New Sci-Fi Movies and Shows To Watch This Week at Home or in Theaters, Including ‘The Astronaut’

It’s a busy week for science fiction across theaters and streaming, with aliens, cyborgs, and covert operatives all vying for your screen time. Below you’ll find a quick, no-fluff guide to the key projects landing over the next few days, with plot essentials plus the people making and starring in them.

Each entry includes who’s involved—writers, directors, and cast—along with a plain-English premise. Dates and platforms are called out inside the descriptions so you can plan your watch. Dive in!

‘The Astronaut’ (2025)

Jess Varley writes and directs ‘The Astronaut’, a science-fiction horror film starring Kate Mara as NASA astronaut Sam Walker, who survives a disastrous mission and is quarantined in a secure safe house where unsettling phenomena suggest something extraterrestrial may have followed her back. Laurence Fishburne plays General William Harris, with Gabriel Luna as Sam’s estranged husband Mark and Ivana Miličević as Dr. Michelle Aiden. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Friday, October 17, 2025.

Behind the camera, Varley makes her solo feature writing and directing debut, with producers including Brad Fuller, Eric B. Fleischman, Chris Abernathy, and Cameron Fuller. Additional details confirmed in the official materials and trailer highlight the single-location tension and the mystery surrounding Sam’s condition after splashdown. Theatrical release is set for October 17, 2025.

‘Solar Opposites’ (2020–2025)

‘Solar Opposites’ is the adult animated sci-fi sitcom from creators Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan that follows a Shlorpian team—Korvo, Terry, Yumyulack, Jesse, and the Pupa—who crash-land on Earth and try to blend into suburban life while the Pupa slowly evolves to terraform the planet. Voice leads include Dan Stevens as Korvo (seasons 4–6), Thomas Middleditch as Terry, Sean Giambrone as Yumyulack, Mary Mack as Jesse, and Sagan McMahan as the Pupa. Season 6 debuts on Monday, October 13, 2025 on Hulu.

The series is produced by 20th Television Animation, with executive producers including McMahan and Josh Bycel, and it has become known for long-running subplots like “the Wall” alongside the main family’s Earth-bound misadventures. Dan Stevens officially took over the role of Korvo beginning with season 4, a change Hulu announced ahead of later seasons. The sixth and final season’s premiere is Monday, October 13, 2025 on Hulu.

‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch’ (2025– )

‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch’ is Netflix’s animated adaptation of Ubisoft’s stealth-action franchise, led by creator and showrunner Derek Kolstad. The story centers on veteran operative Sam Fisher, voiced by Liev Schreiber, who is pulled out of retirement to help a new recruit unravel a global conspiracy; the cast also features Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Janet Varney. The series launches on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 on Netflix.

Production is by Ubisoft Film & Television with direction from Guillaume Dousse, and Kolstad has described creative guardrails focused on staying true to the character and the IP. Schreiber’s casting as Sam Fisher has been highlighted in recent press, with the show positioned as an adult animated action-thriller. Premiere date is Tuesday, October 14, 2025 on Netflix.

‘Mar.IA’ (2023)

‘Mar.IA’ is an Argentinian sci-fi horror feature from directors Gabriel Grieco and Nicanor Loreti, written by Loreti. The film revolves around Maria Black—an infamous adult-film star who resurfaces under shocking circumstances—and the crew drawn into a spiral of violence and revenge; principal cast includes Malena Sánchez (Alina), Sofía Gala Castiglione (Mel), Daria Panchenko (María), William Prociuk (Nacho Vitale), Demián Salomón (Soles), and Juan Palomino (Varela). The title begins streaming on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

Press materials and reviews describe a blend of cyber-revenge and industry-set thriller elements, with distributors listing a 1h 21m runtime and production by Crep Films and Lahaye Media. Recent coverage and trailers confirm the cyborg-vengeance angle and the same core cast, with streaming availability dated for October 14, 2025.

Share your thoughts on which of these you’re queueing up first in the comments!