5 New Sci-Fi Movies of 2023 to Watch on Netflix in December

There was no shortage of great sci-fi movies that hit Netflix in 2023. And while not every one of them was critically acclaimed, each of the following examples are great options for a little escapist fun.

5. 65

Release Date (Theaters): March 10, 2023

Release Date (Netflix): April 7, 2023

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 35%

65 was one of the most anticipated releases of the first half of 2023, with A Quiet Place co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods writing and directing the new movie, co-produced by Sam Raimi, and starring Adam Driver.

Despite cold reviews from critics, audiences embraced the simplicity of the story and enjoyed 65 as a decent, if cliched, action flick. The plot is fairly straightforward: 65 million years ago, a spaceship crashes on a planet inhabited by hostile alien creatures. The planet turns out to be Earth, and the aliens turn out to be dinosaurs.

4. Bird Box Barcelona

Release Date (Netflix): July 14, 2023

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%

Bird Box Barcelona, the Spanish spinoff of Netflix's 2019 film, also received a cool reception from critics, but many noted that it didn't just exploit the concept and popularity of its predecessor, but managed to get a highly original plot with a unique iteration of monsters with a Spanish flavor that ultimately delivered some real scares. The plot revolves around so-called 'seers', people who are manipulated by monsters with visions of their loved ones, who eventually force other survivors to open their eyes.

3. They Cloned Tyrone

Release Date (Theaters): July 14, 2023

Release Date (Netflix): July 21, 2023

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

John Boyega once again wins our hearts with his return to the sci-fi genre, and he was well supported by Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx, who gave the audience hilarious yet relatable performances as hapless black folks from the neighborhood. Foxx in particular stood out, as the actor was not afraid to look goofy and comical, playing pimp Slick Charles and becoming the embodiment of conspiracy thinking.

The plot revolves around Boyega's character, who discovers that all the black residents of his neighborhood are merely experiments in human cloning, memory wiping, and eugenic breeding in order to assimilate all people of color into a pure white society.

2. Paradise

Release date (Netflix): July 27

Rotten Tomatoes score: 55%

Paradise is a German dystopian thriller whose concept is very similar to the 2011 film In Time, yet it doesn't duplicate it in the slightest. According to this premise, the most important commodity in the near future is life years. The main character, an employee of the company that developed this shady scheme, realizes that his employer is deceiving his wife, who recklessly donated 40 years of her life to them. According to reviewers, the movie was quite decent, although the plot failed to demonstrate the reasoning behind the actions of those responsible for the atrocities.

1. Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire

Release Date (Theaters): December 15, 2023

Release Date (Netflix): December 21, 2023

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 24%

Zack Snyder is not a favorite of critics, and the sentiment surrounding his new film Rebel Moon only confirms that. Originally conceived as a Star Wars script, Rebel Moon revolves around a former Imperial soldier in search of redemption as she tries to stand up to the oppressive forces that have taken over the galaxy. The idea is simple and straightforward, and the action scenes, CG and gorgeous design inspired by both SW and Warhammer 40k aesthetics only added to the epic nature of the movie. Still, the script didn't seem to be of the highest quality or inventive to many — but sometimes science fiction doesn't have to be innovative if it's fun and entertaining.