Apple TV Just Added 3 Sci-Fi Movies That Are All 10/10 Masterpieces (& They're Free) — Gaming

Apple TV's Sci-Fi offerings just got even bigger and better with the addition of multiple great movies, in something of an unusual move from the streamer. Apple typically operates a little differently from a lot of the giant streaming services. It has a much smaller subscriber base than the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+, and rather than focusing on creating such an extensive back catalog as they do, it's carved out a niche as the home of some truly prestige TV with top-level talent.

Much of that has been focused on the Sci-Fi genre, though more on TV than movies. Over the past few years, the streamer has launched several of the best Sci-Fi shows available anywhere on TV. The likes of For All Mankind, Severance, Silo, Foundation, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and more have combined to make it the number one place to go if science fiction is your thing, with those series all varied enough that there's something for everyone.

It does not have as many great Sci-Fi movies of its own, though it does have some worth watching, such as Finch and The Gorge, but it is now expanding what's available to subscribers. The service has just launched a new "Great Movies Available Now On Apple TV" section [as first noted by 9To5Mac], which makes some, well, great movies available to subscribers at no extra cost.

E.T., The Martian & More Classic Movies Were Just Added To Apple TV

Among the list of movies now available to stream on Apple TV with a regular subscription are E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Martian, and Arrival. E.T. is, of course, a true classic, while the latter two are among the genre's modern greats. Other notable additions to the service in the United States include:

21 Jump Street
A Beautiful Mind
The Aviator
The Bourne Identity
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Gone Girl
I, Robot
Looper
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
The Sixth Sense
Titanic
Zodiac
Zoolander

There's certainly something there for everyone, including epics like Titanic, but if you're looking for Sci-Fi, then it's the three I mentioned above that really stand out. That's no shade to a couple of the other options: I, Robot is an entertaining Will Smith blockbuster, and Looper puts a pretty great spin on the time loop device; it's just that I'd say E.T., The Martian, and Arrival are genuine masterpieces.

E.T.: There's little to say about it at this point that hasn't already been said. It's pure Steven Spielberg wonder, magic, and awe, and hits in the same way now as it did watching it as a kid. Not many movies have ever dealt with the idea of aliens in such a universal, emotionally resonant way, while also working as a fun blockbuster ride, which is why it remains so timeless.

Arrival: This is at a very different end of the alien spectrum, finding Amy Adams' linguist, Louise Banks, working with the U.S. Army to learn how to communicate with extraterrestrials who have arrived on Earth. As much as it's about species from another planet, Denis Villeneuve's movie is deeply human and moving. It plays around with time, and focuses on the importance of communication and empathy in quite beautiful ways.

The Martian: Ridley Scott's movie is a great choice to revisit this year in particular, because it pairs so well with the best Sci-Fi movie of 2026 so far: Project Hail Mary. Both are based on books by Andy Weir, both were written by Drew Goddard, and both mix hard science and survivalist tales with real humor and pathos. The Martian stars Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars, and manages to be thrilling, uplifting, clever, and very funny.

Apple TV's New Streaming Movies Are Great For Subscribers

Even beyond Sci-Fi, Apple TV has established itself as a major player in the prestige TV market. It's shown it can do a variety of genres, and its comedies - the likes of Ted Lasso and The Studio - have been major hits as well. if there's one thing you can ding it on, though, it's the movie selection. Although Apple has taken swings on some big-budget releases, including Killers of the Flower Moon and F1, it still doesn't have the kind of catalog that can compete with its biggest rivals.

These older, non-original movies are a good step toward addressing that. It's a shift to a more typical streaming model, without fully going in that direction (though it remains to be seen whether it'll be expanded, and will presumably depend on how much interest they garner). Since most movies not made by Apple are only available to buy or rent through the platform, though, then while it may not be something that's going to drive subscriptions, it is at least a real boost for current subscribers.