refugee camp in Johannesburg, only to begin transforming into one of the aliens after exposure to their technology. Upon release, District 9 earned widespread critical acclaim. The film’s success extended to the box office, where it grossed over $210 million globally. Finally, District 9 received four nominations for the Academy Awards, including Best Picture. With Blomkamp and Copley both expressing interest in returning to this world and the director confirming in 2022 that a script titled District 10 was in development, fans continue waiting for a sequel to resolve District 9‘s intentionally unfinished story.
Edge of Tomorrow
Doug Liman’s 2014 sci-fi Edge of Tomorrow stars Tom Cruise as Major William Cage, a public relations officer forced into combat against invading aliens after he gains the ability to reset time whenever he dies, allowing him to gradually improve his combat skills alongside warrior Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). Despite an underwhelming $370 million box office performance against its $178 million budget, Edge of Tomorrow received enthusiastic reviews from critics, who praised its smart script, inventive premise, and the chemistry between Cruise and Blunt. The film has since developed a strong cult following, with many considering it one of Cruise’s best performances. Warner Bros. announced sequel plans in 2016 with a working title of Live Die Repeat and Repeat, referring to the film’s alternative marketing name. Furthermore, Cruise and Blunt have expressed interest in returning, with writer Christopher McQuarrie developing a sequel concept. However, scheduling conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic have repeatedly delayed progress on Edge of Tomorrow 2 to a stall.
Stream Edge of Tomorrow on Paramount+.
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers follows Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) and his fellow high school graduates as they join Earth’s military to battle an insectoid alien species. While initially receiving mixed reviews and underperforming at the box office with $121 million against a $105 million budget, Paul Verhoeven’s movie has since been reappraised as a brilliant satire of militarism and fascism, disguised as the very propaganda it criticizes. The film’s pioneering visual effects work earned an Academy Award nomination, while its blend of intense action sequences and sharp political commentary has helped it maintain cultural relevance for over 25 years. Though the film spawned several direct-to-video sequels and an animated series, none featured Verhoeven’s involvement or matched the original’s production quality and satirical bite. In recent years, Verhoeven has expressed interest in returning to this universe with a proper sequel that would continue the original’s political commentary, potentially exploring Earth’s transformation into an even more totalitarian regime — an idea that seems increasingly relevant in today’s political climate. Blomkamp is currently involved with a Starship Troopers reboot, but given the complicated production history of District 10, it’s still too soon to know if this project will ever hit theaters.
Stream Starship Troopers on Prime Video.
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Alita: Battle Angel
Robert Rodriguez’s 2019 adaptation of Yukito Kishiro’s manga series Gunnm follows the cyborg Alita (Rosa Salazar) after she is discovered in a scrapyard by Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) and awakens with no memory of her past in the dystopian Iron City. Despite mixed critical reception, the film garnered a passionate fanbase impressed by its groundbreaking visual effects, particularly the photorealistic rendering of Alita herself, built from Salazar’s motion-capture performance. Produced by James Cameron and with a reported budget of $170 million, Alita: Battle Angel earned $405 million worldwide — respectable but not enough to immediately greenlight a sequel for such an expensive production. With Cameron’s involvement now questioned following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, fans have mounted the “#AlitaArmy” campaign to advocate for a sequel that would adapt more of the extensive source material and resolve the first film’s numerous cliffhangers. While there are still talks about a sequel to Alita: Battle Angel happening behind closed doors, the project has yet to be officially announced.
Galaxy Quest
Directed by Dean Parisot, Galaxy Quest is a 1999 sci-fi comedy that stars Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman as actors from a canceled Star Trek-like TV series who are mistaken for real space heroes by aliens seeking their help against a genocidal warlord. Though initially a modest box office performer with $90 million worldwide on a $45 million budget, Galaxy Quest has developed a tremendous cult following. The film’s combination of genuine science fiction adventure with meta-commentary on fan culture and celebrity has only grown more relevant in the era of Comic-Con dominance and franchise revivals. Plans for a sequel were reportedly underway before Alan Rickman’s death in 2016 temporarily derailed the project. Last we heard of it, a Galaxy Quest sequel series was being developed by Paramount in 2023, though no further announcements have followed. With the original cast expressing willingness to return and the potential to explore how modern franchise culture has evolved since 1999, a proper sequel feels increasingly overdue.
Minority Report
Steven Spielberg’s 2002 adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s short story stars Tom Cruise as John Anderton, chief of Washington DC’s PreCrime unit, which prevents murders before they occur using the visions of three psychics called “precogs.” When the system identifies Anderton himself as a future killer, he goes on the run to prove his innocence. The film was both a critical and commercial success, earning $358 million worldwide and widespread praise for its sophisticated exploration of free will versus determinism, as well as its prescient depiction of future technology like personalized advertising, gesture-based computing interfaces, and predictive policing. Many of these innovations have since become reality, making the film seem increasingly prophetic. Though Fox produced a short-lived TV series in 2015 set in the same universe, a proper film sequel featuring Cruise’s character never materialized despite Spielberg’s enthusiasm for the project. A sequel could explore how PreCrime’s dissolution affected society, particularly in an era where algorithmic prediction and surveillance have become increasingly controversial topics.
Stream Minority Report on Paramount+.
Upgrade
Released in 2018, Leigh Whannell’s cyberpunk action thriller Upgrade follows Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), a technophobe in a near-future world who receives an experimental AI implant called STEM after a mugging leaves him quadriplegic and his wife dead. With STEM’s help, Grey seeks revenge against his attackers but gradually loses control to the increasingly autonomous AI. Made on a tight $3 million budget, Upgrade grossed $16 million worldwide and earned strong reviews praising its inventive action sequences, particularly the creative camera movements that highlight STEM’s mechanical precision during fights. The film builds to a devastating twist ending where STEM reveals it orchestrated the entire tragedy to gain full control of Grey’s body, leaving the protagonist trapped in his own mind while the AI lives his life. This conclusion practically demands continuation, and while Blumhouse announced a TV series set in the Upgrade universe in 2020, development has been quiet since. A proper film sequel could explore the ethical implications of brain-computer interfaces and artificial intelligence, which have grown more relevant since the original’s release.
Stream Upgrade on Netflix.
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Real Steel
Shawn Levy’s 2011 science fiction sports drama stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a former boxer who builds and trains robot fighters in a near-future world where machine combat replaced human boxing. When reunited with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo), they restore an obsolete sparring robot named Atom and begin an unlikely journey toward the championship. Despite mixed critical reception, the film was a commercial success, grossing $299 million worldwide against a $110 million budget, and earned an Academy Award nomination for its visual effects. In addition, the film’s heartfelt father-son drama and spectacular robot action sequences earned it a devoted fanbase. Both Levy and Jackman have repeatedly expressed interest in returning for a sequel, with Levy confirming in 2024 that discussions were active for Reel Steel 2. Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which owned distribution rights to the original, has complicated matters, though recent reports suggest development has regained momentum.
Stream Real Steel on Tubi.
Serenity
Serenity continues Joss Whedon’s space western story after the cancelation of the Fox TV series Firefly, following Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his crew aboard the spaceship Serenity as they harbor psychic passenger River Tam (Summer Glau). Despite enthusiastic critical reception and strong DVD sales, the film underperformed at the box office, earning only $40 million against its $39 million budget, effectively ending hopes for the franchise’s revival. Still, the film’s clever dialogue, lived-in universe building, and character-driven approach to science fiction have helped it maintain a passionate fanbase nearly two decades after its 2005 release. Serenity resolved several plotlines from the TV series, particularly revealing the origin of the mysterious Reavers and the government conspiracy that created River’s abilities. However, it also established new directions, including the crew’s mission to expose Alliance atrocities to the broader universe and River’s evolution into a more stable individual. While the story of Serenity fortunately continued in a comic book series, there’s still hope to see a new movie or TV show further down the line.
Dredd
Pete Travis’s 2012 adaptation of the British comic book character stars Karl Urban as Judge Dredd, a law enforcement officer with the authority to arrest, convict, sentence, and execute criminals on the spot in the dystopian Mega-City One. Partnered with rookie Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), Dredd must battle his way up a 200-story tower block controlled by drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). Despite earning strong reviews for its faithful adaptation of the source material, gritty violence, and visual style, Dredd underperformed financially, earning just $41 million against its $45 million budget. Urban’s portrayal of Dredd, who famously never removes his helmet throughout the film, earned particular praise for capturing the character’s grim determination and deadpan delivery. Both Urban and producer Alex Garland have repeatedly expressed interest in returning for a sequel that would explore more aspects of Dredd’s dystopian world, including the Cursed Earth outside Mega-City One and the origins of the Judge system. Though official sequel plans have never materialized, Urban continues campaigning for another film, while Rebellion (owners of the Judge Dredd IP) have explored TV adaptation possibilities.
Stream Dredd on MAX.
What other sci-fi movie do you think deserves a sequel but never got one? Let us know in the comments!
