4 New Sci-Fi Movies of 2023 to Stream on Netflix in December

2023 is winding down, which means it's time to reflect on the year's releases while adding new movies and shows to your watchlist and trying to catch them before the New Year! Despite the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that put the entire industry on pause, it was a year rich in great films, both American, produced before the actors and writers hit the picket lines, and foreign.

The year was especially rich in science fiction movies. Despite their influence on pop culture, the arts, and the general collective zeitgeist, sci-fi films often don't generate much hype when they arrive on streaming services. Nevertheless, these four releases on Netflix have proven to be quite high profile.

4. Jung_E

Release date (Netflix): January 20

IMDb rating: 5.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%

First up on our list is the sci-fi film Jung_E, the final role for the late South Korean film legend Kang Soo-yeon, who was one of the first to gain international recognition. The film also features K-darma stars Kim Hyun-joo and Ryu Kyung-soo.

According to the story, a biotech corporation creates new combat robots to win the war against a faction of humans who have rebelled against Earth. Their AI is developed based on the consciousness of the deceased war hero Captain Jung-yi. However, Jung-yi's daughter soon learns that the company has its own selfish intentions for the androids.

Critics and audiences alike cited the film's well-crafted script, which raises issues of AI exploitation, and the development of a poignant mother-daughter relationship as strengths of the film. However, the CGI was sloppy and excessive, distracting from the film itself.

3. Bird Box Barcelona

Release date (Netflix): July 14

IMDb rating: 5.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%

Among the high-profile sci-fi releases on Netflix is Bird Box Barcelona, the Spanish spinoff of the original 2018 horror. Bird Box tapped into the fear of the dark, though people had to bandage their eyes because the sight of the mysterious creatures would cause the victim to commit suicide.

This kind of premise allowed the movie to build up no small amount of suspense and a unique mythology that was further developed in this Spanish iteration. Though the movie was underwhelming for many, it was noted that it was not a copy of the original and was able to deliver some real scares.

2. They Cloned Tyrone

Release date (Netflix): July 21

IMDb rating: 6.6/10

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

This sci-fi comedy has become one of the most well-received releases of the year. Director Juel Taylor, whose They Cloned Tyrone was his feature debut, and co-screenwriter Tony Rettenmaier have delivered a witty, perpetual stew full of comedic and sci-fi elements, as well as nods to the blaxploitation movement and the work of other prolific black filmmakers, including Jordan Peele.

John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx delivered great performances as average, marginalized neighborhood folks facing the threat of cloning and assimilation into white society.

1. Paradise

Release date (Netflix): July 27

IMDb rating: 6.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes score: 55%

Finally, at the end of July this year, a German dystopian thriller called Paradise was released, and it has a very intriguing premise that is very similar to the concept of the 2011 film In Time, but doesn't copy it one bit.

In the near future, the main currency is years of life. The protagonist, an employee of the company that created this dubious modus vivendi, discovers that his company is exploiting his wife, who ruthlessly granted them 40 years of her life. According to critics, the movie was decent, although the plot failed to express the motivation of the people responsible for the atrocities.