Blast Off to Fun: 18 Family-Friendly Sci-Fi Movies That Are Out of This World!

By WatchListHQSeptember 3, 2025
Science fiction is a genre that has captivated audiences of all ages with its imaginative and often futuristic worlds, making it an ideal choice for family movie nights. However, not all sci-fi films are suitable for younger viewers due to mature themes, intense action, or complex storylines.

Fortunately, there are many family-friendly science fiction movies that are both entertaining and wholesome, offering a great way to spend quality time with your loved ones. These films often feature inspiring stories, memorable characters, and valuable lessons that can spark interesting conversations and reflections.

From classic tales of adventure and friendship to more recent releases that explore the wonders of technology and space, the world of family-friendly sci-fi is diverse and engaging. Whether you're looking for something light-hearted and humorous or more thought-provoking and educational, there's a movie out there that's sure to delight both kids and adults alike.

In this list, we've curated 20 family-friendly science fiction movies that are perfect for your next movie night. With a mix of old favorites and new discoveries, these films promise to take you on exciting journeys through time, space, and beyond, all while promoting positive values and a sense of wonder.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

#1

An alien is left behind on Earth and saved by the 10-year-old Elliot who decides to keep him hidden in his home. While a task force hunts for the extra-terrestrial, Elliot, his brother, and his little sister Gertie form an emotional bond with their new friend, and try to help him find his way home.

1982
7.5
11524 votes
The Iron Giant
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The Iron Giant

#2

In the small town of Rockwell, Maine in October 1957, a giant metal machine befriends a nine-year-old boy and ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving people from their own fears and prejudices.

199986 min
AnimationFamilyScience Fiction
8.0
5857 votes
Back to the Future
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Back to the Future

#4

Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.

1985116 min
AdventureComedyScience Fiction
8.3
20806 votes
The NeverEnding Story
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The NeverEnding Story

#5

While hiding from bullies in his school's attic, a young boy discovers the extraordinary land of Fantasia, through a magical book called The Neverending Story. The book tells the tale of Atreyu, a young warrior who, with the help of a luck dragon named Falkor, must save Fantasia from the destruction of The Nothing.

1984102 min
AdventureFantasyFamily
7.2
4176 votes
Flight of the Navigator
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Flight of the Navigator

#6

12-year-old David is accidentally knocked out in the forest near his home, but when he awakens eight years have passed. His family is overjoyed to have him back, but is just as perplexed as he is that he hasn't aged. When a NASA scientist discovers a UFO nearby, David gets the chance to unravel the mystery and recover the life he lost.

198690 min
FamilyScience FictionAdventure
6.9
885 votes
Short Circuit
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Short Circuit

#7

After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.

198698 min
Science FictionComedyFamily
6.6
1537 votes
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
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Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

#8

The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.

198993 min
AdventureComedyFamily
6.3
3164 votes
The Last Starfighter
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The Last Starfighter

#9

Video game expert Alex Rogan finds himself transported to another planet after conquering the video game The Last Starfighter, only to find out it was just a test. He was recruited to join the team of best Starfighters to defend their world from the attack.

1984101 min
AdventureScience FictionAction
6.6
721 votes
Zathura: A Space Adventure
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Zathura: A Space Adventure

#11

After their father is called into work, two young boys, Walter and Danny, are left in the care of their teenage sister, Lisa, and told they must stay inside. Walter and Danny, who anticipate a boring day, are shocked when they begin playing Zathura, a space-themed board game, which they realize has mystical powers when their house is shot into space. With the help of an astronaut, the boys attempt to return home.

2005101 min
Science FictionAdventureFamily
6.4
3409 votes
Treasure Planet
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Treasure Planet

#12

When space galleon cabin boy Jim Hawkins discovers a map to an intergalactic "loot of a thousand worlds," a cyborg cook named John Silver teaches him to battle supernovas and space storms on their journey to find treasure.

200296 min
Science FictionAdventureAnimation
7.6
4391 votes
Lilo & Stitch
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Lilo & Stitch

#13

As Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet, wreaks havoc on the Hawaiian Islands, he becomes the mischievous adopted alien "puppy" of an independent little girl named Lilo and learns about loyalty, friendship, and ʻohana, the Hawaiian tradition of family.

200285 min
AnimationFamilyComedy
7.6
6768 votes
Meet the Robinsons
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Meet the Robinsons

#14

Lewis, a brilliant young inventor, is keen on creating a time machine to find his mother, who abandoned him in an orphanage. Things take a turn when he meets Wilbur Robinson and his family.

200795 min
AnimationComedyFamily
6.9
2989 votes
Bolt
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Bolt

#15

Bolt is the star of the biggest show in Hollywood. The only problem is, he thinks it's real. After he's accidentally shipped to New York City and separated from Penny, his beloved co-star and owner, Bolt must harness all his "super powers" to find a way home.

200898 min
AnimationFamilyAdventure
6.5
6270 votes
Monsters vs Aliens
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Monsters vs Aliens

#16

When Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches. The military jumps into action and captures Susan, secreting her away to a covert government compound. She is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters...

200994 min
AnimationFamilyAdventure
6.2
4785 votes
Planet 51
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Planet 51

#17

When Earth astronaut Capt. Chuck Baker arrives on Planet 51 -- a world reminiscent of American suburbia circa 1950 -- he tries to avoid capture, recover his spaceship and make it home safely, all with the help of an empathetic little green being.

200991 min
AnimationFamilyComedy
5.9
2077 votes
Mars Needs Moms
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Mars Needs Moms

#18

When Martians suddenly abduct his mom, mischievous Milo rushes to the rescue and discovers why all moms are so special.

201188 min
AdventureAnimationFamily
6.0
732 votes
Big Hero 6
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Big Hero 6

#19

A special bond develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.

2014102 min
AdventureFamilyAnimation
7.7
16063 votes
Home
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Home

#20

When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated, while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. The two fugitives realize there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.

201594 min
FantasyComedyAnimation
6.8
4084 votes