Sci-fi horror is a genre that has consistently delivered some of the most thrilling movies of all time. Set in the eerie silence of deep space or claustrophobic remote outposts, these films combine the speculative aspects of science fiction with the suspenseful atmosphere of horror. The result is award-winning classics that would influence cinema as a whole, with the best sci-fi horror movies including 1982’s The Thing, 1987’s Predator, and 1979’s Alien.
With the return of the beloved franchise in the form of the Alien interquel Alien: Romulus, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the greatest sci-fi horror films that defined the genre. These set the standard for the thriving genre that continues to introduce nightmarish ways science could warp reality.
10. A Quiet Place (2018)
A Quiet Place is a gripping horror film with a genuinely intriguing premise: What if noise could kill you? Or at least attract blind, deadly creatures with hypersensitive hearing that have massacred most of humanity. In this postapocalyptic world where silence is the only means of survival the Abbott family, led by father Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) and mother Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt), has adapted by communicating through sign language and living in near-total quietness. When Evelyn gets pregnant, however, they’re forced to prepare for the inevitable noise of childbirth and all the danger that brings.
Directed by Krasinski himself, A Quiet Place is a groundbreaking entry in the genre that proved modern PG-13 horror movies could be terrifying. With brilliant sound design and an expertly crafted tense atmosphere, hushed whispers and other everyday noises become unbelievably suspenseful. The massively popular 2018 film would spawn the A Quiet Place universe, with its 2020 sequel and 2024 prequel receiving critical acclaim.
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
“They come from another world!” Director Philip Kaufman’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a classic and a remake of the 1956 original sci-fi horror movie. Set in late ’70s San Francisco, the 1978 remake is centered on Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) and her colleague Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland), who begin to notice that their loved ones are acting strangely detached. When they investigate, they learn the horrifying truth: Alien plant spores are replicating humans, creating emotionless “pod people” who take over the bodies of their victims while they sleep.
Just as the 1956 version tapped into societal anxieties and served as an allegory for McCarthyism and the fear of communism, the 1978 version reflects the disillusionment and paranoia of the post-Watergate and Cold War era. People weren’t sure who could be trusted, and it felt like danger was all around them, which is reflected in the characters’ creeping horror of realizing that the persons they love might not be who they seem. While it may not be as scary today, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is still surprisingly entertaining and is a must-see for any fan of the genre.
8. Frankenstein (1931)
A cornerstone of classic horror cinema, 1931’s Frankenstein brings Mary Shelley’s beloved gothic tale to life in haunting black and white. Directed by James Whale, the film follows the ambitious but unhinged Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as he plays God by creating life from the dead. Frankenstein manages to make a creature (played by Boris Karloff) from stolen body parts, and soon successfully animates it through electricity. However, the experiment goes terribly wrong as Frankenstein’s monster, though initially compliant, becomes a tormented being and eventually confronts its creator.
Frankenstein greatly influenced the genre and would become permanently ingrained in popular culture. Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the Monster helped ensure it would be a horror icon, with countless moments like Clive’s “It’s alive!” scene going down in cinematic history. Alongside groundbreaking makeup work by Jack Pierce, German Expressionist-inspired sets, and a surprisingly dark story for its time, Frankenstein is a certified sci-fi horror classic that any cinephile should experience at least once.
7. Re-Animator (1985)
Director Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator is a comedic sci-fi horror film that’s centered on medical student Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs), who is obsessed with defeating death. When he finally creates a serum that can reanimate the dead, he drags his reluctant roommate Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) into his increasingly deranged experiments. As West’s revived corpses begin to act more violently, a brewing conflict between the student and Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) comes to a head, with the doctor attempting to claim the serum as his own.
Loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft’s serialized novella Herbert West–Reanimator, the 1985 flick was ahead of its time with its pioneering practical effects and shocking humor. Wonderfully macabre and hilariously absurd, Re-Animator embraces over-the-top gore without ever taking itself too seriously. It’s a gleefully morbid spectacle that has aged well and is the perfect pick for anyone in the mood for a campy movie night with friends.
6. 28 Days Later (2002)
Oppenheimer‘s Cillian Murphy stars as the survivor Jim in one of the best zombie movies ever, 28 Days Later. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the renowned sci-fi horror film is set in a world where a highly contagious virus known as “Rage” is accidentally unleashed from a research lab, quickly spreading across the U.K. and turning people into mindless, violent killers. Twenty-eight days after the initial outbreak, Jim awakens from a coma in an abandoned hospital, having no idea that a horrifying new reality awaits him outside. He soon joins other survivors and fights through hordes of the “infected” while they look for a safe place beyond the city.
28 Days Later redefined the zombie genre, with its visceral, kinetic style making it an instant hit among fans and critics. Unlike the traditional slow-moving zombies, the “infected” in this film are fast, aggressive, and relentless, which perfectly complements 28 Days‘ intense pacing and gritty realism. Its use of digital video also gives the film a raw, immediate effect, making each encounter feel more intimate and terrifying.
5. Aliens (1986)
A fantastic example of a sequel done right, Aliens is director James Cameron’s thrilling follow-up to director Ridley Scott’s genre-defining original. Set 57 years after the events of Alien, the story follows Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) as she is reluctantly persuaded to go to the distant moon LV-426, where contact with a human colony has been lost. Accompanied by a squad of tough Colonial Marines, Ripley faces her worst nightmare: a hive of deadly Xenomorphs and a ruthless Alien Queen endangering every human on the moon, including the colony’s young sole survivor Newt (Carrie Henn).
Cameron shifts gears and turns Scott’s claustrophobic horror into a full-blown action extravaganza, with Weaver’s impressive performance as an action heroine becoming instantly iconic. The Xenomorphs are no longer hiding in the shadows, with the now-familiar monsters taking up screen time and fully displaying their grotesque capabilities. This makes it much more satisfying to root for Ripley who, against all odds, faces the Alien Queen in a battle that delivers a satisfying payoff.
4. Predator (1987)
Predator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Dutch, the leader of an elite special forces team on a covert mission in the Central American jungle. Directed by John McTiernan, the film sees a routine extraction of hostages turn into a deadly game of survival when the team encounters an unseen enemy — a highly advanced alien hunter known as the Predator, which systematically picks them off one by one. As they are hunted down, Dutch realizes that brute force won’t be enough to defeat the Predator, so he comes up with a plan to take it down.
The 1987 film pits human ingenuity against alien technology, spawning a thriving franchise with that premise that keeps fans coming back for more action. The Predator, with its thermal vision, cloaking technology, and a brutal arsenal of weapons, is one of cinema’s most frightening and innovative monsters. It doesn’t hesitate to kill characters in some of the most brutal ways ever seen in the sci-fi horror genre. This makes it all the more rewarding to see it taken down by supposedly weak humans, who refuse to be seen as prey by invaders from another world.
3. The Fly (1986)
“Be afraid. Be very afraid.” From the master of body horror, director David Cronenberg’s The Fly is a remake that takes the original 1958 film’s story in a much darker direction. The 1986 movie revolves around the brilliant but disturbed scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), who invents a teleportation device that can instantaneously transport objects from one pod to another. However, during an experiment in which he decides to teleport himself, a common housefly unknowingly enters the pod with him. The consequence is a horrifying fusion that showcases Brundle’s slow and agonizing transformation into a grotesque creature he dubs “Brundlefly.”
The Fly gained immediate universal acclaim, with many noting Cronenberg’s trademark combination of gore and horror being the perfect pairing for this tragic story. The film also received the Academy Award for Best Makeup thanks to the talented Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis, whose cutting-edge work would set a new industry standard. The Fly is remembered today as a widely celebrated classic that especially appeals to fans of the grotesque and unusual fictional monsters.
2. The Thing (1982)
Director John Carpenter, who is also responsible for hits like Halloween and They Live, created the unforgettable remake The Thing, which premiered in 1982. Set in a remote Antarctic research station, The Thing follows a group of American scientists who discover a shape-shifting alien organism that can assimilate and imitate any living creature it comes into contact with. As the creature begins to infect the team, they soon don’t know who to trust and start to turn on each other. Alongside a talented ensemble, Kurt Russell shines as the helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady, who becomes the reluctant leader of the group as they attempt to identify and destroy the alien before it escapes the station and threatens the rest of the world.
With competition from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, as well as an unreceptive audience, The Thing received mostly negative reviews and bombed. Viewers and critics did not appreciate its grotesque visuals, which featured imaginative transformations and moments like a man’s head detaching from his body and growing spider-like legs. Its pioneering contributions to practical effects and nihilistic horror as a whole have since been recognized, with Carpenter’s film now enjoying a cult following and a reputation as one of the most influential sci-fi horror movies of the 1980s.
1. Alien (1979)
A landmark achievement in sci-fi horror, director Ridley Scott’s Alien is a film that needs no introduction. Starring Sigourney Weaver in her iconic role as Warrant Officer Ripley, the movie sees her waking up from cryo-sleep alongside her shipmates on the Nostromo. The commercial spaceship has received a mysterious distress signal from a nearby planet where the crew discovers a derelict alien ship and a field of strange, egg-like objects. When one of these eggs hatches, it unleashes a deadly organism that begins to hunt the crew, leading to a desperate fight for survival.
The true power of Alien lies in its restraint and masterful use of silence and atmosphere. Scott’s direction ensures that the confined spaces of the Nostromo are incredibly claustrophobic, immersing audiences in a nightmarish world where danger could be lurking in every corner. This charged atmosphere ensures that each horrific encounter is delivered with maximum impact, which is also helped by the Xenomorph’s horrific creature design. These elements all come together to create not just one of the best entries in the genre but one of the greatest films of all time.