Best Movies like Interstellar (2014)

2001: A Space Odyssey follows human explorers venturing into deep space, mirroring Interstellar's depiction of pioneering journeys beyond Earth's boundaries. Both films use grand-scale space travel as a means to explore humanity's place in the universe, emphasizing cosmic mystery and the physical and psychological challenges of interstellar exploration.

Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer. 2001: A Space Odyssey is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 29m runtime, released in 1968 with an average rating of 8.0 by 12,776 people. The movie made an estimated total of $71,923,560 in the box office.

Contact centers on space exploration and humanity’s attempts to reach beyond known boundaries, akin to Interstellar’s focus on surpassing Earth’s limitations through scientific innovation. Both stories revolve around profound discoveries enabled by advanced technology and explore the personal impact of these discoveries on their lead characters.

A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality. Contact is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 30m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.4 by 5,091 people. The movie made an estimated total of $171,120,329 in the box office.

Ad Astra features an astronaut traveling across the solar system searching for answers related to humanity’s future, echoing Interstellar's theme of a perilous quest through space to ensure survival. Both films deal with family and emotional burdens set against epic space backdrops.

The near future, a time when both hope and hardships drive humanity to look to the stars and beyond. While a mysterious phenomenon menaces to destroy life on planet Earth, astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across the immensity of space and its many perils to uncover the truth about a lost expedition that decades before boldly faced emptiness and silence in search of the unknown. Ad Astra is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.1 by 7,321 people. The movie made an estimated total of $127,461,872 in the box office.

Arrival, like Interstellar, is driven by the question of communication and humanity’s place in the universe. Both present scientific experts—linguists and astronauts respectively—facing unprecedented cosmic phenomena as they attempt to secure the future of mankind.

Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat. Arrival is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.6 by 19,645 people. The movie made an estimated total of $203,388,186 in the box office.

Solaris tells the story of a mission to a mysterious planet, focusing on the psychological effects of deep space travel, just as Interstellar explores the emotional toll of leaving Earth and confronting unknown realms in the cosmos.

A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions. Solaris is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 2h 47m runtime, released in 1972 with an average rating of 7.8 by 1,869 people.

The 2002 adaptation of Solaris, much like Interstellar, portrays protagonists grappling with cosmic mysteries and personal loss on interplanetary voyages, underscoring the intersection of human emotion and awe-inspiring scientific environments.

A troubled psychologist is sent to investigate the crew of an isolated research station orbiting a bizarre planet. Solaris is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 5.9 by 1,483 people. The movie made an estimated total of $30,002,758 in the box office.

The Tree of Life’s narrative comprises philosophical reflections on life, purpose, and family, resonating with Interstellar’s contemplation of humanity’s future and the emotional ties that motivate epoch-defining journeys.

The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. The Tree of Life is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 19m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.7 by 3,369 people. The movie made an estimated total of $54,700,000 in the box office.

The Martian is also centered around survival in the vastness of space and the resolve to endure against immense odds, making it a fitting inclusion with Interstellar’s focus on human ingenuity and hope in desolate environments far from Earth.

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. The Martian is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 21m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.7 by 21,569 people. The movie made an estimated total of $631,058,917 in the box office.

First Man chronicles the personal and technical challenges faced by astronauts on a historic mission beyond Earth, much like Interstellar’s depiction of individuals pushing science and human limits to venture into deep space.

A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. First Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 21m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 7.0 by 5,731 people. The movie made an estimated total of $105,713,218 in the box office.

Gravity shares with Interstellar a setting in outer space, following characters as they confront isolation, limited resources, and mortal danger, all while relying on scientific problem-solving to survive in a hostile environment.

Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking. Gravity is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.2 by 16,507 people. The movie made an estimated total of $723,192,705 in the box office.

Aniara showcases humans undertaking a voyage through space after Earth becomes uninhabitable, paralleling Interstellar’s premise of mankind escaping planetary doom to seek new beginnings beyond the solar system.

A ship carrying settlers to a new home on Mars after Earth is rendered uninhabitable is knocked off-course, causing the passengers to consider their place in the universe. Aniara is a movie from Denmark in Swedish, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.1 by 444 people. The movie made an estimated total of $40,124 in the box office.

Europa Report documents a suspenseful mission to Jupiter’s moon in search of new life, drawing clear parallels to Interstellar’s team of explorers braving the unknown for humanity’s potential salvation.

A crew travels to Europa, Jupiter’s icy moon, to investigate signs of life in its subsurface ocean, but disaster cuts them off from Earth, leading to a tense and dangerous exploration. Europa Report is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 30m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.3 by 1,572 people. The movie made an estimated total of $125,687 in the box office.

High Life focuses on a small group’s journey through deep space and the psychological effects of isolation, sharing key narrative elements with Interstellar’s depiction of limited human contact and existential uncertainty during interstellar travel.

Monte and his daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole. High Life is a movie from France in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 5.7 by 1,244 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,133,033 in the box office.

Moon examines the experience of isolation and the emotional impacts of prolonged space missions, similar to Interstellar’s protagonists, who struggle with separation, memory, and personal connection when far from Earth.

With only three weeks left in his three-year contract, Sam Bell is eager to return to Earth. Stationed alone at a Moon-based facility with his computer assistant GERTY, an unexpected accident sets off a series of unsettling events that shake his isolation. Moon is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.6 by 6,388 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,760,104 in the box office.

Stalker explores philosophical questions about a mysterious, transformative journey, resembling Interstellar’s approach to mankind’s search for meaning and hope within strange and uncharted environments.

Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, a place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers, and where the normal laws of physics are victim to frequent anomalies. A stalker guides two men into the Zone, specifically to an area in which deep-seated desires are granted. Stalker is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 2h 42m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 8.1 by 2,550 people.

Sunshine recounts a high-stakes mission to restore hope for humanity by venturing into deep space, reflecting Interstellar’s narrative structure and its concern with saving civilization through scientific pursuit and sacrificial journeys.

Fifty years into the future, the sun is dying, and Earth is threatened by arctic temperatures. A team of astronauts is sent to revive the Sun — but the mission fails. Seven years later, a new team is sent to finish the mission as mankind’s last hope. Sunshine is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.0 by 4,355 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,800,000 in the box office.

I Origins investigates scientific and existential themes surrounding human perception and identity, echoing Interstellar’s similar blend of philosophical exploration and technological advancement as characters strive to understand their purpose and origins.

A molecular biologist's study of the human eye has far-reaching implications about humanity's scientific and spiritual beliefs. I Origins is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.6 by 3,500 people. The movie made an estimated total of $481,234 in the box office.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. focuses on relationships and personal growth rather than the grand cosmic and survival themes central to Interstellar, making it distinct from the rest of the recommendations on this list.

Cal Weaver is living the American dream. He has a good job, a beautiful house, great children and a beautiful wife, named Emily. Cal's seemingly perfect life unravels, however, when he learns that Emily has been unfaithful and wants a divorce. Over 40 and suddenly single, Cal is adrift in the fickle world of dating. Enter, Jacob Palmer, a self-styled player who takes Cal under his wing and teaches him how to be a hit with the ladies. Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 7.3 by 9,405 people. The movie made an estimated total of $145,079,584 in the box office.

Coherence explores reality and perception through an unusual scientific occurrence, echoing Interstellar’s fascination with scientific anomalies and the profound personal consequences wrought by cosmic events.

Four couples gather for dinner the night a mysterious and powerful comet passes overhead. Coherence is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.2 by 3,515 people. The movie made an estimated total of $139,745 in the box office.

Another Earth parallels Interstellar through its story of a doppelganger planet appearing near Earth, prompting existential questions and exploring the possibility of starting anew. Both films merge cosmic discovery with intimate human stories.

On the night a duplicate Earth is discovered in the solar system, the lives of a young woman and an accomplished composer become tragically connected after a fatal accident. Another Earth is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.7 by 1,838 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,938,783 in the box office.

The Fountain contemplates time, mortality, and love across different timelines and settings, drawing a connection to Interstellar’s complex treatment of time and emotional motivation driving the pursuit of greater truths across cosmic distances.

Spanning over one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world. The Fountain is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.9 by 3,157 people. The movie made an estimated total of $15,304,890 in the box office.

Oblivion is set in a post-apocalyptic future where the protagonist uncovers secrets amid humanity’s remnants, paralleling Interstellar’s depiction of seeking hope and survival when Earth is on the brink of collapse.

Jack Harper is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete. His existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands. Oblivion is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.7 by 11,677 people. The movie made an estimated total of $286,168,572 in the box office.

Passengers centers on characters waking up prematurely during a long-distance space voyage, sharing with Interstellar the premise of human survival and connection within the challenges of interstellar travel.

A spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet and transporting thousands of people has a malfunction in its sleep chambers. As a result, two passengers are awakened 90 years early. Passengers is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.0 by 14,375 people. The movie made an estimated total of $303,144,152 in the box office.

Prospect unfolds around a perilous expedition to an alien moon in search of resources, similar to Interstellar’s narrative of venturing into unfamiliar cosmic territories in hopes of ensuring survival.

A teenage girl and her father travel to a remote alien moon, aiming to strike it rich. They've secured a contract to harvest a large deposit of the elusive gems hidden in the depths of the moon's toxic forest. But there are others roving the wilderness and the job quickly devolves into a fight to survive. Prospect is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.2 by 995 people. The movie made an estimated total of $22,777 in the box office.

The Midnight Sky features a desolate Earth and the desperate efforts of individuals seeking contact and hope through space, closely echoing Interstellar’s backdrop of impending extinction and interstellar communication.

A lone scientist in the Arctic races to contact a crew of astronauts returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe. The Midnight Sky is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2020 with an average rating of 5.7 by 2,048 people. The movie made an estimated total of $70,018 in the box office.

The Space Between Us involves life and coming-of-age beyond Earth, offering thematic overlap with Interstellar’s depiction of exploring human experience and relationships in the context of life on distant worlds.

A young man raised by scientists on Mars returns to Earth to find his father. The Space Between Us is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.0 by 2,572 people. The movie made an estimated total of $14,793,385 in the box office.

The Wandering Earth imagines collective human action to escape planetary destruction by moving Earth itself, which aligns with Interstellar’s focus on technological innovation and drastic measures to secure humanity’s survival beyond their dying home.

When the Sun begins to expand in such a way that it will inevitably engulf and destroy the Earth in a hundred years, united mankind finds a way to avoid extinction by propelling the planet out of the Solar System using gigantic engines, moving it to a new home located four light years away, an epic journey that will last thousands of years. The Wandering Earth is a movie from China in Mandarin, with a total 2h 6m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.6 by 1,180 people.

Mission to Mars recounts an expedition to rescue a missing crew and unravel extraterrestrial mysteries, resonating with Interstellar’s narrative of collaborative scientific missions and humanity’s quest for survival through space exploration.

When the first manned mission to Mars meets with a catastrophic and mysterious disaster after reporting an unidentified structure, a rescue mission is launched to investigate the tragedy and bring back any survivors. Mission to Mars is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.0 by 1,623 people. The movie made an estimated total of $110,983,407 in the box office.

Silent Running revolves around the preservation of endangered life and the ethical challenges of survival in outer space, mirroring Interstellar’s themes of environmental catastrophe and efforts to find new hope away from a dying Earth.

After the entire flora goes extinct, ecologist Lowell maintains a greenhouse aboard a space station for the future with his android companions. However, he rebels after being ordered to destroy the greenhouse in favor of carrying cargo, a decision that puts him at odds with everyone but his mechanical companions. Silent Running is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 1972 with an average rating of 6.4 by 650 people.