Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve have both made several sci-fi masterpieces in recent years, and while they are fantastic sci-fi directors, the real king of the genre is returning next year. Nolan and Villeneuve’s countless successes have made them some of the most notable directors this century, but they are about to be dethroned when one of the most notable directors of all time dives back into sci-fi.

The sci-fi genre is one of the most popular genres for average audiences, with it becoming increasingly more prevalent throughout recent decades. Some of the biggest franchises of all time, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, The Terminator, and even the MCU are sci-fi, with the big-budget production design of sci-fi films often requiring them to be blockbusters.

Nolan has attempted to push the boundaries of what sci-fi can do with some of his original IP films, with his mind-bending stories captivating audiences. Meanwhile, Villeneuve has attempted to put his directorial touch on some major sci-fi franchises. However, both directors have clearly learned a lot from the master of sci-fi.

Christopher Nolan & Denis Villeneuve Have Made The Best Sci-Fi Blockbusters This Century

Inception, Dune, & More

When it comes to sci-fi, Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve have undoubtedly made the best sci-fi blockbusters this century. Christopher Nolan famously made Inception, which has become one of the most famous sci-fi movies of all time. It is so famous that it has been parodied countless times, with it being one of the most influential films of the 2010s.

Inception is far from the only sci-fi blockbuster that Nolan has directed, however. 2006’s The Prestige is a low-key sci-fi film, 2014’s Interstellar is a mᴀssive space epic, and 2020’s Tenet is another mind-bending action story in the same vein as Inception. Sci-fi has become one of Nolan’s primary genres, and it seems like audiences will go see whatever original sci-fi project he makes.

Meanwhile, Villeneuve has also made a recent foray into the sci-fi genre starting in the mid-2010s. 2016’s Arrival was a mᴀssive critical hit, with it putting a new twist on the alien story. The film was so popular that it got nominated for Best Picture among other Oscars. Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 also got nominated for Oscars, with it being the legacy sequel to the Ridley Scott classic.

Villeneuve is also the mind behind the modern Dune movie adaptations, which have been some of the biggest sci-fi hits of all time. Dune and Dune: Part Two are critically acclaimed, with them being mᴀssively successful. Villeneuve isn’t done with the genre, however, as his adaptation of Dune Messiah is in the works.

Steven Spielberg Is Making A Return To The Genre He Masted Decades Ago

With The Release Of Another UFO Movie

While Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve are great, Steven Spielberg is the real master of the sci-fi genre. Spielberg directed Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Jurᴀssic Park, all of which are iconic entries in the history of sci-fi. Spielberg has directed two of the most famous alien movies of all time, but they won’t be his last.

An unтιтled Steven Spielberg movie about UFOs is set to release in 2026, finally bringing Spielberg back to the genre for the first time in years. Almost nothing is known about the story outside of it being about a UFO, with the script being written by Jurᴀssic Park screenwriter David Koepp.

The Steven Spielberg UFO movie will star Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and more. The film currently has a release date set for June 12, 2026. It isn’t known when a тιтle or first trailer will be released, but Steven Spielberg fans are eagerly awaiting more news about the film.

Although Spielberg has made more recent sci-fi films, this UFO movie could be his true return. 2018’s Ready Player One was his most recent sci-fi film, and while it and movies like Minority Report and A.I. Artificial Intelligence were good, they weren’t as great as his Spielbergian classics. So, hopefully, this UFO movie is more like his sci-fi films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

The Summer Movie Season Is More Exciting With A Spielberg Blockbuster In The Mix

But Christopher Nolan Will Be There As Well

Having Steven Spielberg back in the summer movie season is exciting, as Spielberg blockbusters are what defined the summer season. The film’s June release means that the UFO movie is in the prime time of summer, being reminiscent of Spielberg’s other classic summer blockbusters like Jaws.

Luckily, Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve fans will also get some great movies in 2026. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is set to release on July 17, 2026. While it isn’t sci-fi, it is still another epic Nolan movie, and it will be coming out just over a month after Steven Spielberg’s UFO movie.

A bit later in the year, Denis Villeneuve will return as well. His adaptation of Dune Messiah is set to release on December 16, 2026, meaning that he will have a sci-fi movie releasing the same year as Spielberg’s. Having all three of these director тιтans release movies within a year is incredibly exciting, meaning that 2026 is shaping up to be a great year for the movies.

Spielberg’s Sci-Fi Movie Can Give Him His First Hit In Years

After Two Big Box Office Failures

One of the most exciting aspects about Steven Spielberg’s UFO movie is that it could give him his first hit in years. 2018’s Ready Player One was Spielberg’s last big hit, with it making $607.9 million against a budget of $175 million. However, the two movies Spielberg made since then haven’t fared as well.

West Side Story and The Fabelmans were both box office disappointments, with the former making $76 million against a $100 million budget and the latter making $45.6 million against a $40 million budget. While these were some of Spielberg’s best movies in years, their box office returns don’t reflect their critical acclaim.

However, a UFO movie has much broader appeal, with its star-studded cast and sci-fi premise making it more of a crowdpleaser than The Fabelman‘s personal story. West Side Story‘s box office was most likely negatively influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is something the UFO film won’t have to worry about.

So, it is entirely possible that Steven Spielberg’s UFO film could be one of the biggest critical and commercial successes of 2026, reminding audiences whose boss after years of Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve’s reign.