10 Must-Watch Sci-Fi Movies on Peacock Right Now (October 2025): ‘Event Horizon’ and More

In outer space, a rescue ship answers a distress call from the Event Horizon, a starship that’s been lost for seven years. Once on board, the crew, led by Captain S.J. Miller (Laurence Fishburne), finds the ship’s members massacred and signs indicating something supernatural was to blame. As everyone begins to experience disturbing hallucinations, Miller gradually realizes that the ship is cursed and wants to destroy them all.

A flop when it was released in 1997, Event Horizon has since become a cult classic — and for good reason. The movie’s strange mix of sci-fi adventure and occult horror somehow works, creating a movie that’s both thrilling and very creepy. If the sight of Sam Neill smiling with his eyes gouged out doesn’t frighten you, nothing will.

When the Ghostbusters, led by the sarcastic Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), investigate the haunting of cellist Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), they discover something truly unsettling. The demigod Zuul wants to possess her to awaken Gozer, the god of destruction, so they both can destroy Manhattan and take over the world. Well, Peter’s not going to let that happen, even if he has to capture every spirit in the tri-state area to protect Dana and all of humanity.

Nearly 40 years later, Ghostbusters is still a blast to watch. The comedic banter between Murray’s Venkman and the rest of the Ghostbusters is hilarious, while the groundbreaking visual effects make any new MCU movie look terrible by comparison. When the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man appears as a joyful, destructive Godzilla, you know you’re watching a sci-fi movie that knows it’s ridiculous and revels in it.

The boys are back — and they need some money, fast. Five years after the events of the first Ghostbusters, the sequel finds the quartet down on their luck — that’s what happens when you capture all the ghosts in NYC. Fortunately for them, a new enemy arises — Vigo the Carpathian (Wilhelm von Homburg), who is using the city’s bad vibes to generate slime in the sewers. Ew! Only the Ghostbusters can save the day, and they’ll recruit some old friends like Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) and new ones like, um, the Statue of Liberty, to help them defeat Vigo.

Ghostbusters II has a bad rap, and it’s not justified. This entertaining follow-up is almost as funny as the original, with Bill Murray never better as an increasingly bitter Peter Venkman. The movie is worth watching to hear Murray toss off sarcastic one-liners (“Wasn’t he also [called] Vigo the Butch?”) and flirt with Weaver’s Dana, and also to see the Statue of Liberty walk down Fifth Avenue.

Killer dolls, meet modern technology. Combining two of our favorite sci-fi and horror tropes, M3GAN follows Gemma (Allison Williams), a roboticist placed in charge of her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) after Cady’s parents die in a car crash. Gemma has secretly been working on M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis), a robot companion for lonely children, and when Cady and M3GAN hit it off, it seems like the perfect solution to both of their grief. However, the seemingly perfect companionship takes a dark turn when M3GAN becomes overly protective of Cady, leading to unexpected and terrifying consequences. 

Iconic action sequences (and dance moves) as well as a hilariously dark script made M3GAN a viral sensation, but it’s not just the campy horror that makes it a great movie. The film also raises interesting questions about over-reliance on technology, especially when it comes to parenting, leading to a movie that’s thought-provoking as well as entertaining.

Dennis Quaid stars in this sci-fi thriller as Alex Gardner, a gifted psychic who is recruited by a secret government project with the goal of entering and influencing people’s dreams. Max von Sydow plays Dr. Paul Novotny, the head of the dream project, while Christopher Plummer plays the project’s government liaison Bob Blair. As Alex becomes immersed in the project, he discovers nefarious plans that use this technology for assassination, leading him into a web of intrigue and danger.

While the special effects look a bit corny by modern standards, Dreamscape pioneered several new technologies to create its complex dream world, and it raises some interesting ethical questions about power, control and manipulation. 

A suspenseful, captivating film that started playing with the multiverse concept way before all the Marvel movies did, Coherence takes place during a dinner party among friends. But what starts as an ordinary evening takes a bizarre turn when a passing comet kicks off a series of strange occurrences, forcing the group to confront alternate realities.

The film features a relatively small cast, including Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, Elizabeth Gracen and Hugo Armstrong. Their performances are highly praised, capturing the escalating paranoia and fear among the group as they navigate the strange phenomena. The movie’s tension comes not from CGI or special effects, but instead from the suspenseful storytelling and intense performances.

The Thing follows a group of American researchers who are stationed in Antarctica when they encounter a parasitic extraterrestrial lifeform that assimilates and imitates other organisms. No one knows who to trust as they realize that anyone could be an alien in disguise, leading to paranoia and suspicion. The isolated Antarctic setting and chilling score make The Thing a visceral and memorable horror sci-fi combo.

Kurt Russell leads the cast as grizzled and resourceful helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady. His performance stands out alongside the groundbreaking practical effects and atmospheric tension.

This sci-fi thriller directed by Neil Burger revolves around Eddie Morra, played by Bradley Cooper, a struggling writer who discovers a mysterious nootropic drug called NZT-48.  This drug allows him to utilize his brain’s full potential, transforming him into a perfect version of himself with heightened intelligence and enhanced cognitive abilities. But as his life keeps getting better, he draws more attention from dangerous people — including powerful businessman Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro). He soon becomes embroiled in dangerous situations — and finds himself falling victim to the drug’s sinister side effects.

Limitless is an intriguing exploration of human potential and the implications of artificial enhancements. It begs the question — if you could meet 100 percent of your full potential, would that really change your life for the better?

This sci-fi thriller stars directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, an indie filmmaking team you might know from their work on Daredevil: Born Again and Loki. They play brothers Justin and Aaron, escapees from a mysterious cult. Years later, they receive a cryptic video message that motivates them to return. In revisiting the isolated California camp, they reawaken old fears and discover the surreal and seemingly inexplicable occurrences tied to the cult’s belief in supernatural phenomena. The film ingeniously merges horror with science fiction, keeping the audience on edge through its exploration of time loops and existential dread.

Despite its low budget, The Endless is visually engaging and cleverly integrates sci-fi concepts. It’s a fresh take on the genre that’s become a modern cult classic of indie sci-fi.

An indirect sequel that shares continuity with The Endless, this film stars Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan as two paramedics in New Orleans who encounter a series of bizarre and gruesome accidents linked by a mysterious new drug, Synchronic, which blurs lines between reality and illusion. As Mackie’s character, Steve, begins to investigate the drug, he discovers it allows users to travel through time, posing dangerous and unexpected consequences.

Synchronic mixes horror with sci-fi while still feeling grounded and philosophical. The movie offers a refreshing narrative that stands out in the genre, appealing to audiences who enjoy cinema that challenges their perceptions and evokes deep reflections on temporal realities. The film also effectively uses its New Orleans setting to give the story context in American history.