Many of us dream about what life would be like if we could travel through time. Some would take the opportunity to go to a distant future where they could travel in flying cars or visit their children as adults. Others would be more inclined to go back in time to reverse their decisions or witness life during simpler times. Alas, time travel doesn’t exist, but we can still live out our fantasies through film, and today, we have a list of the best movies with time travel.
This list includes many great films, many of which you may not have heard of yet. Of course, there are gems such as “Back to the Future” and “The Terminator.” However, there are many that you likely have yet to discover, such as “See You Yesterday,” a time-travel thriller produced by Spike Lee, or “12 Monkeys,” the underrated sci-fi time-travel film starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. Regardless of the type of genre you enjoy, there’s a time travel film out there somewhere, and it’s probably on this list.
These are the top-tier time travel movies, and we encourage you to check out at least a few on this list because they’ll really get you thinking about what could have been or what could be in the future. Once you’re done here, look at the actors who wish they could go back in time to turn down the offer to star in the worst movies of all time.
To determine the best movies with time travel, 24/7 Tempo developed an index of movies using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of March 2024, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 2,500 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Documentaries were not considered. Directorial credits are from IMDb.
50. Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (72,989 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56% (56 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 57% (53 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Hewitt
49. The Lake House (2006)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (144,668 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (73 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (156 reviews)
- Directed by: Alejandro Agresti
48. Kate & Leopold (2001)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (81,372 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (62 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (130 reviews)
- Directed by: James Mangold
47. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (386,551 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 46% (46 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (207 reviews)
- Directed by: Jonathan Mostow
46. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (167,423 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56% (56 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (212 reviews)
- Directed by: Steve Pink
45. See You Yesterday (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (10,246 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 40% (40 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (40 reviews)
- Directed by: Stefon Bristol
44. Before I Fall (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Open Road Films (II)
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (49,247 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (57 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (124 reviews)
- Directed by: Ry Russo-Young
43. Time Trap (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Paladin
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (33,248 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (64 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 62% (13 reviews)
- Directed by: Ben Foster & Mark Dennis
42. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (223,828 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (71 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 52% (90 reviews)
- Directed by: Jay Roach
41. The Jacket (2005)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Independent Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (110,853 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (73 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 44% (163 reviews)
- Directed by: John Maybury
40. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (162,783 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (60 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (255 reviews)
- Directed by: Tim Burton
39. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (466,537 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (172 reviews)
- Directed by: J. Mackye Gruber & Eric Bress
38. Idiocracy (2006)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (153,097 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (60 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Mike Judge
37. Deja Vu (2006)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (300,673 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (73 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 56% (163 reviews)
- Directed by: Tony Scott
36. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (35,856 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 55% (55 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (29 reviews)
- Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
35. Happy Death Day (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (127,794 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (67 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (159 reviews)
- Directed by: Christopher Landon
34. Time Lapse (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Alameda Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (43,813 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (63 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (18 reviews)
- Directed by: Bradley King
33. Men in Black 3 (2012)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (346,121 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (70 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (251 reviews)
- Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
32. Primer (2004)
Source: Courtesy of THINKFilm
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (102,682 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (79 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (130 reviews)
- Directed by: Shane Carruth
31. Tenet (2020)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (421,801 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (76 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (359 reviews)
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
30. Somewhere in Time (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (28,061 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (88 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 61% (18 reviews)
- Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc
29. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (65,980 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (73 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (139 reviews)
- Directed by: Rob Minkoff
28. Mr. Nobody (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (224,143 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (76 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: Jaco Van Dormael
27. Frequency (2000)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (104,728 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (126 reviews)
- Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
26. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (124,753 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (75 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (53 reviews)
- Directed by: Stephen Herek
25. Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (46,227 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (75 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: Randal Kleiser
24. About Time (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (369,149 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (169 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Curtis
23. Back to the Future II (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (501,573 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (85 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (61 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
22. The Time Machine (1960)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (39,104 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (79 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (38 reviews)
- Directed by: George Pal
21. Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (421,906 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (78 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (45 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
20. Predestination (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Stage 6 Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (266,521 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (75 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (111 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael & Peter Spierig
19. Time Bandits (1981)
Source: Courtesy of AVCO Embassy Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (66,415 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (77 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (51 reviews)
- Directed by: Terry Gilliam
18. Pleasantville (1998)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (125,076 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (79 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (97 reviews)
- Directed by: Gary Ross
17. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
Source: Courtesy of FilmDistrict
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (123,701 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (80 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (150 reviews)
- Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
16. Coherence (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Oscilloscope
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (117,703 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (89 reviews)
- Directed by: James Ward Byrkit
15. Interstellar (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,615,901 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (86 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (367 reviews)
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
14. Donnie Darko (2001)
Source: Courtesy of Arrow Films
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (763,860 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (80 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (118 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Kelly
13. Looper (2012)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (550,438 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (82 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (269 reviews)
- Directed by: Rian Johnson
12. Source Code (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Summit Distribution
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (499,931 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (82 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (263 reviews)
- Directed by: Duncan Jones
11. Midnight in Paris (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (402,967 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (83 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (224 reviews)
- Directed by: Woody Allen
10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (580,283 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (86 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (259 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
9. Palm Springs (2020)
Source: Courtesy of Neon
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (130,989 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (88 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (241 reviews)
- Directed by: Max Barbakow
8. 12 Monkeys (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (595,919 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (88 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (72 reviews)
- Directed by: Terry Gilliam
7. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (631,189 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (90 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (325 reviews)
- Directed by: Doug Liman
6. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (679,797 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (91 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (330 reviews)
- Directed by: Bryan Singer
5. Star Trek (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (589,910 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (91 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (354 reviews)
- Directed by: J.J. Abrams
4. Groundhog Day (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (595,765 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (88 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (84 reviews)
- Directed by: Harold Ramis
3. The Terminator (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (820,969 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (89 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: James Cameron
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,033,964 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (94 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (84 reviews)
- Directed by: James Cameron
1. Back to the Future (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,113,249 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (94 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (83 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis