5 Acclaimed Sci-Fi Franchises That Deserve A Comeback

Science fiction is pretty unquestionably the most popular genre in cinema history. "Avatar" became the biggest box office hit of all time (twice, technically). Meanwhile, "Avatar: The Way of Water" is the third-biggest, with "Avengers: Endgame" sitting right in the middle of those films. Indeed, the list of the highest-grossing movies ever is dominated by sci-fi. Part of that is because the genre is pretty malleable and lends itself to all sorts of storytelling. It also lends itself to the sort of spectacle that the masses generally want from blockbusters, paving the way for potential franchises.

Sci-fi doesn't have to be big, mind you. There are plenty of low-budget sci-fi movies that have made millions and turned out quite spectacular, ranging from "The Terminator" to "Chronicle." Yet, for as much as Hollywood tends to be obsessed with franchises, there are certain properties that end up getting left behind or abandoned before their potential can be fully realized. But just because that's the way things are doesn't mean that's the way it should be.

To be sure, there are plenty of sci-fi franchises that deserve to make a comeback. Today, we're going to look at a handful of these properties that have been met with acclaim, be it during their initial release or upon being re-evaluated years later, and humbly suggest to Hollywood at large that it's high time they return to the screen. Let's get into it.

In a better world, Karl Urban would have starred in, like, six "Dredd" movies by now. Unfortunately, that's not the world we live in because the financial failure of 2012's "Dredd" at the box office remains a tragedy. All the same, it feels like people continue to discover this movie's awesomeness nearly 15 years after its initial release. Sure, we're never getting a sequel to this movie, and Urban probably isn't returning in the lead role, but the "Dredd" property itself is too vast and too rich to be left alone forever.

Yes, we had Sylvester Stallone's "Judge Dredd" in the 1990s, itself based on the long-running "2000 AD" comics as well. Campy and fun though that cinematic ride may be for people of a certain age, it's high time we get another adventure set in this universe. That's not to say that there haven't been attempts. In 2018, a "Judge Dredd" TV show with two seasons planned out had a finished script, but what was set to be called "Mega-City One" never actually got off the ground.

When last we heard, since "Dredd 2" was never going to happen, the inevitable reboot was announced. In July 2025, it was revealed that "Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi was set to take the reins on a new interaction of the franchise. As of this writing, no further details have been confirmed, but as much as there are those of us who will always cling to what could have been, this property has far too much potential to just let it sit untouched forever. It's time to give this one another shot, be it with Waititi leading the charge or someone else.

There is nothing quite like "Starship Troopers." Director Paul Verhoeven took Robert A. Heinlein's original novel and turned it into something special. Not only is it a remarkably entertaining visual spectacle with effects that hold up shockingly well nearly 30 years later, but it's an impressive, layered (if blunt) bit of commentary that packs a punch beyond said spectacle. In short? It rules.

Despite the first movie being a commercial disappointment in its day, "Starship Troopers" became an unlikely cult franchise, with several direct-to-video sequels and animated spin-offs released over the years. There was even a highly enjoyable video game, "Starship Troopers: Extermination," released in 2024. That's all good and well, but it's high time that somebody gives this franchise the big-budget, theatrical treatment it deserves once again. After all, the property has been dormant (video game aside) for nearly a decade dating back to 2017's animated "Traitor of Mars."

All due respect to everyone involved with that movie, but this is a franchise that undoubtedly has more to offer the world, especially in the hands of the right filmmaker. In March 2025, it was revealed that a new "Starship Troopers" movie is being developed by sci-fi veteran Neill Blomkamp ("District 9"), but we've heard about new films in this property several times before, yet none of them have come to fruition so far. Maybe Blomkamp will be the guy to change that, maybe he won't. Either way, this is one that is way overdue for another shot at mainstream success.

Of any franchise being discussed here today, it's downright shocking that we haven't gotten a "Cloverfield" movie since "The Cloverfield Paradox" in 2018. It's difficult to find a fan of these films who was outright happy with that one. Heck, Paramount sold "The Cloverfield Paradox" to Netflix because it didn't want a box office flop. The studio knew it was a dud, and, unfortunately, that was the last time that this world of endless possibilities in the realm of science fiction has impacted popular culture with something fresh.

The original "Cloverfield" was a surprise found footage hit that helped launch director Matt Reeves' career, with J.J. Abrams producing. Then came "10 Cloverfield Lane," a wildly different sequel/spin-off that proved this franchise could be a theoretically never-ending anthology featuring all sorts of alien/monster driven adventures. Then, despite the first two movies being big success stories, it all just came to a grinding halt after that third entry was dumped directly to Netflix.

We heard in 2021 that a direct sequel to "Cloverfield" was finally happening (one that wouldn't be found footage), but that has yet to materialize. Reeves is busy with "The Batman Part II" and Abrams is working on his first movie as a director in nearly seven years. But there's no reason another director couldn't come in and put their stamp on this universe, even if Reeves and/or Abrams wished to be more involved in this proposed direct sequel. This property is too ripe with potential to let it rot.

For all the franchise revivals that come and go that seemingly nobody is begging for, this one has a pretty vocal chorus of people who will be ready and eagerly waiting.

History is littered with movies that arrived with great promise and, for various reasons, just didn't find their audience in their day. Paul W.S. Anderson's "Event Horizon" is one of those films. Paramount meddled with the edit quite a bit, and the version we got wasn't what Anderson originally envisioned. 

All the same, the version of "Event Horizon" that exists is arguably one of the best sci-fi/horror movies ever made. With a killer cast and premise (one that essentially boils down to, "What if people accidentally opened up a literal portal to hell in space?"), it's a kick-ass ride that has found much appreciation and a much larger audience over the years. All the same, it's tough to argue to the brass at Paramount Pictures that they should make a sequel to what was an expensive flop in its day.

That having been said, "Event Horizon" was always an idea with a lot of potential. That much has been confirmed by some recent comics, with "Event Horizon" getting a sequel comic book series dubbed "Even Horizon: Inferno," which is a lot like "Aliens" but in Hell. There was also a very well-regarded prequel titled "Event Horizon: Dark Descent," both of which were handled by IDW Publishing.

Granted, it's much easier to make a comic because budgets aren't really a concern. Even so, what exists on those pages could easily be translated into a pretty terrific animated series. I'm admittedly more of a movie guy, and as much as I'd love a live-action sequel, I'm nothing if not a realist. Doing this in animation would make a ton of sense and undoubtedly find its audience.

Setting my specific pitch aside, under the right circumstances, this one feels like it's worth testing the waters for a franchise expansion.

Steve McQueen may not have wanted to talk about "The Blob," but horror fans certainly do. Horror and sci-fi tend to make good bedfellows, and "The Blob" is a classic monster movie for the ages — one that demonstrates precisely why these two genres mix so well together. And while the original "Blob" film totally holds up as a satisfying 1950s creature feature, its 1988 remake has stood the test of time as one of the truly great revamps in cinema history.

But that was damn near 40 years ago. That movie, as directed by Chuck Russell, centers on high school students who discover a strange, gelatinous substance that melts the flesh of any living creatures in its path and grows uncontrollably. Chaos ensues. This is a concept that is ripe for the taking, and there are too many good filmmakers out there who could undoubtedly do something great with this idea in the here and now, especially with how far technology has come over the last four decades.

Admittedly, there have been attempts to get another reboot/remake going. Notably, Rob Zombie was attached to make a version of the project around the time that his "Halloween" movies were coming out. More recently, "Hellraiser" (2022) director David Bruckner became attached to a remake of "The Blob" in 2024. That has yet to come to fruition, but, for my money, Brucker seems like a damn good fit. If, for some reason, that falls apart, Hollywood would do well to find someone else with a take on the material to finally make this happen. This franchise is too much fun to leave it be.

Some genre movies are too sacred to touch. This property, good as it is, very much has gas in the tank, if handled correctly.