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Upcoming sci-fi movies for 2021 & 2022

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

The sci-fi movie genre is one that elevates viewers to new heights, literally all the way up into space sometimes, and expands our minds to the supernatural, the abnormal, and the downright fantastical. We've been treated to a plethora of sci-fi movies up to now but there's always room for more and with new movies come new fantastic worlds to explore. We've got lots to tell you about in regards to the upcoming sci-fi movies for 2021 & 2022 with brand-new titles, long-awaited sequels, and some spin-off space goodness.

Whether you're looking to indulge in more from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, immerse yourself in apocalyptic chaos, or even venture to infinity and beyond, there's a lot of new movies on offer spanning the sci-fi genre. We've put together everything you need to know about the movies from the cast and plot synopsis, to release dates that you can add to your calendar. Let's be honest, we could all do with stepping out into other worlds after the past couple of years. So, without further ado, let's get into it and start our discovery of the best upcoming sci-fi movies for 2021 & 2022.

And, if you're looking for more movie goodness, why not check out our guides to the best space movies and best space horror movies ever made? With these, we've compiled some excellent lists of the crème de la crème space movies that you can watch right now… or at least while you wait for the list below to come out.

Dune

Release date: October 22, 2021
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya

The first in a two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's iconic 1956 novel of the same name, Dune looks into the future at a desert planet, Arrakis, also known as Dune, and the only source of an incredibly valuable substance called 'melange'. This substance not only extends human life but provides superhuman levels of thought and makes fast-than-light travel possible. A series of things a lot of people definitely want, right?

Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) accepts the responsibility of stewarding Dune but does so with an awareness of its risks. Leto heads to the planet with Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and his son, Paul (Timothee Chalamet). With such a famed novel, it's not the first time it's been transported to screen with David Lynch's 1984 version and a different failed production before it. At the helm here though is sci-fi extraordinaire/director, Denis Villeneuve, known for movies such as Arrival and Blade Runner 2049.

Eternals

Release date: November 5, 2021
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden

One of the newest arrivals from the MCU, Eternals picks up in the wake of Avengers: Endgame where half of the population have returned to the world igniting 'the emergence' of the Eternals, an ancient race of near-immortals with superpowers of their own. They've been lurking in secret on Earth for thousands of years and now must fight another ancient race of enemies, the Deviants, to protect the human race.

With the MCU, of course, come the big names and we've got Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani (who like many before him has had one hell of a physical transformation for the part), Salma Hayek, and Don Lee to name but a few.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Release date: December 17, 2021
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch

We've been waiting two years for more of Tom Holland's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and the wait is almost over. The last movie (spoiler alert) left us with a lot of questions around the multiverse and what happens now that Peter Parker's true identity has been outed to the world?

It's an exciting one from the MCU's Phase 4 lineup with hints of crossovers with MCU present, Doctor Strange, and MCU past with Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus and Jamie Foxx's Electro all rumored to be turning up. Let us also not forget the ultimate Spider-Man trifecta as there's rumors that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield could be making an epic return too.

The Matrix Resurrections

Release date: December 22, 2021
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

The last time we had a Matrix movie was 2003, and many would argue it's been even longer since we saw a good Matrix movie. It was looking like The Matrix Resurrections would slip into 2022 thanks to pandemic delays, but we're thrilled to say it's squeezed into the end of 2021.

Lana Wachowski is back directing the return of Keanu Reeves' Neo aka Thomas Anderson who finds himself back in the Matrix one more time. The plot's been a bit hush-hush but we have had a trailer at least that hints at more cyberpunk thrills, unnerving technologies, and sci-fi surrealism.

Morbius

Release date: January 28, 2022
Cast: Michael Keaton, Jared Leto, Adria Arjona

We're back in the MCU with the introduction of a new superhero, biochemist Michael Morbius. Like many of the superhero origin stories, it's a lab experiment gone wrong as Michael Morbius attempts to cure his own rare blood disease but instead ends up infecting himself with a form of vampirism from bats. Jared Leto becomes Morbius, fronting the movie and introducing the world to the dark nature of The Living Vampire and presumably some superhuman strength, speed, and acute senses to show off. And, like many MCU movies, there's hints at more crossover with Michael Keaton aka The Vulture making an appearance in the teaser trailer.

Moonfall

Release date: February 4, 2022
Cast: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley

Next up, we've got a hold your breath for the entire movie kind of space disaster thriller. Moonfall does what it says on the tin. In this movie, the moon is literally falling as a mysterious force shunts it towards Earth threatening to obliterate our planet and everyone on it. No stranger to the disaster sci-fi genre, director Roland Emmerich has done this to us time and time again with Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow both leaving viewers unsettled and lost in an existential abyss. The wonderful expanse of space mixed in with some apocalyptic chaos makes for a great sci-fi flick.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Release date: March 25, 2022
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Elizabeth Olsen

This list is slathered with MCU goodness and we've got one more for you with the next installment of Doctor Strange's world, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We've talked about the multiverse with the new Spider-Man movie and Doctor Strange's role in that but with this movie, it seems we'll be going even deeper as Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as Dr. Stephen Strange.

Some more space-time continuum warping and some more research into the Time Stone is set to unleash unspeakable evil on the MCU and we know that Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff will have a big part to play.

Jurassic World: Dominion

Release date: June 10, 2022
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Daniella Pineda

Jurassic World: Dominion marks the third in the Jurassic World trilogy, four years on from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018. Fallen Kingdom ended on a cliffhanger with the dinosaurs being let loose into the world and so we know Dominion is set to pick up where it left off.

There's only a teaser trailer out for now so we're not quite sure what to expect but it doesn't feel too wild to suggest some Jurassic staples with epic dinosaur fights and breath-taking CGI in this one. And, we imagine, some more romance between lead actors Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt. Hold onto your butts!

Lightyear

Release date: June 17, 2022
Cast: Chris Evans

Will we ever have enough of Toy Story? In 1995, Pixar's first feature-length movie introduced the world to Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and his adventures with the toys of Andy's bedroom, namely Woody the cowboy. Well, Buzz is getting his very own spin-off movie in 2022 that invites viewers to the origin story of Buzz from test pilot to the ultimate Space Ranger that we know and love.

For this one, the voice acting reins have been handed over to Chris Evans instead of Buzz original, Tim Allen, so it'll be interesting to see and hear Buzz in a whole new light(year).

Avatar 2

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Release date: December 16, 2022
Cast: Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Kate Winslet

Avatar is reportedly the most expensive movie ever made and only lost its box office crown for the top-selling global release of all time in 2019 when Avengers: Endgame took top spot. 13 years on, we're getting Avatar 2 with another incredible budget of 250 million dollars to bring the story back to life on the big screen.

Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana reprise their roles as Jake Sully and Ney'tiri as we learn they've now formed their own family in Pandora. But all is not well in this sequel as an ancient threat forces them out of their home and ignites a war that must be fought against the humans. We've waited a long time for this one.

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