Sci Fi Movies This Week: Weekly column tracking what is coming in the current week in the way of sci fi, fantasy, and horror releases as well as news and updates on genre films, streaming and theatrical.
Sci Fi Movie Premieres This Week:
The post-Memorial Day weekend sees two sci fi and fantasy movies hitting the big screen, though neither count among this Summer’s Blockbusters. The sci fi/horror entry Backrooms will be getting a wide release on Friday, and the supernatural horror film Speed Demon will be getting a limited release, and both should be worth a look even though they are not backed by mega-dollar budgets. There are more genre entries on the way (you can see our Summer 2026 preview at this link), and you can watch trailers and get info for all the current and upcoming sci fi and fantasy films at this link.
Backrooms (In Theaters, May 29th): A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom. After a therapist’s patient goes missing into a dimension beyond reality, she has to enter the unknown to save him. Based on the web series of the same name which was inspired by the creepypasta.
Directed by: Kane Parsons
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell
Speed Demon (In Theaters-Limited, May 29th): When Father Novak and Sister Lu board a train from Montreal to New York City, they weren’t prepared for the danger and evil that would pursue them. After the train is taken over by the demon Asmodeus, Father Novak and Sister Lu must battle possessed passengers on a runaway train with Sister Lu forced to overcome her faltering faith and perform the first exorcism done by a nun.
Directed by: Jon Keeyes
Starring: Katie Cassidy, William H. Macy, Domenico Salvaggio
Sci Fi Box Office:
This will act as a catch-up to my regular Sci Fi Box Office post which did not go up this week due to technical difficulties while I was traveling. The Mandalorian and Grogu premiered in theaters over the Memorial Day weekend pulling in a four-day total of $98 million, the lowest opening weekend ever for a Star Wars film (based on adjusted dollars), but still decent in the post-COVID era. This one was not as expensive to produce as some of the other entries in the franchise, with a budget of $165 million, and it has pulled in a global tally of $167 million so far. The previous underperformer was Solo: A Star Wars Story which earned $393 million at the Box Office vs. a budget of $300 million. The Mandalorian film may have had a lower opening weekend (Solo pulled in $148 million for its Memorial Day premiere), but if it does not drop too much in its second week, it could still break even if not turn a profit. If this one does prove successful at the Box Office, that could lead to a fourth season of The Mandalorian which has not been officially announced yet but is currently in pre-production according to Production Weekly.
Sci Fi Movie News of Note:
The Bride!–which is directed and written by Maggie Gyllenhaal and stars Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale–proved to be a financial disappointment at the Box Office when released earlier this year, but it is performing much better in streaming. That one grossed only $24 million worldwide vs. a budget of $80 million, counting it as a flop during its theatrical run. But it was released for streaming on HBO Max this past week where it is performing notably better, currently topping the charts for that service. We have not seen the Nielsen numbers for this one yet (those run on about a one month delay), but it appears that this one is off to a good start in digital viewing. Whether that will be enough to ultimately turn it into a profitable film remains to be seen.
Netflix has cut back on the number of original films it is producing, while at the same time it has remained mostly steady with its original series output. According to the What’s on Netflix site, the number of exclusive films produced by the service during Q1 2026 was only 23, the lowest number since 2017 when it was still trying to establish itself as a producer of original movies. Following are some the reasons given for the decline:
There are multiple reasons for the contraction in output, including factors beyond Netflix’s control. There’s been a change of leadership at the film division, a refocusing on what kind of projects are picked up and when they release (Netflix has always been much more concentrated for new Netflix movies in the second half of the year), plus other factors like the strikes of 2023, which have a lasting trailing impact (although shouldn’t be as big of a problem now) and just a general pullback.
The number is expected to increase as the year continues, but in general the streamer does appear to be de-prioritizing original films.
New on Home Video
Avatar: Fire and Ash: Return to Pandora for the third chapter of Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully and his family. Reeling from one death, the Sullys set out to prevent another — aided by the Wind Traders. But on the way, they’re attacked by the Ash People, who blame Eywa for their ravaged home. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes may affect photosensitive viewers.
Cast and Crew: Sam Worthington (Actor), Sigourney Weaver (Actor), Zoe Saldaña (Actor), James Cameron (Director)
Now Available: 4K UHD | 3D | Blu-ray | DVD | VOD
More new releases at this link.
Recent Trailers
Disclosure Day (In Theaters, June 6th): If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people. We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo
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