The Best Sci-Fi Christmas Movies

Summary

• Sci-fi Christmas movies are a rarity despite a few standout classics.
• Examples include Santa Claus Conquers The Martians & Iron Man 3.
• The best balance of sci-fi & Christmas is seen in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Christmas movies and science fiction are like estranged cousins. These two genres on their own are both extremely popular among audiences, but for some reason, they rarely overlap. Do aliens not like Christmas? Can androids not be festive? Do science experiments never go wrong during the closing days of December? These feel like unreasonable assumptions to make, and yet Hollywood seems to have made them anyway.

While there aren’t many sci-fi Christmas movies out there, the ones that do exist make it all the more baffling that this genre combo isn’t more common. From sci-fi send-ups to cult classics to modern superhero movies, these are the very best sci-fi Christmas movies available today, ranked by by how good they are as movies, and how “Christmas-y” they are.

8

Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (1964)

The Title Alone Is A Selling Point

If a title like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians can’t win over viewers, we might as well stop making movies altogether. This is the kind of 60s genre flick that stopped taking itself seriously the moment the first word was put on paper for the script. That’s certainly not a bad thing, but it makes for a particular kind of entertainment that also can’t be taken seriously because doing so will be a huge drag.

In this movie, Martians are concerned about the individuality of their children, and decide they need their own version of Earth Christmas. To accomplish this, they hatch a plan to kidnap Santa, but when they arrive on Earth, all the fake Santas throw them off. As a solution, they kidnap two children instead to help them identify the real Santa. The film’s logic maintains this level of absurdity throughout, but it does manage to find a wholesome note to wrap up on, as all good Christmas movies should.

7

The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

It’s Not Good, But It’s Star Wars

There’s no greater evidence for how barren the sci-fi Christmas movie catalog is than having The Star Wars Holiday Special not only on this list but not even ranking in last place. This made-for-TV special was critically panned across the board when it was released, and it is still considered one of the worst Star Wars creations of all time.

Even for die-hard Star Wars fans, this special is a struggle to get through. What’s amazing is that this was the second Star Wars-related movie ever released, coming just one year after A New Hope and intended to bridge the gap between that movie and The Empire Strikes Back. This was also the debut appearance of one Boba Fett. He went on to become an iconic Star Wars character, even starring in his own Disney+ series, but he made his first on-screen appearance in a Christmas special. How about that?

6

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Tony Stark’s Reckoning Comes During The Holidays

The first MCU film to follow up 2012’s Marvel’s Avengers was met with mixed responses, primarily because of the liberties it took with the iconic Iron Man comic villain, The Mandarin. However, standing on its own, Iron Man 3 is an exciting semi-noir story about espionage, super soldier serums (no, not those super soldier serums), and, of course, Christmas. Tony Stark’s struggles with PTSD, his battle with both The Mandarin and Aldrich Killian, and his escape/disappearance to small-town Tennessee all take place right around Christmas.

While most of the movie does not focus entirely on Christmas (and in fact, much of it takes place in Malibu, so it doesn’t even look like Christmas), Tony’s time spent bonding with Harley Keener is very much in the Christmas spirit. These scenes have the snow and the Christmas trees, and Tony even gives Harley a Christmas present. He also puts on a Christmas light show to close out the movie by blowing up all of his Iron Man suits in a romantic gesture to Pepper Potts. While it may not be the most Christmas-y Marvel movie, it certainly still fits the bill.

5

A Message From Mars (1913)

The First British Sci-Fi Movie Ever Made Was Also A Christmas Movie

A Christmas Carol is arguably the greatest Christmas story ever told, so it should be no surprise that a sci-fi re-telling (oddly the only sci-fi re-telling in movie form) would appear on this list. A Message From Mars is a silent film from 1913 and also bears the distinction of being the first British sci-fi movie ever made.

Horace Parker is a rich man, but a terrible person. He treats everyone poorly while expecting them to behave exactly as he does. His fiancé, Minnie, is on the verge of leaving him. Then, on Christmas Eve, the titular messenger from Mars visits Horace and takes him on a journey through town so they can listen in on what everyone has to say about Horace when he’s not around. In true Scrooge fashion, this pushes Horace to change his ways just in time for Christmas.

4

Gremlins (1984)

Don’t Spill Water On Them

While Gremlins is not a quintessential Christmas movie, Christmas plays a crucial role in the movie’s plot. As such, much in the same way that Die Hard is considered a Christmas movie, so too should Gremlins be considered one, albeit an unconventional one. After all, it takes place during Christmas, features themes of friendship and trust between strangers, and the whole plot hinges on the purchase of a Christmas present.

That present, purchased by a struggling inventor for his son, is a mogwai, aka. a Gremlin. Randall is told that there are three key rules surrounding his purchase: Sunlight will kill it, keep it away from water, and never let it eat after midnight. Taking these lessons and the mogwai home, Randall delivers the gift to his son, Billy. Naturally, all three of these rules are broken as the movie goes along, and eventually, a full-scale Gremlin invasion is underway. It’s up to Billy and Gizmo, the original mogwai, to stop it.

3

Brazil (1985)

Have A Dystopian Consumerist Christmas

Brazil is not a typical Christmas movie, not even when compared to the other atypical Christmas movies on this list. It is absent any Christmas cheer and does not conclude with any heartwarming notes. The Christmas seen in Terry Gilliam’s dystopian sci-fi masterpiece is a plague, a rampant state-enforced distraction as people try to appease the oppressive government that controls them. Making matters even worse, that government is run by imbeciles, turning the film into a sharp blend of 1984 and Idiocracy.

Sam Lowry is a low-level government pencil-pusher who chooses to stay unremarkable while dreaming of love and adventure. When a typo leads to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of Archibald Buttle, instead of the suspected terrorist Archibald Tuttle, Lowry’s life is thrown into disarray as he tries to follow up on the bureaucratic error and starts to break free of the shackles of his life. Brazil ends on a particularly bleak note, another pivot away from the standard Christmas movie. Yet Christmas is essential in how Brazil gets its message across. It’s just that the message, instead of a celebration, is a stark and sobering criticism.

2

Batman Returns (1992)

Christmas In Gotham

Batman Returns is absolutely the Die Hard of sci-fi Christmas movies. It takes place during the Christmas season, features the lighting of a Christmas tree as a major set piece, contains frequent mentions of mistletoe, and the movie ends with the line “Merry Christmas, Alfred. Goodwill towards men… and women.” However, the film doesn’t feature much in the way of Christmas “themes,” much like Die Hard, instead using Christmas as a setting and a raison d’être for much of the film’s plot points.

Oswald, abandoned as a baby by his wealthy parents, returns to Gotham as The Penguin, the leader of the Red Triangle gang. He seeks to re-insert himself into Gotham’s wealthy elite by any means necessary, and it’s up to Batman to put a stop to him. However, a distraction arises in the form of Selina Kyle, aka. Catwoman, who begins dating Bruce Wayne while feuding with Batman. It may not leave viewers feeling “ooey gooey” like more standard Christmas movies will, but Batman Returns is both a great movie and a very fitting watch during the holiday season.

1

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

The Perfect Holiday Recipe

Many of the movies on this list have either been sci-fi movies set during Christmas, or Christmas movies with some sci-fi trappings, but The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is the only one of the bunch that perfectly balances both its sci-fi narrative and the heartwarming themes of Christmas. The only thing is, at a paltry runtime of just 40 minutes, not everyone will consider this a “movie.” However, for this list, we’re absolutely going to, because this is undoubtedly the best sci-fi Christmas movie ever made.

Peter Quill is feeling forlorn after losing Gamora (at least, his Gamora) during Avengers Endgame and is spending yet another Christmas season away from Earth. To cheer him up, Mantis and Drax decide to get Peter the perfect Christmas present: His favorite actor, Kevin Bacon. The two Guardians travel to Earth and literally kidnap the real Kevin Bacon from his home. However, when they deliver him to Peter, he is horrified and demands that they return the actor to Earth.

On their journey back, Kevin Bacon learns that he—or rather, his acting—has been the main inspiration for Peter in becoming a galactic hero, and he decides to celebrate Christmas with the Guardians before he returns home. While it is goofy and a bit absurd, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special understands what makes a good Christmas movie. It’s all about doing things for other people at a time when they might need it, and about spending time with the family and friends who matter most. James Gunn’s heartwarming prelude to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits all the notes that a Christmas movie should, while also delivering the epic visuals and thought experiments that make for great sci-fi.