A Brief History
The following are some of the more notable films set in or about outer space.
Digging Deeper
Film name | Year | Language | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
2001: A Space Odyssey | 1968 | English | Classic directed by Stanley Kubrick |
2010: The Year We Make Contact | 1985 | English | Sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey |
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars | 1953 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Ad Astra | 2019 | English | Directed by James Gray |
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension | 1984 | English | Cult classic, Comedy/Sci-Fi |
The Adventures of Pluto Nash | 2002 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Aelita | 1924 | Silent | The first Soviet sci-fi film |
After Earth | 2013 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
The Age of Pioneers | 2017 | Russian | Historical drama about cosmonaut Alexey Leonov – the first human to perform a spacewalk. |
Airplane II: The Sequel | 1982 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Alien | 1979 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Aliens | 1986 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Alien 3 | 1992 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Alien Resurrection | 1997 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Alien: Covenant | 2017 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Alien vs. Predator | 2004 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | 2007 | English | Sci-Fi-Horror |
The American Astronaut | 2001 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Android | 1982 | English | |
The Andromeda Strain | 1971 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Apollo 13 | 1995 | English | Dramatization of the Apollo 13 lunar mission |
Apollo 18 | 2011 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Approaching the Unknown | 2016 | English | Sci-Fi/Drama |
Armageddon | 1998 | English | Disaster film |
Attraction | 2017 | Russian | Sci-Fi/Drama/Disaster film |
The Angry Red Planet | 1959 | English | |
Avatar | 2009 | English | Directed by James Cameron |
Avatar 2 | 2020 | English | Directed by James Cameron |
Avatar 3 | 2021 | English | Directed by James Cameron |
Babylon 5 | 1993 | English | TV series |
Barbarella | 1968 | French English | Cult classic, Comic book |
Battle Beyond the Stars | 1980 | English | Cult classic, Space Western |
Battlefield Earth | 2000 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Battlestar Galactica | 1978 | English | TV series |
Battlestar Galactica | 2003 | English | TV series |
Battlestar Galactica: Razor | 2007 | English | TV movie |
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan | 2009 | English | TV movie |
The Black Hole | 1979 | English | Walt Disney film |
Blake’s 7 | 1978 | English | TV series |
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | 1979 | English | TV series |
Capricorn One | 1978 | English | |
Cargo | 2009 | German | |
Cat-Women of the Moon | 1953 | English | |
Close Encounters of the Third Kind | 1977 | English | Classic directed by Steven Spielberg |
Conquest of Space | 1955 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Contact | 1997 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
The Chronicles of Riddick | 2004 | English | Cult classic |
Cosmic Voyage | 1936 | Silent | Co-written by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky |
Countdown | 1968 | English | Film adaptation of the novel The Pilgrim Project |
Dante 01 | 2008 | French | |
Dark Star | 1974 | English | Cult classic, Comedy/Sci-Fi |
The Day the Earth Stood Still | 1951 | English | Classic directed by Robert Wise |
Kalai Arasi | 1963 | Tamil | First ever Indian Film based on Outer Space and Aliens |
Deep Impact | 1998 | English | Sci-Fi/Drama/Disaster film |
Destination Moon | 1950 | English | Film adaptation of the novel Rocket Ship Galileo |
District 9 | 2009 | English | An alien ship lands over Johannesburg. |
Doctor Who | 1963 | English | Longest running Sci-Fi series |
Doom | 2005 | English | Adaptation of the video game |
Dune | 1984 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Elysium | 2013 | English | |
Ender’s Game | 2013 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Enemy Mine | 1985 | English | Film adaptation of the novella |
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | 1982 | English | Classic directed by Steven Spielberg |
Europa Report | 2013 | English | |
Event Horizon | 1997 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Explorers | 1985 | English | Cult classic |
The Fifth Element | 1997 | English | Directed by Luc Besson |
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within | 2001 | English | |
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars | 2004 | English | Used to tie many loose ends from the TV series. |
Firefly | 2002 | English | TV series |
First Man | 2018 | English | Biographical drama/Adventure film |
First Man into Space | 1959 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
The First Men in the Moon | 1919 | Silent | Film adaptation of the novel |
First Men in the Moon | 1964 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
First Spaceship on Venus | 1959 | German | Film adaptation of the novel Astronauts |
Flash Gordon | 1980 | English | Cult classic, Comic book |
Flight to Mars | 1951 | English | |
Forbidden Planet | 1956 | English | Classic |
The Fountain | 2006 | English | |
From the Earth to the Moon | 1958 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Gagarin: First in Space | 2013 | Russian | Docudrama about cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin – the first human in space and the mission of Vostok 1. |
Galactica 1980 | 1980 | English | TV series |
Galaxy Quest | 1999 | English | Satire of space adventure television genre i.e. Star Trek |
Galaxy of Terror | 1981 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Ghosts of Mars | 2001 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Guardians of the Galaxy | 2014 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | 2017 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Gravity | 2013 | English | Sci-Fi/Drama/Disaster film |
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy | 2005 | English | Remake/second adaptation of the novel |
Himmelskibet (A trip to Mars) | 1918 | Silent | |
Humanity’s End | 2009 | English | |
Hunter Prey | 2010 | English | |
The Ice Pirates | 1984 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Ikarie XB-1 | 1963 | Czech | |
Independence Day | 1996 | English | Directed by Roland Emmerich |
Independence Day: Resurgence | 2016 | English | Directed by Roland Emmerich |
Interstellar | 2014 | English | Directed by Christopher Nolan |
Iron Sky | 2012 | English | Satire featuring secret 1940s Nazi lunar colony |
It! The Terror from Beyond Space | 1958 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Journey to the Seventh Planet | 1962 | Danish English | |
Journey to the Far Side of the Sun | 1969 | English | |
Jupiter Ascending | 2015 | English | Directed by The Wachowskis |
Kin-dza-dza! | 1986 | Russian | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
The Last Days on Mars | 2013 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
The Last Starfighter | 1984 | English | Cult classic |
Life | 2017 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Lifeforce | 1985 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Lilo & Stitch | 2002 | English | Animated comedy |
Lost in Space | 1998 | English | Film adaptation of the 1960s TV series |
Love | 2011 | English | |
Man of Steel | 2013 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Marooned | 1969 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Mars Attacks! | 1996 | English | Parody on alien invasion films |
The Martian | 2015 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Masters of the Universe | 1987 | English | Superhero film, Cult classic |
Megamind | 2010 | English | Animated parody on superhero films |
Men in Black | 1997 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Men in Black II | 2002 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Men in Black 3 | 2012 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn | 1983 | English | Road movie, Cult classic |
Missile to the Moon | 1958 | English | |
Mission to Mars | 2000 | English | |
Moon | 2009 | English | |
Moon Zero Two | 1969 | English | |
Moon 44 | 1990 | English | Directed by Roland Emmerich |
Moonraker | 1979 | English | James Bond film |
Moontrap | 1989 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Muppets from Space | 1999 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
The Mystery of the Third Planet | 1981 | Russian | Animation |
Oblivion | 2013 | English | Multiple versions |
Outland | 1981 | English | Space Western |
Outlander | 2008 | English | Pre-modern era “Alien” visit |
Pandorum | 2009 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
The Phantom Planet | 1961 | English | |
Passengers | 2016 | English | |
Pitch Black | 2000 | English | First film of the Riddick saga |
Planet 51 | 2009 | English | Animated |
Planet Hulk | 2010 | English | Animated |
Planet of the Apes | 1968 | English | |
Planet of the Storms | 1962 | Russian | |
Predators | 2010 | English | |
Project Moonbase | 1953 | English | |
Prometheus | 2012 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Queen of Outer Space | 1958 | English | |
Race to Space | 2002 | English | |
Red Dwarf | 1988 | English | TV series, Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Red Planet | 2000 | English | |
Riddick | 2013 | English | |
The Right Stuff | 1983 | English | Film adaptation of the book |
Robinson Crusoe on Mars | 1964 | English | Adaptation of the novel Robinson Crusoe |
Rocketship X-M | 1950 | English | |
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger | 1954 | English | TV series |
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | 2016 | English | |
Salyut-7 | 2017 | Russian | Historical drama/Disaster film |
Saturn 3 | 1980 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Screamers | 1995 | English | |
Serenity | 2005 | English | Based on the cult TV series Firefly from 2002 |
Silent Running | 1972 | English | |
Solaris | 1972 | Russian | Film adaptation of the novel |
Solaris | 2002 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Soldier | 1998 | English | |
Solo: A Star Wars Story | 2018 | English | |
Space: 1999 | 1975 | English | TV series |
Spaceballs | 1987 | English | Parody of Star Wars and space sagas in general |
SpaceCamp | 1986 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone | 1983 | English | Road movie |
Space Battleship Yamato | 2010 | Japanese | Live-action version of the anime series |
Space Cowboys | 2000 | English | |
Space Raiders | 1983 | English | |
Space Station 76 | 2014 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Space Truckers | 1996 | English | Comedy/Sci-Fi |
Starchaser: The Legend of Orin | 1985 | English | Animated |
Starcrash | 1978 | English | Cult classic |
Starship Troopers | 1997 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation | 2004 | English | Direct-to-video |
Starship Troopers 3: Marauder | 2008 | English | Direct-to-video |
Starship Troopers: Invasion | 2012 | English | Computer-animated |
Star Trek: The Motion Picture | 1979 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | 1982 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock | 1984 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | 1986 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier | 1989 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country | 1991 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek Generations | 1994 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation |
Star Trek: First Contact | 1996 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Next Generation |
Star Trek: Insurrection | 1998 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Next Generation |
Star Trek: Nemesis | 2002 | English | Follow up to Star Trek: The Next Generation |
Star Trek | 2009 | English | Reboot of Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek Into Darkness | 2013 | English | Reboot of Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Trek Beyond | 2016 | English | Reboot of Star Trek: The Original Series |
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | 1999 | English | |
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones | 2002 | English | |
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | 2005 | English | |
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope | 1977 | English | |
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back | 1980 | English | |
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi | 1983 | English | |
Star Wars: The Force Awakens | 2015 | English | |
Star Wars: The Last Jedi | 2017 | English | |
Star Wars: The Clone Wars | 2008 | English | Computer-animated |
Stargate | 1994 | English | Directed by Roland Emmerich |
Stargate: The Ark of Truth | 2008 | English | Direct-to-video |
Stargate: Continuum | 2008 | English | Direct-to-video |
Stranded: Náufragos | 2001 | English Spanish | |
Stranded | 2013 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
Sunshine | 2007 | English | Disaster film |
Superman | 1978 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Superman II | 1980 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Supernova | 2000 | English | Sci-Fi/Horror |
The Terrornauts | 1967 | English | |
This Island Earth | 1955 | English | Film adaptation of the novel |
Thor | 2011 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Thor: The Dark World | 2013 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Thor: Ragnarok | 2017 | English | Superhero film, Comic book |
Titan A.E. | 2000 | English | Animated |
Total Recall | 1990 | English | |
The Transformers: The Movie | 1986 | English | Animated, Cult classic |
Treasure Planet | 2002 | English | Animated, Tribute to the novel Treasure Island |
A Trip to the Moon | 1902 | Silent | Original title Le voyage dans la lune |
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets | 2017 | English | Directed by Luc Besson |
WALL-E | 2008 | English | Animated comedy |
Wing Commander | 1999 | English | Adaptation of the video game |
Woman in the Moon | 1929 | Silent | |
Zathura: A Space Adventure | 2005 | English | Film adaptation of the book |
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century | 1999 | English | Disney Channel movie |
Zenon: The Zequel | 2001 | English | Disney Channel movie |
Zenon: Z3 | 2004 | English | Disney Channel movie |
Tik Tik Tik | 2018 | Tamil | Indian space film |
Vinveli Payana Kurippugal | 2018 | Tamil | Indian Sci-Fi Non-Linear Black Comedy space film |
Chanda Mama Door Ke | 2018 | Hindi | Viki Rajani |
Question for students (and subscribers): What is your favorite film from this list? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!
Your readership is much appreciated!
Historical Evidence
Some content in this article is adapted from this article on Wikipedia. It is reproduced here per the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License.