From Collider · Diego Pineda Pacheco · · 2m
10 Sci-Fi Movies With the Most Interesting Characters, Ranked
Top sci-fi films where characters drive the story with depth and complexity.
In brief
Top sci-fi films where characters drive the story with depth and complexity. 10 sci-fi movies ranked by character depth, from District 9 to Star Wars. Originally reported by Collider.
Why character depth matters in sci-fi
A solid screenplay is necessary for any sci-fi movie to be truly great, and characters who are profoundly interesting are pretty much vital for any sci-fi screenplay to be solid.
District 9 (2009)
This South African masterpiece is one of the best R-rated sci-fi movies since 2000 with character writing that serves a rejection of traditional genre tropes of heroism and morality.
Gattaca (1997)
Andrew Niccol's Gattaca has gone down in history as one of the best hard sci-fi movies of all time, with characters offering powerful reflections on how a society where eugenics are the norm might view…
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Dune: Part Two is among the best movies set in space released since 2020, featuring an absolutely fascinating anti-hero protagonist and masterfully-written foils.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner 2049 is one of the most perfect sci-fi movies since 2010, with characters written with the utmost attention to detail and nuance.
Stalker (1979)
Soviet auteur Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker is easily one of the best sci-fi movies of the last 75 years, with character-driven philosophical themes.
Arrival (2016)
Arrival features the most interesting character writing in Denis Villeneuve's filmography, with Louise as the most fascinating protagonist of any Villeneuve movie to date.
Children of Men (2006)
Children of Men is one of the best R-rated soft sci-fi movies of all time, with characters dealing with raw psychological realism and existential dread.
The Thing (1982)
The Thing is one of the greatest and most influential sci-fi horror movies of all time, with characters built with intelligence, pragmatism, and intriguing motivations.
Aliens (1986)
Aliens features Ripley at her most fascinating, cementing her reputation as one of the most interesting action heroines in cinema history.
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars is the fantasy movie with the most interesting characters, including Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader as iconic figures.
The bottom line
10 sci-fi movies ranked by character depth, from District 9 to Star Wars.
