There’s nothing more horror-invoking than the deep and dark pits of the space. Fortunately, you don’t have to travel across the galaxy to get the thrill out of it. With this 14 Best Space Horror Movie, you can have your fright in the comfort of your bedroom.
We scoured different movie reviews and ranking sites to see the best in invoking the thrill and desolation of the deep dark space. These films ensure that they are the top in the genre with their excellent rating or commercial success.
Whether you love a mix of mystery, thriller, or action in your sci-fi horror, there is a movie for you to enjoy.
1. Aliens (1986)
English, Spanish 2h 17m IMDb
James Cameron
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn
Aliens is a sequel to the 1979 classic, Alien. Much like it’s first contemporary, this film is a hit with audiences and critics alike. With excellent use of horror and action blends, the movie is heralded as one of the most well-made sci-fi films.
The story stars Ellen Ripley as she returns to the lunar colony, this time with more firepower and a mission to defeat the aliens once and for all. With the help of the top human soldiers, they must rescue the sole survivor and get back to Earth.
2. Pandorum (2009)
English, Vietnamese, German 1h 48m IMDb
Christian Alvart
Stars: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet
Hinging on mystery, Pandorum stars Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid as astronauts with a case to solve. Waking up from cryogenic sleep, two men find themselves alone in the spacecraft. The movie follows the two as they try to know where their crew members went or what took them.
Rather than action, Pandorum hinges on the psychological thriller aspect of the film. Although coming out with mixed reception, the film is now heralded as a cult classic. If you love some mix of horror and deep space with a side of mystery, this is the perfect movie to watch.
3. Pitch Black (2000)
English, Arabic 1h 49m IMDb
David Twohy
Stars: Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Vin Diesel
Space is as dark and scary as it is, but what about getting stranded on a desert planet away from home with hostile aliens? Pitch Black follows this very same concept. With a high stake thriller and heart-pounding action, you are in for a very entertaining and exciting watch.
Pitch Black stars Vin Diesel as Riddick, a convict on the way to be transported across space. With his night vision, the crew members must use their ability to escape the bloodthirsty creatures. As the pitch-black skies surround them, the hungry predators lurk and prepare to plow their next victim.
4. Prometheus (2012)
English, Gaelic 2h 4m IMDb
Ridley Scott
Stars: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender
Set in the distant future of 2093, Prometheus follows the adventure of the world-leading scientists as they search for the origins of humanity; through their research, they find an alien moon that might hold the answers to their questions.
With a colossal structure open to exploration, they will soon find that there might be terrifying secrets hidden within.
The film is a hit with many sci-fi and mystery fans, getting nominated for many awards, including an Oscar. With its excellent cinematography, effects, and strong command of mystery, the movie is a must-watch if you love futuristic speculation.
5. Event Horizon (1997)
English, Latin 1h 36m IMDb
Paul W.S. Anderson
Stars: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan
Event Horizon stars as a pioneer in using black holes in their film. This is an excellent watch with excellent speculations on deep scientific elements and a great blend of mystery and horror if you love some good-old space flick. The superb cinematography and high-quality costumes also elevate the experience to a new level.
The movie sets in the distant 2047, where a crew of astronauts is tasked to know what happened to the lost and now found ‘Event Horizon’ starship. Unfortunately, upon the return of the missing ship, another creature seems to go along with it.
6. Life (2017)
English, Japanese, Vietnamese 1h 44m IMDb
Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds
Life on Mars is a highly debated and speculated topic in the scientific community. Life tackles this concept and adds a new and much scarier look at why life on Mars is now extinct. Unfortunately, this threat seems to be heading toward Earth too.
Life is a mix of horror and highly speculative scientific concepts that deal with the origins of life and its extinction.
Although the story and writing come with a mixed bag of reviews, the cinematography and cast are well-praised. You are for a fantastic performance with stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and many more.
7. Planet of the Vampires (1965)
Italian, English 1h 28m IMDb
Mario Bava
Stars: Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Ángel Aranda
Planet of the Vampires is a pioneer in the horror and space genre in movies. This movie even inspired countless future flicks, such as the Alien franchise. If you have an affinity for sci-fi and horror genres, you will surely love this classic by Mario Bava.
The film follows two crews as they land on the mysterious planet Aura. Unfortunately for the astronauts, a strange force seems to keep on pushing them to be hostile to each other. As the violence keeps increasing, they must find the answer and rescue themselves.
8. Cargo (2009)
German 1h 52m IMDb
Ivan Engler, Ralph Etter
Stars: Anna Katharina Schwabroh, Martin Rapold, Regula Grauwiller
Most humans live in the orbital station or a new home called Rhea, with the Earth depleted in life and resources. Cargo follows Cassandra as she tries to reunite with her sister, that lives in Rhea, by taking on a cargo job. When deaths suddenly appear on their ship, the crew must know who the killer is and their next victim.
Cargo hinges on the profoundly unsettling horror and mystery of being isolated in a ship. With the crew not knowing who the killer is and being trapped in a small space with the potential one, the film makes for an excellent speculative watch.
9. Solaris (1972)
Russian, German 2h 47m IMDb
Andrei Tarkovsk
Stars: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet
Complex and hauntingly beautiful, Solaris is one of the highest-rated classics in science fiction. The film follows a scientist as he gets into a mission on a remote space station orbiting a distant planet. With the presence of an intelligent life more complex than ours, he must find out the answers.
When it comes to works that invoke a more profound meaning and knowledge, Solaris might be the best bet in the sci-fi genre. It has had excellent acclaim since its release and stars as one of cinema’s pioneers and cornerstone features.
10. It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
English 1h 9m IMDb
Edward L. Cahn
Stars: Marshall Thompson, Shirley Patterson, Kim Spalding
Mars and the life that might inhabit the red planet have been a long topic in the sci-fi genre. With It! The Terror from Beyond Space examines this concept further through the use of the horror genre. A classic from the 50s, this movie is a must-watch if you are in for some old-timey space flicks.
The film follows the rescue of the first manned exploration on Mars. With the mysterious death of the crew, their captain is the only living survivor of the tragedy. However, ‘it’ seems to lurk in the dark and prepares to go back together with the crew to Earth.
11. Alien (1979)
English 1h 57m IMDb
Ridley Scott
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
Alien is the first installation from the well-received and heralded Alien Franchise by Ridley Scott. This highly acclaimed and Oscar-winning horror flick is an excellent starter for the sci-fi genre. The film is a pioneer in the space subgenre with its fantastic story and practical effects.
With the ship Nostromo getting a distress call on a nearby lunar satellite, the crew members decided to land to help. However, their rescue mission turns for the worst when a hostile alien seems to hunt them. With their wits and weapons, they must fight back before everyone in their crew is killed.
12. Screamers (1995)
English 1h 48m IMDb
Christian Duguay
Stars: Peter Weller, Roy Dupuis, Jennifer Rubin
War is apparent within any facet of life on Earth: whether by countries or planetary, these conflicts seem to follow humans in their wake. That is the premise of Screamers, a 1995 space and horror flick by Christian Duguay. With its deeper examination of human conflict, this film is an excellent examination of the concept.
The movie follows Hendricksson, a colonel from the other war forces. With the machines slowly getting more and more advance, it has one mission in mind: obliterate all life it stumbles upon. With a more significant threat in their wake, the two opposing human forces must resolve their conflict and work together.
13. Alien³ (1992)
English 1h 54m IMDb
David Fincher
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance
Alien 3 is the third installation of the world-renowned Alien franchise. With the return of Ripley, you can ensure a more action-packed film. However, this one might be the worst-rated out of the bunch.
The film still follows the main protagonist of the two prequel films, Ellen Ripley, immediately after her last fight with the aliens. With her ship broken, she made an emergency stop at Fiorina 161. As deaths start to spring up, Ripley soon realizes that she is not the sole passenger of the ship.
Summary
With this list of the 13 Best Horror Space films, you can have enough material for some excellent movie marathons. So, what are you waiting for? Grab some popcorn and get cozy, as this film will surely horrify and scare you in a sci-fi way.