The Highest Grossing Sci-Fi Movies

Science fiction movies date back almost as far as movies themselves. In 1902, the French magician, inventor, and budding film director Georges Méliès produced the first piece of cinematic sci-fi, an 18-minute short called “La voyage dans le lune,” or “A trip to the moon” — in which astronomers, propelled to the lunar surface in a kind of cannon shell, encounter local inhabitants and bring one of them back to Earth.

Films that might more accurately be described as fantasy and/or horror than sci-fi — though the latter term is commonly used to encompass the former these days — followed not long afterward, with early cinematic adaptations of scary novels like “Frankenstein” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

Some of the most revered movies of the silent era were sci-fi, including Germany’s “Metropolis” and “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” The advent of sound brought us the original classic “King Kong,” new versions of “Frankenstein” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” and film interpretations of works by H.G. Wells (“Things to Come,” “The Invisible Man”), among many other examples of science fiction. The 1950s and ‘60s were an age of nuclear paranoia and space-travel fantasies, and these were reflected in films about extraterrestrials and atomic mutants — perhaps the most memorable of the latter being the Japanese monster movie “Godzilla,” which has spawned countless sequels and spinoffs.

Technological advances in filmmaking in later decades made possible the creation of heroic-scale, often frighteningly believable, sci-fi epics like “Star Wars” and its many offspring, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T. the Extraterrestrial,” “Blade Runner,” “Alien,” and the Jurassic Park and Terminator franchises.

Whether they concern visits (or invasions) by visitors from outer space, super-heroes waging war against evil, survival in dystopian or post-apocalyptic worlds, rampaging monsters or pandemics, romantic fantasies, or any other category of the genre, one thing is clear: Audiences love sci-fi. More than half the top 20 highest-grossing films of 2023 fall into that category, and sci-fi movies just keep on coming. (After this article, discover the 20 best sci-fi films of all time.)

To determine the highest-grossing sci-fi movies, 24/7 Tempo reviewed box office data from the film industry site The Numbers, an online movie database owned by Nash Information Services. Sci-fi movies were ranked according to inflation-adjusted worldwide box office receipts as of May 2024. Global ticket sales figures were adjusted for inflation using historical ticket prices from the National Association of Theatre Owners. User ratings on IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, and critics’ Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, are current as of May 2024. Director and cast information is from IMDb.

Scroll down to see the highest-grossing sci-fi movies. 

50. Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $406.8 million
• IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (172,689 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 30% (229 reviews)
• Directed by: Roland Emmerich
• Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman

49. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $411.5 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (631,189 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 91% (325 reviews)
• Directed by: Doug Liman
• Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

48. Unbreakable (2000)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $421.6 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (400,845 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 70% (174 reviews)
• Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
• Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright

47. G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $423.3 million
• IMDb user rating: 5.8/10 (177,675 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 29% (181 reviews)
• Directed by: Jon M. Chu
• Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Adrianne Palicki

46. Rampage (2018)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $430.3 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (154,612 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 51% (284 reviews)
• Directed by: Brad Peyton
• Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman

45. Stargate (1994)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $441.3 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (182,387 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 53% (47 reviews)
• Directed by: Roland Emmerich
• Starring: Kurt Russell, James Spader, Jaye Davidson

44. Terminator Salvation (2009)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $446.4 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (351,122 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 33% (282 reviews)
• Directed by: McG
• Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin

43. Aliens (1986)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $452.6 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (678,602 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 97% (77 reviews)
• Directed by: James Cameron
• Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn

42. Pacific Rim (2013)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $463.1 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (480,009 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 72% (294 reviews)
• Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
• Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi

41. Prometheus (2012)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $463.1 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (584,143 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 73% (307 reviews)
• Directed by: Ridley Scott
• Starring: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender

40. TRON: Legacy (2010)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $464.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (322,882 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 51% (247 reviews)
• Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
• Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde

39. Terminator Genisys (2015)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $469.6 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (267,619 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 27% (274 reviews)
• Directed by: Alan Taylor
• Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke

38. Star Trek (2009)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $472.5 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (589,910 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 94% (354 reviews)
• Directed by: J.J. Abrams
• Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg

37. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $476.0 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (629,868 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 92% (113 reviews)
• Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
• Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester

36. Lucy (2014)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $512.9 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (466,864 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 67% (239 reviews)
• Directed by: Luc Besson
• Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik

35. I, Robot (2004)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $514.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (514,775 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 56% (225 reviews)
• Directed by: Alex Proyas
• Starring: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood

34. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $515.5 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (86,101 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 41% (41 reviews)
• Directed by: Robert Wise
• Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

33. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $526.6 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (472,231 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 84% (293 reviews)
• Directed by: J.J. Abrams
• Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana

32. The Fifth Element (1997)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $526.6 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (449,151 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 71% (68 reviews)
• Directed by: Luc Besson
• Starring: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman

31. Back to the Future Part III (1990)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $529.8 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (421,906 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 80% (45 reviews)
• Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
• Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen

30. Rise of the Planet of Apes (2011)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $544.0 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (508,497 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 82% (271 reviews)
• Directed by: Rupert Wyatt
• Starring: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto

29. Waterworld (1995)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $556.4 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (188,102 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 48% (61 reviews)
• Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
• Starring: Kevin Costner, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Dennis Hopper

28. Total Recall (1990)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $567.4 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (314,558 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 82% (74 reviews)
• Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
• Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside

27. Ready Player One (2018)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $582.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (397,015 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 72% (444 reviews)
• Directed by: Steven Spielberg
• Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn

26. Planet of the Apes (2001)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $587.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (214,607 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 44% (160 reviews)
• Directed by: Tim Burton
• Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Roth

25. Godzilla (2014)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $593.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (398,634 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 76% (326 reviews)
• Directed by: Gareth Edwards
• Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston

24. Jurassic Park III (2001)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $593.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (305,076 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 49% (186 reviews)
• Directed by: Joe Johnston
• Starring: Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Téa Leoni

23. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $649.1 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (467,833 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 35% (217 reviews)
• Directed by: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

22. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $657.8 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (386,551 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 69% (207 reviews)
• Directed by: Jonathan Mostow
• Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Kristanna Loken

21. Alien (1979)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $685.0 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (823,459 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 98% (126 reviews)
• Directed by: Ridley Scott
• Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt

20. The Martian (2015)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $711.9 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (795,046 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 91% (383 reviews)
• Directed by: Ridley Scott
• Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig

19. Interstellar (2014)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $731.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,615,901 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 72% (367 reviews)
• Directed by: Christopher Nolan
• Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

18. Godzilla (1998)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $734.4 million
• IMDb user rating: 5.4/10 (188,274 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 15% (79 reviews)
• Directed by: Roland Emmerich
• Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo

17. Back to the Future II (1989)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $762.1 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (501,573 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 66% (61 reviews)
• Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
• Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

16. Gravity (2013)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $777.1 million
• IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (791,410 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 96% (356 reviews)
• Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
• Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris

15. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $819.9 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (429,136 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 45% (221 reviews)
• Directed by: Roland Emmerich
• Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum

14. The Matrix (1999)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $842.5 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (1,759,161 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 88% (155 reviews)
• Directed by: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

13. Inception (2010)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $845.9 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (2,171,143 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 87% (361 reviews)
• Directed by: Christopher Nolan
• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page

12. War of the Worlds (2005)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $867.2 million
• IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (429,071 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 75% (264 reviews)
• Directed by: Steven Spielberg
• Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins

11. Back to the Future (1985)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $994.7 million
• IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,113,249 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 96% (83 reviews)
• Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
• Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

10. Armageddon (1998)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.1 billion
• IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (408,005 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 38% (123 reviews)
• Directed by: Michael Bay
• Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck

9. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.1 billion
• IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,033,964 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 93% (84 reviews)
• Directed by: James Cameron
• Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong

8. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.1 billion
• IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (540,965 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 73% (245 reviews)
• Directed by: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

7. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.2 billion
• IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (394,433 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 54% (78 reviews)
• Directed by: Steven Spielberg
• Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Pete Postlethwaite

6. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.3 billion
• IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (283,165 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 47% (430 reviews)
• Directed by: J.A. Bayona
• Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall

5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.4 billion
• IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (192,000 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 94% (64 reviews)
• Directed by: Steven Spielberg
• Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr

4. Independence Day (1996)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.7 billion
• IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (549,444 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 68% (77 reviews)
• Directed by: Roland Emmerich
• Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum

3. Jurassic World (2015)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $1.8 billion
• IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (601,193 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 71% (353 reviews)
• Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
• Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins

2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $2.0 billion
• IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (387,268 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 99% (133 reviews)
• Directed by: Steven Spielberg
• Starring: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote

1. Jurassic Park (1993)

• Global box office, adjusted for inflation: $2.3 billion
• IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (909,321 votes)
• Tomatometer score: 91% (130 reviews)
• Directed by: Steven Spielberg
• Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum