The Matrix Resurrections may be the biggest most hyped and awaited sci-fi movie of 2021 but that doesn't mean the Wachowski sisters get to take away the limelight from everyone else in the industry. In fact, with so many delays The Matrix even has competition on HBO Max with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune.
When it comes to sci-fi, it’s pretty hard to compete against the stage provided by adaptations of genre-defining works like Frank Herbert’s masterpiece, however, even harder it is to pin down what exactly is sci-fi as the scope of it can always be stretched. For the purposes of these recommendations, the concept of sci-fi will be limited to a great quote from Arthur C. Clarke, on his vision of the genre: “Science Fiction is something that could happen — but usually you wouldn’t want it to. Fantasy is something that couldn’t happen, though often you only wish that it could.”
Stellan Skarsgård - Dune
Timothée Chalamet is fantastic in Dune, he’s the star of the film, although similar praise could also be given to Rebecca Ferguson’s role as Jessica Atreides. However, in a film that’s all about slow and subtle exposition, few characters stand out as much as its two protagonists, and one of them is Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, who succeeds in giving some pretty dark and outright eerie vibes every time he shows up, courtesy of some fantastic aesthetics.
Chalamet is one of Hollywood's most stellar actors in recent years but Skarsgård has been honing his craft for longer than the young star has been alive, so it’s amazing to see him shine as he corners House Atreides. Skarsgård is the perfect villain for Dune and it’s his towering might and ambition that make Paul's plight to save his house even more convincing for viewers ahead of bigger things to come in Dune Part Two.
Mélanie Laurent - Oxygen
In any previous year, Netflix’s sci-fi champion would have been Dark, the German time travel thriller that took the world by surprise, however, since making Arcane fit the sci-fi mold is a bit of stretch and voice acting is harder to judge, Mélanie Laurent gets the nod for Oxygen.
The French actor is most widely known for her role in Inglorious Basterds and anyone not familiar with the rest of her work is missing out on her vast talents that fully come into play in this French sci-fi thriller. That is because Alexandre Aja’s claustrophobic setting and sparse cast create the perfect lab environment for Laurent to shine in a seriously underrated sci-fi movie that should check all the boxes for fans of the genre.
Ryan Reynolds - Free Guy
While Reynolds has certainly been blurring the line between film and reality as his Deadpool persona continues to merge with his social media activity, Free Guy dials it back a bit to let Guy be the perfect NPC to explore Free City. Sci-fi comedy is a rare combination but Free Guy’s video game tropes and references hit in all the right spots to make for a hilarious ride.
Naturally, Reynolds is a huge part of why the film works in the first place instead of something more like 2018’s Ready Player One, because Free Guy doesn’t take itself too seriously. In any case, watching Reynolds fight himself in the scene makes this feel-good movie worth watching.
Jared Harris - Foundation
Few names are as big in the sci-fi world as Isaac Asimov but sadly the author’s work has not always been done justice when making the transition to film, with the most recent being the divisive I, Robot starring Will Smith that still misses the faithfulness mark for those who like it.
In this case, Apple TV’s Foundation continues that tradition as it’s a stark departure from Asimov’s Foundation trilogy, although still an enjoyable show that looks to emulate Westworld’s appeal and the political scheming in Game of Thrones. Harris leads the way as math savant Hari Seldon in a reality where humanity can predict the fall of empires thousands of years before it happens, and he’s joined by an equally brilliant cast that makes this particular take on Foundation way more interesting than it should be.
Tom Hiddleston - Loki
By most standards, the superhero genre does not meet the requirements. Nevertheless, in the MCU’s new Disney Plus era there’s a ton of room for experimentation and Loki is exactly that: it’s Marvel sci-fi series. Dystopian reality? Check. Unwanted future for humanity and the multiverse? Check. Sci-fi inspiration? Check.
Director Kate Herron has said she wanted Loki to “be a big love letter sci-fi,” with the show’s aesthetics and overall tone borrowing from the likes of Blade Runner, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, A Clockwork Orange, and Seven, and it’s safe to say she accomplished that more. Hiddleston’s charisma as Loki needs no introduction and here he gets to shine solo in a detective adventure that sees him chasing his own variants. It really doesn't get any more sci-fi than that,