Original Post 10/17/16: Here’s Our List of the Most Anticipated Sci-Fi Movies in 2017

Update 2-20-17: Now That We’re Officially in 2017, the List Has Been Updated with the Most Recent Information

It looks like 2017 will be the year time travel makes a comeback. I mentioned the recent popularity of the time travel genre in books, but it appears to be bleeding into movies and television as well. This is the first of a series of 5 articles letting you know what cool sci-fi stuff is coming out in the next year, so check out the biggest, baddest, most awesome sci-fi films you can expect next year!

Sci-Fi Movies in 2017 With a Set Release Date

Welcome to Willits: January 1, 2017

A Northern California pot farmer gets tangled in mystery that has plagued the residents of Willits for generations. Attacks and abductions by unknown creatures escalate into a bloody disaster, literally. Dolph Lundgren will star, and Trevor Ryan will direct.

Underworld: Blood Wars: January 6, 2017

The fifth installment of the Underworld franchise will follow vampire death dealer (and total fox) Selene as she protects her bloodline and kills many, many Lycans alongside young vampire David from Underworld: Awakening. Available on Blu-Ray here!

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter: January 27, 2017

Alice continues her battle against The Umbrella Corporation’s AI system The Red Queen with help from a group of bad-asses including her daughter, Becky. Their epic battle will lead them back to where it all began in the dark mansion built by Umbrella founder Lord Ozwell E. Spencer and the deep underground research and development center known as The Hive, where The Red Queen plots total destruction of the human race. Blu-Ray, DVD.

Updated Release Date – The Dark Tower: July 28, 2017

The protagonist Roland Deschain of Gilead pursues the “man in black” to the mountains that separate the desert from the Western Sea in this theatrical retelling of the classic Stephen King novels. Along the way, he rescues the boy, Jake, who is from a different time and place, and soon they become ka-tet (a group of people bound together by fate) in spite of Roland’s single-minded goal of reaching the man in black at all costs.

This is according to a just-posted Deadline interview with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Which, actually, I had totally forgotten this was the original plan.

The interview primarily focuses on Howard and Grazer’s Beatles documentary that’s coming out on Hulu on the 15th this month and their 30-year movie partnership, but at the end, they actually get into some pretty interesting Dark Tower bits, including reconfirming the planned sequels and Dark Tower TV series … [Click here to read more]

Updated Release Date – God Particle: October 27, 2017

J.J. Abrams’ next producing project tells the story of the Higgs Boson particle somehow causing the Earth to disappear. Buff John Krasinski will star as one of the scientist/astronauts on board a space station that realizes the Earth disappeared. UPDATE: It’s been confirmed that this is the next movie set in the “Cloverfield” universe.

Power Rangers: March 24, 2017

This is either going to be hilariously awesome or shockingly bad. Let’s hope for the first! Five high school students Zack, Kimberly, Billy, Trini, and Jason are chosen by mentor Zordon (played by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston) to become the Power Rangers after learning that their small town of Angel Grove and the world are threatened by an alien force led by Rita Repulsa.

Ghost in the Shell: March 31, 2017

This adaptation of the Japanese manga “Ghost in the Shell” follows the adventures of a member of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime. Scarlett Johansson is starring and it looks really cool so far.

Paramount Pictures has released a series of 5 Ghost in the Shell movie teasers for their upcoming live-action take on the popular anime and manga series. And before I watched them, I made sure to go through a few sets of ocular exercises to make sure I didn’t strain my eyes from the impending and all but guaranteed eye-rolling. But then, well, something happened. The teasers were actually compelling and presented a movie that not only might not be the flaming train wreck [Click here to read more…]

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: May 5, 2017

Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord and the rest of the reformed criminals continue their adventures as guardians of the galaxy against all-new threats and villains as Peter learns about who his father really is.

Updated Release Date- Life: March 24, 2017

Starring Jake Hillenhoolahay (Gyllenhaal) and Ryan Reynolds, this space exploration film follows an international space station discovering life on Mars.

Wonder Woman: June 2, 2017

Wonder Woman is finally getting her own movie! Pardon me while I die happily. The story will explore the character’s origin, showing us how the immortal Princess Diana’s began to become the superhero warrior princess on the mythic island of Themyscira, and her eventual quest to fight for our world amid the chaos of World War I.

Spider-man: Homecoming: July 7, 2017



The newest installation/reboot in the ongoing Spider-man series will feature Tom Holland as Peter Parker, Michael Keaton as the bad guy and Tony Stark doing Iron Man things while Peter Parker struggles to balance his life as a student with his life as a superhero in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War.

War for the Planet of the Apes: July 14, 2017

The third installment in the rebooted Planet of the Apes series has no plot details released yet, but between all of the prepositions in these titles it appears as though it may have to do with one final war between people and apes for the planet.

For those of us unlucky types who weren’t able to attend New York Comic-Con, Fox dropped an intriguing if less than a wholly satisfying teaser for the War for the Planet of the Apes movie. But, perhaps to help soothe our pain a little, the fine folks over at Deadline are letting us all know what’s going on. But first, if you missed it, let’s take a look at that teaser. Director Matt Reeves (who directed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and produced Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) shared that [Click here to read more…]

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: July 21, 2017

French comic book heroes Valerian and Laureline embark on a mission to the breathtaking intergalactic city of Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis comprised of thousands of different species from all four corners of the universe. Unfortunately, things aren’t as utopian as they seem…

Updated Release Date- Alien Covenant: May 19, 2017

Covenant is the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with Prometheus, but this one connects directly to Scott’s 1979 seminal work of science fiction. Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David, survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.

Updated ReleaseDate- Flatliners: September 29, 2017

Med students discover how to journey into the afterworld and then resurrect themselves, though that rarely ends well. The film was announced to be a sequel to the 1990 original and will bring back Kiefer Sutherland.

Blade Runner 2049: October 6, 2017

The sequel to Blade Runner, the film adaptation of Philip K. Dicks Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep takes place many years after the 1982 original.

Geostorm: October 20, 2017

This sci-fi action thriller follows scientist Gerard Butler who must save the planet from a disastrous geostorm with the help of his estranged brother, Jim Sturgess.

Thor Ragnarok: November 3, 2017

The next movie in the Thor series takes place “80-90%” in the cosmos / not on Earth, which is an exciting change for the largely planetary-based Thor series. The plot is a secret, but most of the actors from the other Thor films are returning, and there will be more interaction between Thor and the Hulk!

Title Released- Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi December 15, 2017

Though details on the plot of the next Star Wars installation are being guarded jealously, we do know that Episode 8 will pick up right when 7 leaves off and acts as Mark Hamill’s full reintroduction to the films (yes, he has lines this time).

Apparently, the new writer Rian Johnson is so talented at dialogue, what he writes will make you forget “May the Force be with you.”

Which definitely makes me want to cry/puke a little bit.

Sci-Fi Movies in 2017 With a No Set Release Date

Now, for the rest of this list of sci-fi movies in 2017, we’ll be taking a look at the movies that don’t have an exact release date set yet but are still expected to arrive sometime next year.

Updated Release Date- Fahrenheit 451: 2018

HBO is taking on Ray Bradbury’s classic novel about futuristic fascism and book burning. The film’s story centers around a young fireman, Guy Montag, who finds himself questioning his job, even as he encounters a beautiful young woman, and learns about an underground of rebels who each memorize the entire contents of a book so that they can preserve it even without the use of paper.

Updated Release Date- Inversion: 2018

Need for Speed director Scott Waugh is in negotiations for this action thriller that partners Chinese scientist with disgruntled street-wise American expat to save the world from a gravitational inversion that will send entire civilizations into the sky.

Anon: 2017

Set in a world without anonymity or crime, a detective meets a woman who threatens their security. Starring Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried and directed by Andrew Niccol.

Big Trouble in Little China: 2017

This reboot of the 1986 original cult classic will cast Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Burton, an American trucker. After paying a visit to his friend in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Burton finds himself drawn into a supernatural showdown with the forces of evil while trying to rescue his friend’s fiancée from a crime lord.

Mute: 2017

40 years into the future, mute bartender (played by Alexander Skarsgard) loses the love of his life and delves into Berlins underground to find her. Along the way, he runs into weird American surgeons (Paul Rudd is one of them).

Director Duncan Jones, who delivered the fantasy epic Warcraft earlier this year, has just verified via Twitter that he will start shooting sci-fi movie Mute next week. Which is absolutely awesome news, as Jones has a great record so far with sci-fi material. Say what you want about Warcraft, but both Moon and Source Code are standout examples of sci-fi filmmaking.

The movie has been described as Casablanca set in the future, through the lens of Bladerunner [Click here to read more…]

Stargate: 2017

This reboot of the 1994 classic will be written by part of the team behind Independence Day 2. The original plot is this: A Stargate (interstellar transport device) found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra. Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich will be back as well, in the producer’s chairs, and Emmerich is slated to direct.

Alien Nation: 2017

The 1988 buddy cop alien thriller is being revitalized with a 2017 reboot. In the near future of Los Angeles humans live alongside extraterrestrial humanoid beings whose spaceship crash landed three years earlier. This coexistence is not always harmonious, as exemplified by segregated slums.

The 1988 neo-noir action-filled sci-fi thriller tells the story of an unlikely crime-fighting duo forced together by the landing of 300,000 alien slaves, called “Newcomers,” in the desert outside of Los Angeles. Tensions rise as the Newcomers attempt to integrate into an unwelcoming society, sparking a wave of alien and hate crimes. The main character, veteran police detective Sykes, lost his partner in a shootout with Newcomers… [read more]

Alpha Squad Seven: 2017

Dreamworks lands Dwayne The Rock Johnson (busy guy this year!) to star in this action-packed space comedy some are comparing to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Updated Release Date – Alien 5: Put on Temporary Hold

Ridley Scott and Fox apparently wanted this film pushed back so it didn’t compete with Alien Covenant. Otherwise, this film cloaked in mystery, but we do know Neil Blomkamp is directing and Sigourney Weaver is returning as Ripley, and Weaver says the script is amazing.

Animorphs: 2017

The film adaptation of K.A. Applegate’s Animorphs series is finally being made. The Animorphs books followed a group of teens who come across a crashed alien spaceship. The dying alien grants them each the power to transform into any animal they think of, as they dub themselves the Animorphs. The young teens use these new powers to take on a group of aliens who have invaded our planet in secret, disguised as humans. Definitely a childhood favorite, I’m personally really excited to see this.

Borderlands: 2017

Dying from pure unadulterated happiness right now, my favorite video game series has been picked up by Lionsgate to possibly become a franchise. The game series revolves around a group of ne’er do well bounty hunters trying to find the entrance to an alien vault with untold riches inside on a barren alien planet called Pandora.

Descender: 2017

The upcoming graphic novel series by the same name is being adapted for the big screen, the rights to which Sony bought after only the first comic was released. That means they’re excited about it, so we should be too. Both writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dustin Nguyen of the series will serve as executive producers.

Uprising: 2017

There have been many attempts to adapt The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein’s 1966 sci-fi novel that centers on about a lunar colony’s revolt against rule from Earth. Last we heard, Bryan Singer had signed on to produce the adaptation, though it was unclear if he would be directing as well.

Death Race 2050: 2017

The next film in the Death Race universe, this adventure follows Frankenstein, a driver in the Death Race, where bloodthirsty drivers compete in a cross-country road race, scoring points for killing drivers, pedestrians, you name it. All is going as well as it can go (I suppose…) until Frankenstein takes on a spy as a co-pilot.

Scorched Earth: 2017

Bounty hunter Atticus Gage tracks criminals down across the post-apocalyptic wasteland of earth. Peter Howitt will direct and it is being produced by Lighthouse Pictures and stars bad ass Gina Carano (Angel Dust from Deadpool) in the primary role, an interesting shift from the initial choice of Sean Bean.

Tau: 2017

Once a street-smart grifter, Julia (It Follows, Independence Day: Resurgence), is trapped within a heavily armed smart house so she can be exploited in an experiment that will cost her life.

Chronicles of Riddick: Furia 2017

Though no official details have been released, Vin Diesel hinted on social media that it will be an origin story that takes place of Riddick’s home world of Furia. Director David Twohy confirms it will be rated R, but remains tight-lipped on plot details.

The Infinite Horizon: 2017

Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash, etc.) will be producing this mini comic series turned feature film that follows a soldier who is stranded on the other side of the world when the war ends, leaving him along to battle cybernetically enhanced enemies and his own blood lust.

The Shower: 2017

An interesting change of pace for 2017, this woman-powered sci-fi action comedy (may) star Anne Hathaway, and follows a group of baby shower attendees that must defend their neighborhood when a meteor shower turns all nearby men into cannibalistic aliens.

Future World: 2017

Directed by James Franco and starring him alongside other big names (Milla Jovovich, James Franco, Lucy Liu, Method Man, Suki Waterhouse, Snoop Dogg, Margarita Levieva, Jeffrey Wahlberg), this post-apocalyptic thriller (likely with comedic aspects based on the cast) follows a Prince from the Oasis, one of the last safe places, and a robot named Ash as they journey through the dangerous Wastelands.

Godzilla: 2017

Though the green lizard of nuclear doom has seen many, many movie adaptations, and some animated TV series adaptations, Toho Studios is preparing the first animated feature film version of the classic reptilian terror of Tokyo, which is set to smash into theaters sometime this year.

Guardians: 2017

This Russian film follows a secret organization of Soviet superheroes reemerging from their civilian lives to fight crime for Mother Russia, and the world, once again. It’s set to come out in Russia in February next year, but no US release date has been set.

Back in February, we got our first look at the upcoming Russian superhero movie Guardians. And it was pretty awesome. I mean, it doesn’t get much cooler than a Were-Bear superhero. Or at least so I thought. But then, the first full Guardians trailer arrived, and Oh My. It does get better. The Were-Bear has a mini-gun, and he’s not afraid… [read more]

Hunting Lila: 2017

This film adaptation of Sarah Alderson’s series follows Lila, who goes on the run after exposing her staggering mind abilities, only to end up in the center of a secret war between the military and a gang who may share her abilities.

I Kill Giants: 2017

Joe Kelly’s award-winning graphic novel recently landed Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy) to play the psychologist that helps young misfit Barbara to fight both real and imaginary monsters in her life.

Inherit the Earth: 2017

The film version of comic book “Zombies vs. Robots” follows a group of robots who struggle to protect the last human on earth from a horde of ravenous, and intelligent zombies. Intelligent zombies are possibly the most terrifying and rarely used horror/sci-fi villain so I’m excited to see how they make the concept work.

K9 Timequake: 2017

This Doctor Who spin-off landed renowned writer Bob Baker for the film which follows a robotic dog as it battles against various enemies, including the Doctor Who bad guy OMEGA.

Updated Release Date – The Man From Earth: Holocene

A sequel to the highly acclaimed cult film The Man From Earth, plot details are being kept under tight wraps. What we do know is that original cast members David Lee Smith and William Katt will be returning, and will be joined by new cast members Vanessa Williams and Sterling Knight. Oh, and the film is set for a 2017 release.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we’ve got a ton of time-travel related films coming out in the next year and a lot of rebooted childhood favorites. Coming soon, our list of the upcoming NEW sci-fi television series in 2017! Which sci-fi movies in 2017 are you most looking forward to?

Did we miss something? Let us know! Diasgree with us on some of the selections? Let us know!