The best space travel movies have always captured our obsession with what lies beyond, long before any of it felt remotely possible.
As the Artemis program pushes humanity back toward the Moon, space travel is no longer just science fiction; it’s a very real, expensive reality. And yes, it comes with its fair share of controversy. At a time when Earth is grappling with climate crises, economic instability, and widening inequality, it’s hard not to question why billions are being poured into the cosmos. But the truth is, the space race isn’t slowing down anytime soon. If anything, it’s accelerating, driven by curiosity, competition, and the promise of something bigger than ourselves.
But while not all of us will ever leave this planet, cinema has long given us a front-row seat to that journey – even influencing the very people making it happen. Ahead of their mission, the Artemis II crew was given a private screening of Ryan Gosling-starring Project Hail Mary – based on the science fiction novel by Andy Weir – during quarantine, calling it inspiring and deeply reflective of their own journey into the unknown. That connection between cinema and real-world exploration feels even more tangible now – especially since Project Hail Mary recently made history when its IMAX trailer was launched against the curvature of the Earth, reaching 31,058 meters (101,896 feet) and earning a Guinness World Record for directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Wow.
From sweeping interstellar odysseys to intimate, Earth-bound adventures, the best space travel movies tap into that same sense of exploration, reminding us that whether it’s across continents or galaxies, the desire to go somewhere new is deeply human.
Hidden Figures
Year: 2016
Director: Theodore Melfi
Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe
Plot: The untold story of three brilliant Black women at NASA whose calculations were crucial to launching astronauts into space.
Apollo 13
Year: 1995
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton
Plot: When a routine mission turns into a life-threatening crisis, NASA races against time to bring three astronauts safely back to Earth.
The Martian
Year: 2015
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain
Plot: Stranded alone on Mars, an astronaut uses science, wit, and resilience to survive while the world works to bring him home.
Gravity
Year: 2013
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
Plot: After a catastrophic accident leaves them stranded in orbit, two astronauts must fight to survive in the vast, silent expanse of space.
Interstellar
Year: 2014
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway
Plot: A team of explorers travels through a wormhole in space in a desperate attempt to secure humanity’s future beyond Earth.
Project Hail Mary
Year: 2026
Director: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Cast: Ryan Gosling
Plot: The most recent entry in the best space travel movies – a lone astronaut wakes up on a distant spacecraft with no memory, only to realize he may be humanity’s last hope to save Earth.
WALL-E
Year: 2008
Director: Andrew Stanton
Cast: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight
Plot: A lonely robot left to clean up a deserted Earth embarks on an unexpected journey across space that could change the future of humanity.
Barbarella
Year: 1968
Director: Roger Vadim
Cast: Jane Fonda, John Phillip Law
Plot: A fearless space adventurer travels across galaxies on a surreal mission, encountering strange worlds, danger, and desire along the way.
