Netflix has built its reputation on offering a vast library ranging from acclaimed series like Stranger Things, Black Mirror, and 3 Body Problem to numerous original films. However, the streaming platform has also invested heavily in ambitious original science fiction movies that arrived with blockbuster aspirations before fading from the cultural conversation. Here are Netflix's five biggest sci-fi flops, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes scores.
5. IO (2019) — 33% Rotten Tomatoes
Directed by William Gray and starring Anthony Mackie and Margaret Qualley, IO is a post-apocalyptic drama set after Earth has become largely uninhabitable. Qualley plays Sam, one of the last humans waiting for the final spacecraft bound for an off-world colony on Io, one of Jupiter's moons. When another survivor played by Mackie arrives, the two clash over whether humanity's future lies in space or trying to adapt to Earth. Featuring extended stretches with little to no dialogue in a single location, the film failed to leave a lasting impact compared to contemplative sci-fi dramas like Moon or Arrival.
4. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) — 22% Rotten Tomatoes
The Cloverfield Paradox featured one of the most memorable launches in streaming history when Netflix surprised audiences by dropping the film immediately following Super Bowl LII. The story follows a space station crew whose attempt to solve Earth's energy crisis opens a rift in reality. Despite the brilliant marketing surprise, clunky dialogue, underdeveloped characters, and derivative storytelling brought the momentum of the Cloverfield franchise to a sudden halt.
3. Rebel Moon Parts One & Two (2023-24) — 22% / 16% Rotten Tomatoes
Zack Snyder's expansive sci-fi epic follows Kora, played by Sofia Boutella, as she recruits warriors from across the galaxy to protect a peaceful farming colony from the Imperium. Across two films, Snyder introduced a sprawling mythology filled with alien races and warring planets. Rebel Moon heavily borrowed tropes and archetypes from classic sci-fi rather than establishing a distinct identity of its own, while later director's cuts added nearly an hour to each film.
2. Atlas (2024) — 17% Rotten Tomatoes
Starring Jennifer Lopez as data analyst Atlas Shepherd alongside Sterling K. Brown, Simu Liu, and Mark Strong, Atlas paired a timely artificial intelligence storyline with large-scale action sequences and an AI-powered mech suit. While the star-studded spectacle found an audience as a genuine Netflix event, the movie struggled to maintain any lasting impression or staying power after the credits rolled.
1. The Electric State (2025) — 14% Rotten Tomatoes
Loosely based on Simon Stålenhag's illustrated novel and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, The Electric State starred Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt with a massive voice cast including Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Woody Harrelson, Hank Azaria, Colman Domingo, and Alan Tudyk. Backed by a reported $320 million budget—the most expensive original movie in Netflix's history—the adaptation transformed Stålenhag's meditation on technology and consumerism into a conventional and forgettable sci-fi romp.