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Sci-fi on Disney+: the best movies

24 sci-fi films available on Disney+ today, ranked by audience rating, most recommended first. Updated 25 September 2026

The Empire Strikes Back leads with 8.4 out of 10, ahead of Avengers: Endgame (8.2). Ratings range from 7.7 to 8.4. The oldest, Planet of the Apes, goes back to 1968. 6 films came out since 2021.

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What to know before choosing

Science fiction is read by its date. It is not a genre about the future but about the era that produced it: the fears of 1975 are not those of 2015, and a well-rated science fiction film has almost always named an anxiety before anyone else did. It is also the genre with the widest gap between audience rating and actual ageing — cross this list with the decades and the effect is striking.

Disney+ is the most predictable catalogue of the set, and that is its strength: what goes in rarely comes out. Lists about it therefore age better than the others. Its depth is real in animation and family, much thinner elsewhere — a "thriller on Disney+" page will always be shorter than an "animation on Disney+" page, and the catalogue decides that, not the selection.

Frequently asked questions

How were these 24 films chosen?

They come from the TMDB catalogue, filtered on audience rating and on a minimum number of votes — without that second filter, a film rated 9 out of 10 by eleven people would outrank a classic. No place is for sale: no platform, distributor or studio can enter this list other than by being well rated.

Which film in this list is rated highest?

The Empire Strikes Back (1980), with 8.4 out of 10 from 18,883 audience votes.

Are these films really available on Disney+ in the UK?

Yes, as of the day the page was built. Availability comes from TMDB and JustWatch for the catalogue in the UK, and the list is rebuilt daily. Streaming catalogues move constantly: a title can leave between two passes, which is why the page carries its date.

Are there any recent releases in this selection?

6 of the 24 films came out since 2021. The rest are older, which is expected: a film needs a few years to gather enough votes to be judged at all.

Do I need an account?

No. Taro eira is free, asks for no account and no subscription, and the two-or-three-question flow works without installing anything.

See also

How this list is built

Films come from the TMDB catalogue, filtered on audience rating and vote count, then cross-checked against real availability in the country. No paid placement, no partnerships. How we choose the films.

Find my film in 2 questions

Film data and posters: TMDB. This app uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.