What is the best space opera movie of all time?

Galaxy-spanning epics, intimate human stories set against the cosmic backdrop, and some of cinema's most technically ambitious productions — from the films that invented the genre to those that reinvented it. Cast your vote!

1. 1
   The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

   Irvin Kershner's darker, richer sequel deepening every character and delivering 'I am your father' — widely considered the greatest sequel ever made and the pinnacle of the Star Wars saga.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Galaxy Quest (1999)

   Dean Parisot's affectionate Star Trek parody in which actors from a cancelled sci-fi show are recruited by actual aliens who watched it as a historical document — beloved by fans and critics alike.
   652pts
3. 3
   Flash Gordon (1980)

   Mike Hodges's campy, Queen-scored cult classic adapting Alex Raymond's comic strip — Max von Sydow's Ming the Merciless, Brian Blessed's winged Vultan — joyously excessive.
   652pts
4. 4
   Dune: Part One (2021)

   Denis Villeneuve's breathtaking first half of Frank Herbert's novel — Paul Atreides arrives on Arrakis — the most visually majestic science-fiction film in decades.
   503pts
5. 5
   Return of the Jedi (1983)

   Richard Marquand's concluding chapter of the original trilogy — the Ewok controversy aside — completing Luke Skywalker's arc and delivering the redemption of Darth Vader.
   391pts
6. 6
   Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

   George Lucas's universe-building original — the Millennium Falcon, lightsabers, John Williams's score, and the Death Star trench run — the film that defined the space opera genre for a generation.
   391pts
7. 7
   Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

   James Gunn's irreverent Marvel space opera transforming a B-list comic team into a beloved cultural phenomenon, blending cosmic adventure with 70s mixtape nostalgia.
   391pts
8. 8
   The Fifth Element (1997)

   Luc Besson's exuberantly designed pop-art space opera set in 23rd-century New York, with Bruce Willis's cab driver, Milla Jovovich's divine being, and Gary Oldman's opera-loving villain.
   235pts
9. 9
   Interstellar (2014)

   Christopher Nolan's emotional and scientifically rigorous epic about a crew of astronauts who travel through a wormhole to find humanity's new home, anchored by a father's love across time.
   235pts
10. 10
    Avatar (2009)

    James Cameron's revolutionary 3D spectacle set on the bioluminescent moon Pandora, the highest-grossing film of all time and a visual milestone regardless of its narrative simplicity.
    235pts
11. 11
    Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

    Luc Besson's staggeringly imaginative adaptation of the French bande dessinée — the Big Market sequence alone is one of the most inventive things put on screen in the 2010s.
    1pts
12. 12
    2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

    Stanley Kubrick's transcendent philosophical space epic — the bone, the spacecraft, HAL 9000, the stargate sequence — redefined what science fiction film could be.
    1pts
13. 13
    Dune: Part Two (2024)

    Villeneuve's complete and shattering continuation — Paul embraces his destiny as the Lisan al Gaib — delivering one of the greatest sci-fi films ever committed to screen.
    1pts
14. 14
    Serenity (2005)

    Joss Whedon's theatrical continuation of the cancelled Firefly series, giving the crew of the Serenity their big-screen moment and revealing the horrifying secret behind the Reavers.
    1pts