10 Greatest Sci-Fi Movie Moments of 2025, Ranked
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the movies discussed!
2025 has been quite the year for science fiction. From action blockbusters like Predator: Badlands to more auteur-driven pieces like Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein, there has been a wide variety of sci-fi films throughout the year, each of them scratching a different kind of itch for fans of the genre. But of course, movies are made up of moments, and a sci-fi film can only be as memorable as its best scene.
Thankfully, the year’s best sci-fi movies have offered a delightful number of great moments that will go down in history as some of the most unforgettable of 2025 sci-fi. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a white-knuckle action sequence, an absolutely brilliant and hilarious gag, or one of the most shocking plot twists of the year; the fact of the matter is that all of these moments share something in common, and it’s that they’re peak sci-fi filmmaking.
10
Dek vs Nhjorr – ‘Predator: Badlands’
The Predator franchise, like any long-lasting series of genre films, has had its fair share of ups and downs. But with its seventh installment, the action flick Predator: Badlands, fans have been treated to another one of the franchise’s ups. This time, putting the viewer in the shoes of an exiled Yautja trying to prove his worth as an apex predator, this unique addition to the Predator filmography will likely age well as one of the franchise’s most distinct efforts.
A good final fight is one that feels cathartic, and protagonist Dek’s final confrontation against his father, Nhjorr, is nothing if not that. Finally learning how to use the characteristics that made him a rejected runt to begin with to his advantage, Dek kills Nhjorr’s bodyguards and then defeats him in combat, stating that he has found his own clan. It’s not just a thrilling action sequence with some excellent visuals and choreography, but also an emotionally satisfying conclusion that puts a nice ribbon on the whole story.
9
The Erotic Drug Trip – ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
People can claim no cultural impact all they want, but the fact that the first two installments of James Cameron‘s Avatar series are the first and third highest-grossing films of all time definitely would indicate otherwise. The newest installment in the series is Avatar: Fire and Ash, and though it has thus far been met with less fanfare than its predecessors, it’s still been proving to be yet another hit for Cameron.
These films are, of course, particularly popular for their tremendous visual effects and the thrilling fight scenes that they support. Funnily enough, though, Fire and Ash‘s best moment isn’t a combat sequence at all. Instead, it’s a scene where Varang, leader of the Mangkwan clan, takes Colonel Quaritch on an erotic drug trip to test his character. The scene is overtly bizarre and psychedelic, and it’s precisely these kinds of out-there moments of world-building that the Avatar series needs more of in order to ensure it gains the cultural impact people love to say it hasn’t had yet.
8
The Kaiju Fight – ‘Superman’
All in all, the 2020s have been a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to superhero cinema, but that doesn’t mean that some exceptional gems haven’t come out. James Gunn‘s Superman, the new DCU’s true kickoff, is one such gem. One of the best sci-fi movies of 2025, this love letter to the character has an excellent cast and some of the most exciting action sequences of any recent superhero film.
The best of these fight scenes is arguably Supes and the Justice Gang’s confrontation against a kaiju unleashed on Metropolis by Lex Luthor to distract his archnemesis. It’s the moment where the film really comes together: the cast’s tremendous chemistry shines through, Superman’s heroism is put in deep focus (he saves a squirrel!), and the action and music work in perfect conjunction. It’s a masterclass in shooting epic superhero action scenes.
7
The CN Tower Jump – ‘Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie’
The Canadian web series and subsequent mockumentary sitcom Nirvanna the Band the Show are two of the most underrated 21st-century television comedies, but those in the know were aware that Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie was one to look forward to. With a genius blend of elaborate gags, clever man-on-the-street reality, and typical mockumentary sleight-of-hand, this festival darling might just be the funniest film of 2025.
Before the film becomes a full-on sci-fi Back to the Future parody, comes the most elaborate bit. Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol sneak into the actual CN Tower in Toronto with wire cutters and parachutes, so they can snip the safety cables on the outer observation deck and parachute into the Rogers Centre in the middle of a Blue Jays game. It’s the kind of jaw-dropping stunt that constantly has you wondering what’s real and how on Earth it was achieved, and though it’s not a sci-fi-heavy moment, it sure is an absolutely unforgettable one.
6
The Void Turns People into Shadows – ‘Thunderbolts*’
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going through a bit of a rough patch lately, but they’re still putting out occasional bangers of the stature of Thunderbolts*. As soon as the film’s trailers started coming out, fans of the comics began to wonder how a group of mostly non-superpowered individuals would be able to beat a character of the superpower caliber of the Void and Sentry, two sides of a coin named Bob Reynolds.
The movie found an engrossing—and harrowing—way to answer that question. Following what’s easily one of the best superhero movie fights of the last five years, The Void begins to engulf New York City in darkness, turning everyone into shadows, with the Thunderbolts unable to do anything about it. It’s a truly grim scene, particularly by MCU standards, and that’s what makes it so memorable. Aided by Lewis Pullman‘s eerily still performance, The Void’s attack on New York ranks among the late MCU’s finest sequences.
5
The “Boots” Montage – ’28 Years Later’
With his post-apocalyptic horror classic 28 Days Later, Danny Boyle pretty much revolutionized the zombie movie genre. Twenty-three years after that comes 28 Years Later, one of the most thrilling movies of 2025, full of memorable characters and hard-hitting scenes. Shot back-to-back with its 2026 sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, it’s one of the most entertaining zombie films in recent memory.
As Jamie and Spike walk across a causeway, the sequence is interspersed with a montage blending British wartime footage with scenes from 1994’s Henry V.
Not only is the film a blast from start to finish, though: It’s also deeply thematically relevant, and nowhere is this clearer than in the film’s strongest scene. As Jamie and Spike walk across a causeway, the sequence is interspersed with a montage blending British wartime footage with scenes from 1994’s Henry V, all while the poem Boots by Rudyard Kipling is recited in the background. Intense and deeply analyzable, this montage packs a hell of a punch.
4
The Hotel Escape – ‘The Running Man’
Loosely based on a book written by Stephen King under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman, the Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring The Running Man may not be a perfect film, but it sure is an ’80s sci-fi action staple. As such, expectations were high when a director of the caliber of Edgar Wright announced that he was working on his own version of the story. This year’s The Running Man is also not perfect, and it’s far from Wright’s best, but it’s still a blast of fun from start to finish.
The film’s most entertaining scene comes toward the halfway point of the story, where Glen Powell‘s Ben checks into a New York City hotel in disguise, but is quickly found by the people hunting him. The sequence where he escapes the hotel is full of the kind of vibrant energy, rhythmic suspense, and nail-biting action that Edgar Wright’s fans have come to expect. The fact that Powell is naked and only wearing a towel throughout might’ve made the scene viral, but the perfect execution and heightened tension are what will make it endure.
3
The Creature Confronts Victor at the Wedding – ‘Frankenstein’
Guillermo del Toro has repeatedly proved that he’s the king of modern monster cinema, a one-man successor to the Universal horror pictures of old. For proof, one needn’t look much further than this year’s Frankenstein, a distinctly del Toro take on Mary Shelley‘s seminal sci-fi novel. Is it as good as the source material? Not really. But is it nevertheless the best cinematic Frankenstein adaptation thus far? Arguably, yes.
The first segment focuses on the point of view of Oscar Isaac‘s Victor Frankenstein, but it’s when the focus shifts to Jacob Elordi‘s Creature that Frankenstein really comes alive and becomes one of 2025’s best horror movies. Confronting Victor on the night of William and Elizabeth’s wedding, lamenting that he’s been built for a life of eternal solitude, the Creature has a resounding heart-to-heart with his maker. It’s a deeply emotional sequence with some gorgeous technical qualities, and its deadly conclusion makes it all the more hard-hitting.
2
The Biplane Sequence – ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’
Technically, the Mission: Impossible series has always been science fiction. However, it was during its last two entries, where it became about Ethan Hunt and his team trying to take down an enemy AI, that it really went all-in on the sci-fi aspect. Hunt’s last adventure was in this year’s The Final Reckoning, which, even if not the strongest outing of the series, is nevertheless an adrenaline-pumping action extravaganza.
The film has not just one, but several of the greatest action movie moments of 2025. However, there’s really no discussion as to what the best scene is. Ethan’s last confrontation against Gabriel on a biplane is one of the most suspenseful sequences the franchise has seen thus far, and it might also be the most impressive death-defying stunt Tom Cruise has ever pulled. Imperfect though The Final Reckoning may be, this scene in particular is entirely beyond reproach.
1
The Final Scene – ‘Bugonia’
Bugonia starts as a full-on black comedy thriller, and it doesn’t become science fiction until its third-act reveal that, like the main characters suspected, Emma Stone’s Michelle Fuller is, indeed, an alien. Throughout the whole thing, the film remains one of the best R-rated movies of 2025. While not up to par with much of Yorgos Lanthimos‘ past work, it’s still a phenomenal genre film with some exceptional performances.
It’s after that twist that the film’s puzzle pieces really fall into place, and the whole thing comes together beautifully. It leads to a conclusion where Michelle, now revealed as the aliens’ leader, decides that the experiment of the human race has failed and must die. The movie thus ends with a series of shots of humanity dead in all sorts of places and positions, a conclusion that’s bleak without ever losing Lanthimos’ signature dark sense of humor.
