Top 50 Alien Invasion Sci-Fi Movies That Will Leave You on the Edge of Your Seat
Alien invasion movies have been a staple of science fiction for decades. From the early days of cinema to the present day, these films have captivated audiences with their thrilling depictions of extraterrestrial threats and humanity’s struggle to survive. In this article, we’ll be counting down the top alien invasion sci-fi movies of all time.
Whether it’s the classic War of the Worlds or the more recent Arrival, these films have captured our imaginations and left us wondering what would happen if we were ever visited by beings from another world. So sit back and get ready to explore the best of the best in alien invasion sci-fi.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
In this iconic remake of the 1956 classic, San Francisco health inspector Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) discovers humans are being replaced by alien duplicates; each is a perfect copy of the person replaced, only devoid of human emotion. As the scale of the epidemic becomes clear, Bennell and his friends must fight to stay awake and survive in a city populated by these emotionless doppelgängers.
The War of the Worlds (1953)
In this classic adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel, Martians launch a ruthless assault on Earth. With advanced technology, the invaders cause mass destruction. The film focuses on Dr. Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry) and his efforts to find a way to stop the invasion. Its depiction of the human struggle against an overwhelming alien force is both thrilling and thought-provoking.
District 9 (2009)
Set in Johannesburg, “District 9” is a unique take on the alien invasion theme. Instead of a hostile takeover, a spacecraft full of sick and malnourished aliens becomes stranded on Earth. The aliens are then forced into a government-controlled area called District 9. The film follows Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a bureaucrat exposed to alien biotechnology, as he navigates the brutal landscape of District 9.
Independence Day (1996)
In this iconic 90s blockbuster, Earth is invaded by an extraterrestrial race bent on eradicating mankind. The film is known for its ensemble cast, including Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum, who each play integral parts in the global effort to fight back against the invaders. From dogfights in the sky to rallying speeches, “Independence Day” is an action-packed ride from start to finish.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Tom Cruise stars as Major William Cage, a public relations officer with no combat experience, who is sent into a suicidal battle against an alien race known as the Mimics. When Cage is killed within minutes, he finds himself in a time loop, forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over. Each repeat offers a chance to learn, adapt, and hopefully find a way to defeat the enemy.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
A humanoid alien visitor named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) arrives on Earth, accompanied by a powerful robot, Gort, with a critical message for world leaders: Earth must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets. The film is a poignant commentary on the state of the world during the Cold War, using the guise of a sci-fi thriller to discuss themes of peace, understanding, and the threat of nuclear warfare.
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield is a found-footage style sci-fi thriller that tells the story of a group of friends in Manhattan who must survive during a catastrophic alien invasion. The film’s use of the found-footage aesthetic lends a sense of realism to the narrative, making the alien creature and the destruction it causes all the more terrifying.
Skyline (2010)
Skyline presents an alien invasion from the perspective of a small group of friends trying to survive in a Los Angeles high-rise. When mysterious bright lights descend on the city, people are drawn outside where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth.
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
In this military science fiction war film, a Marine Staff Sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon take on an unexpected enemy in Los Angeles, which has been invaded and overwhelmed by extraterrestrial beings. The film is a relentless urban battle, painting a grim portrait of an Earth under siege.
War of the Worlds (2005)
This Steven Spielberg-directed adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic focuses on dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) striving to protect his children as the Earth is invaded by Martian war machines. The film is notable for its intense sequences, dramatic special effects, and a deeper exploration of its characters amid chaos.
Signs (2002)
M. Night Shyamalan’s “Signs” offers a more intimate alien invasion story, focusing on a small family living in rural Pennsylvania. After crop circles appear in their fields, the family, led by Mel Gibson’s former priest character, experiences increasingly strange and terrifying events.
Arrival (2016)
In this intellectual spin on the genre, linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited to help communicate with an alien race that has landed twelve spacecraft around the globe. The film explores themes of time, language, and how we perceive our world, making it a thought-provoking departure from typical invasion narratives.
Under the Skin (2013)
This film offers a unique twist on the alien invasion genre, focusing on a single extraterrestrial (played by Scarlett Johansson) who takes the form of a beautiful woman. She prowls the streets of Scotland, luring men into a trap that’s as terrifying as it is hard to understand. This isn’t an invasion movie in the traditional sense, but rather a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human. “Under the Skin” blends elements of horror and science fiction to create a haunting, unforgettable experience.
Pacific Rim (2013)
When monstrous creatures known as Kaiju arise from the sea, a war begins that takes millions of lives and consumes humanity’s resources. To fight back, special type of weapon is devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots. The film is a thrilling, high-stakes battle for survival.
The Fifth Element (1997)
In the 23rd century, a New York City cab driver, Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), finds the fate of the world in his hands when Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) falls into his cab. As the embodiment of the fifth element, Leeloo needs to combine with the other four to keep the approaching Great Evil from destroying the world. Together, they take on the monumental task.
Attack the Block (2011)
A teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion. This British sci-fi comedy horror film is notable for its unique spin on the genre, combining urban drama, thrilling alien invasion action, and a healthy dose of social commentary.
Starship Troopers (1997)
In the distant future, high school kids are encouraged to become citizens by joining the military. What they don’t know is that they’ll soon be engaged in a full-scale war against a planet of alien insects. The film is a critique of militarism, fascism, and military ideology.
The Thing (1982)
In the midst of the Antarctic snowfield, the scientists and workers of a small American research base are shocked when a helicopter begins to circle their camp, chasing and shooting at a dog. But this is no ordinary dog, it’s a shape-shifting alien organism that has the ability to turn itself into a perfect replica of any living being.
They Live (1988)
In John Carpenter’s cult classic, a drifter discovers a pair of sunglasses that allow him to wake up to the fact that aliens have taken over the Earth. The film is a social commentary on the power of media manipulation and the state of civilization in the 1980s.
Predator (1987)
In this iconic action/sci-fi movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of U.S. Army commandos to a remote Central American jungle, only to find they are being hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior. “Predator” is a blend of action, horror, and sci-fi, with a relentless alien antagonist that has become one of cinema’s most famous creatures.
Super 8 (2011)
A group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie. Soon after, they suspect it was not an accident. There are disappearances and unexplained events around town, and the local deputy investigates the subsequent strange occurrences, leading to incredible discoveries. The movie is a tribute to 1980s sci-fi films and is produced by Steven Spielberg.
The World’s End (2013)
A sci-fi comedy featuring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, this film tells the story of a group of friends who discover an alien invasion during a pub crawl in their hometown. It’s a hilarious yet touching exploration of nostalgia and friendship, mixed with some surprisingly intense action sequences and a clever sci-fi twist.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Tim Burton’s “Mars Attacks!” parodies the alien invasion genre with its story of Martians invading Earth, equipped with absurdly destructive gadgets and a twisted sense of humor. The film’s blend of comedy, horror, and satire is a unique take on the alien invasion movie.
The Faculty (1998)
When some very creepy things start happening in a small town high school, a few students begin to suspect that their teachers are aliens. As they rally together to fight off the invasion, they must also deal with personal issues, making for an intriguing mix of teen drama and sci-fi horror.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
After a car accident, a woman wakes up in an underground cellar, where most of the film takes place. She fears she has been abducted by a survivalist, who tells her he saved her life and that a chemical attack has left the outside world uninhabitable. Uncertain what to believe, she decides she must escape, no matter what dangers she may face outside.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing. The clever use of sound design in this film creates a sense of fear and tension that’s maintained throughout the entire movie.
Monsters (2010)
Six years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion, a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the U.S. border. The film explores how people survive and adapt under extraordinary circumstances.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
A remake of the 1951 classic, Keanu Reeves stars as Klaatu, an alien visitor that comes to Earth with a warning. The film examines humanity’s impact on the Earth and questions whether we can change our ways before it’s too late.
Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
This film takes the Cloverfield franchise into space, where a group of international astronauts on a space station work to solve a massive energy crisis on Earth. The experimental technology aboard the station has an unexpected result, leaving the team isolated and fighting for their survival.
The Darkest Hour (2011)
Two young American software developers travel to Moscow for a business deal, but their trip goes awry when aliens invade Earth. The aliens’ deadly hunting technology forces the duo, along with other survivors they meet, to innovate and adapt for survival in a city under siege.
Battlefield Earth (2000)
Based on L. Ron Hubbard’s novel, the film is set in the year 3000 where Earth is a wasteland and humans are an endangered species. After 1000 years of brutal rule by the Psychlos, an alien race, humanity finally has a chance to fight back.
The Watch (2012)
This comedy sci-fi film features a neighborhood watch group in a quiet town. When they uncover an alien plot that threatens the world, they are forced to confront it head-on. The film offers a humorous take on the alien invasion trope, with some surprising moments of action and suspense.
Men in Black (1997)
The film follows the exploits of Agents K (Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith), members of a top-secret organization established to monitor and police alien activity on Earth. The two Men in Black find themselves in the middle of a deadly plot by an intergalactic terrorist who has arrived on Earth to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies.
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-solar threat. But will mankind’s new space defenses be enough? This sequel to the 1996 film brings back several original characters and introduces new ones, all dealing with the return of the alien threat.
Skyline 2: Beyond Skyline (2017)
Mark, a tough-as-nails detective, embarks on a relentless pursuit to free his son from a nightmarish alien warship. This film dives deeper into the universe of the first Skyline, with more emphasis on hand-to-hand combat and a deeper exploration of the alien’s motivations and society.
Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
In this unique cross-genre film, a spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys and natives are all that stand in their way. The film offers an interesting blend of western and sci-fi tropes, making for a unique viewing experience.
The Invasion (2007)
As a Washington, D.C. psychiatrist (Nicole Kidman) unearths the origin of an alien epidemic, she also discovers her son might be the only way it can be stopped. This film is a modern reinterpretation of the classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers story, with an emphasis on paranoia and trust.
Alien Outpost (2014)
A documentary crew follows an elite unit of soldiers in the wake of an alien invasion. As they struggle to survive and combat the extraterrestrial invaders, they are also tasked with keeping the peace in a world devastated and still in conflict from the aftermath of the invasion.
The Host (2013)
Earth has been colonized by an alien species that erase the minds of their human hosts, leaving their bodies intact. Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) is one of the last surviving humans who fights back, risking her life for the people she cares about most — Jared (Max Irons), Ian (Jake Abel), her brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury), and her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt) — proving that love can conquer all.
Alien Abduction (2014)
In this found footage horror film, a vacationing family encounters an alien threat in this thriller based on the real-life Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon in North Carolina. The film plays on the fear of the unknown, delivering chilling and suspenseful moments throughout.
Revolt (2017)
In the war-ravaged African countryside, a U.S. soldier and a French foreign aid worker team up to survive an alien onslaught. As they journey through the battlefield in search of refuge, their bond is tested by the imminent threat of the invaders.
At First Light (2018)
The film follows a high school senior, Alex, struggling to regain her memory after she’s taken “hostage” by an extraterrestrial being who has crash landed on her small town. As they begin to develop a bond, a series of inexplicable events draw them to run from the authorities who seek to separate them.
Extraterrestrial (2014)
This horror film focuses on a group of friends on a weekend trip to a cabin in the woods, who find themselves terrorized by alien visitors. This is a more traditional horror take on the alien invasion genre, with all the suspense and gore that you’d expect.
Slither (2006)
A small town is taken over by an alien plague, turning residents into zombies and all forms of mutant monsters. This horror-comedy from James Gunn is packed with twisted humor, grotesque horror, and an array of sci-fi tropes.
Apollo 18 (2011)
Decades-old found footage from NASA’s abandoned Apollo 18 mission, where two American astronauts were sent on a secret expedition, reveals the reason the U.S. has never returned to the moon. The film suggests a covert mission to the moon uncovered hostile alien life.
The Predator (2018)
From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home. Now, the universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter, and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. It’s up to a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist to save the human race from the alien predator.
Life (2017)
A team of scientists aboard the International Space Station discover a rapidly evolving life form that caused extinction on Mars and now threatens all life on Earth. The film plays like an intense, suspenseful, space-set version of an alien invasion movie.
