Dune: Part Three and Spaceballs Lead 8 Upcoming Sci-Fi Movies Ranked by Hype
A Busy Finish to 2026
The article describes 2026 as a strong year for sci-fi, with box-office hits and independent films already released. It says the final stretch will bring more high-profile titles, including Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three and Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday.
It also points to 2027 as another notable year for the genre. Mel Brooks is set to return to the Spaceballs series with a sequel, four decades after the original film.
Ray Gunn’s Noir Mystery
Brad Bird’s animated film Ray Gunn is set in Metropia, a vast city in a retro-futuristic world shared by humans and other interplanetary species. The story follows private detective Ray Gunn as he investigates a murder involving multimedia star Venus Nova.
Sam Rockwell voices Ray, while Scarlett Johansson voices Venus. The film premiered at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival, where it earned praise for its animation, action, and voice performances. Netflix is scheduled to stream it on December 18, 2026, after its theatrical release.
Spaceballs Returns After Decades
Spaceballs: The New One takes place forty years after the 1987 original. Dark Helmet has returned, and Prince Starburst and royal advisor Destiny are sent to find Lone Starr and other allies to confront the threat.
Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, George Wyner, and Daphne Zuniga reprise their roles. Lewis Pullman, Keke Palmer, Josh Gad, and Anthony Carrigan join the cast. Josh Greenbaum directs, and Josh Gad, Dan Hernandez, and Benji Samit wrote the film. The movie is expected to parody Star Wars while also making fun of nostalgia-driven culture, cinematic universes, and reboot trends.
An Animated Intergalactic Romance
Not Alone is an animated science-fiction romantic comedy directed by Eric Guillon, Claire Dodgson, and Jonathan del Val. Scientists Joe and Fran are developing the world’s first plant-fueled rocket when Joe discovers three alien fugitives on Earth and must help them get home while pursuing Fran.
Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez voice Joe and Fran. Illumination is making the film as its first original feature since 2023’s Migration and its first romantic comedy; the article calls it the studio’s first feature film of 2027.
Key points
- Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday are among the major sci-fi releases expected near the end of 2026.
- Ray Gunn stars Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson and is set to reach Netflix on December 18, 2026.
- Spaceballs: The New One continues the story forty years after the 1987 film.
- Not Alone follows two scientists, three alien fugitives, and a plant-fueled rocket.