First Science Fiction Novel Movies
Discover movies inspired by the earliest and most pioneering science fiction novels ever written. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, often considered the first true science fiction novel, has been adapted countless times alongside other foundational works by H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Robert Louis Stevenson. From The Time Machine and War of the Worlds to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, these films bring the origins of science fiction literature to vivid cinematic life. Explore the movies that trace back to where it all began.
Frankenstein (1994)
123 min
Sci-Fi, Horror
Kenneth Branagh's faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, widely considered the first science fiction novel ever written.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
The Time Machine (2002)
96 min
Sci-Fi, Adventure
Based on H.G. Wells' 1895 groundbreaking novel about a scientist who travels 800,000 years into the future.
Directed by Simon Wells
War of the Worlds (2005)
116 min
Sci-Fi, Action
Spielberg's intense adaptation of H.G. Wells' 1898 novel about a devastating alien invasion of Earth.
Directed by Steven Spielberg
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
127 min
Sci-Fi, Adventure
Disney's classic adaptation of Jules Verne's 1870 novel featuring Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus.
Directed by Richard Fleischer
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
92 min
Sci-Fi, Adventure
Based on Jules Verne's 1864 novel, a professor and his nephew discover a hidden world deep underground.
Directed by Eric Brevig
The Invisible Man (2020)
124 min
Sci-Fi, Horror
A modern reimagining of H.G. Wells' 1897 novel about the terror of a man no one can see.
Directed by Leigh Whannell
The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
96 min
Sci-Fi, Horror
Based on H.G. Wells' 1896 novel about a scientist creating human-animal hybrids on a remote island.
Directed by John Frankenheimer
Fahrenheit 451 (2018)
100 min
Sci-Fi, Drama
Based on Ray Bradbury's 1953 dystopian novel about a future where books are banned and burned by firemen.
Directed by Ramin Bahrani
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (2006)
88 min
Sci-Fi, Horror
Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella exploring the duality of human nature through science.
Directed by John Carl Buechler
Brave New World (2020)
60 min
Sci-Fi, Drama
Based on Aldous Huxley's 1932 dystopian masterpiece about a genetically engineered society built on pleasure and control.
Directed by Owen Harris