Sci-Fi Movies With Female Leads: Here Are 5 You May Not Have Considered

Some people believe the best sci-fi movies have male leading actors with a handful of female actresses added to the mix as sidekicks. In reality, there are some absolutely epic sci-fi movies with female leads.

Whether you're watching during Women’s History Month or literally any other time of year, now is as good a time as any to check out some engaging female-led sci-fi movies.

And while there are of course the can't-be-missed classics like Alien or Terminator 2, we've put together a list of five somewhat less conventional choices — all with empowering actresses taking the lead.

Coherence is a 2013 movie about a group of friends enjoying what they thought was going to be a normal dinner party. Instead of catching up over food with friendly conversation, they realize they’re about to experience a disturbing chain of events due to a life-changing comet that’s passing by the earth. The comet somehow creates a malevolent influence over everyone. Emily Baldoni is the leading lady in this film.

The Fifth Wave is an excellent sci-fi movie from 2016 starring Chloë Grace Moretz. It tells the story of a young woman who knows the earth is on the brink of extinction. Alien attacks have been destroying the planet from all angles leading to endless natural disasters. Diseases are spreading, tsunamis are crashing, and earthquakes are breaking ground.

Moretz plays Cassie Sullivan, a girl who wants nothing more than to reunite with her brother before the world comes to an end forever.

Melancholia is a thought-provoking 2011 sci-fi drama starring Kirsten Dunst as Justine. Justine and her sister are in the process of healing from depression when they learn that a life-threatening planet is hurtling toward Earth at a fast rate. They must juggle dark emotions over their everyday struggles against their fears of impending doom.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the leading lady in 10 Cloverfield Lane. This creepy sci-fi movie premiered in 2016 and tells the story of a young woman named Michelle who gets kidnapped by two men who try to convince her that she must stay indoors to avoid chemical poisoning. Instead of falling prey to their manipulation and lies, she devises a plan to escape.

There's no denying the fact that Bird Box is a sci-fi movie most people consider totally terrifying. Not being able to see where you're going while trying to stay away from deadly creatures sounds like an impossible conundrum. To make matters worse, the main character is also trying to keep her children safe and protected along the way. Sandra Bullock takes the lead in this Netflix original film.