Is the Force Awakens on Disney Plus
The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Disney Plus in December
There's a lot of out-of-this-world sci-fi content on Disney Plus these days, and we've picked out some of the best movies and TV shows so that you don't have to.
From "Star Wars" to "Futurama," from Marvel to documentaries, Disney Plus has something for everyone — hundreds if not thousands of hours of galactic content for space nerds to enjoy.
December is a great month for new content with titles like "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Welcome To Earth" available to stream. With the nights growing longer, this is the perfect time to stream these additions to Disney Plus's already great sci-fi and space line-up.
Whether you're a science fiction fan, a science geek or somebody who wants to learn more about the "Star Wars" universe, here is a list of movies, documentaries and television shows you can enjoy.
You can also enjoy up to six months of Disney Plus for free when you sign up to Apple Music.
Related: The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix
More: The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Amazon Prime
- Want to try Disney Plus? Sign up for a 7-day free trial here
Star Wars
1) 'Star Wars' original trilogy
Watch or watch not, there is no try. Disney Plus is home to one of if not the biggest franchise in cinematic history, "Star Wars." Starting with "A New Hope" in 1977, the saga begins as a young Luke Skywalker meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, begins to learn the ways of the force, joins the Rebel Alliance and eventually blows up the Death Star. The start of a cinematic dynasty.
The story continues with what many consider the best film in the franchise's history, "The Empire Strikes Back." In this installment, Luke meets Master Yoda for the first time to enhance his Jedi training, The Empire fights the Rebel Alliance in the epic battle of Hoth and Darth Vader captures and holds Han Solo hostage before dropping one of the biggest bombshells in the history of cinema … But we're not going to spoil that; you'll have to watch it yourself.
Finally, in "Return of the Jedi," this epic trilogy comes to its conclusion as the Emperor and Darth Vader try to coerce Luke over to the dark side while Han Solo, Princess Leia and the rest of the Rebel Alliance defeat the Empire in the battle of Endor, which results in the destruction of the second Death Star.
2) 'Star Wars' prequel trilogy
Disney Plus also houses the entire prequel trilogy, the story of how the galaxy fell into civil war. "The Phantom Menace" stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Samuel L Jackson, and the film is best known for the antagonist, Darth Maul and his double edged lightsaber, as well as the epic battle between the Sith and two Jedi knights featuring one of the most recognizable pieces of music in the franchise, "Duel of the Fates."
The second installment, "Attack of the Clones," gives viewers their first look at a grown up Anakin as a Jedi. It's best known for its love story between Anakin and Padme Amidala and the battle of Geonosis, which sees a host of Jedi fighting side by side against a wave of droids.
This trilogy comes to a close with what many people consider the best of the three films, "Revenge of the Sith." This film sees Chancellor Palpatine fully transition into the Emperor and Anakin transform into Darth Vader after killing Count Dooku and all the Jedi younglings. The film ends in an emotional battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin.
3) 'Star Wars' sequel trilogy
This trilogy includes some of the most recent "Star Wars" films and tells the epic tale of what happens after the events of the original trilogy. It relays how, despite the Empire's defeat in the galactic civil war, The First Order rise to power and features the first female lead protagonist in the "Star Wars" movies.
"The Force Awakens" is the first film in this trilogy and the first since Disney bought Lucasfilms. It was a hit with most fans, who enjoyed seeing a whole host of new characters introduced to the franchise as well as the return of some old favorites including Han Solo, Princess Leia and a shock cameo in the final scene from Luke Skywalker.
Episodes VIII and IX continue the journeys of Rey Skywalker, Po Dameron, Finn and Kylo Ren as the Rebellion continues its struggle against the First Order and questions are answered around Supreme Leader Snoke. We also learn of Kylo Ren's path to the dark side, Luke Skywalker's involvement in it and a surprise return of the Emperor as the trilogy comes to a thrilling end.
4) 'Star Wars' anthology movies
"Star Wars: Rogue One" is the story of how the rebels obtained the Death Star plans in the first place and gives fans one of the most menacing impressions of Darth Vader since the original trilogy. An epic story ends as "A New Hope" begins, with Vader boarding a rebel ship while R2-D2 and C3PO escape with the plans.
"Solo: A Star Wars Story" is Han Solo's origin story and we see how he meets characters like Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian for the first time.
5) 'The Mandalorian'
The hit series is set five years after "Return of the Jedi" and tells the story of the Mandalorian, a bounty hunter and his sidekick Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). The Mandalorian, or Mando for short, works in the outer reaches of the galaxy, where he is far from the reaches of the newly formed Republic.
This TV series is a great way for fans to get their "Star Wars" kick, and it's also a good introduction to the franchise as it features a lot of action and adventure, plenty of sci-fi and plenty of comedic moments. "The Mandalorian" has been very well received by fans and critics alike and currently has two series available to stream, with a third on its way.
6) 'The Book of Boba Fett'
Set to be released on December 29, The Book of Boba Fett looks like it will be an exciting new addition to the Star Wars universe. A spinoff from "The Mandalorian" this new series will see Boba Fett navigate the underworld of the universe with "Fennec Shand" as they return to Tattooine to stake their claim on the territory formerly owned by Jabba the Hutt.
7) 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars'
Set in the time between "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones" and "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," this animated series follows the wartime activities of Anakin, Obi-Wan and Yoda. "The Clone Wars" is well known for adding both story content and new characters to "Star Wars" canon, including Anakin's apprentice Ashoka Tano.
8) 'Star Wars: Rebels'
"Star Wars: Rebels" is set between the events of "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope." It tells the story of the Empire tightening its grip on the galaxy as it hunts down the last of the Jedi, but a rebellion in its infancy is taking shape.
9) 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'
A new series for this year, "Star Wars: The Bad Batch'' focuses on a clone special unit called "The Bad Batch'' who make their way across the newly established Empire, trying to find out why all other clone troops opposed their Jedi generals.
10) Lego 'Star Wars'
Disney Plus also has a collection of Lego "Star Wars" series and miniseries available to watch. These include "All Stars," "The Freemaker Adventures," "The Resistance Rises," Droid Tales" and "The New Yoda Chronicles," which take place all across the "Star Wars" timeline and tell stories in a family-friendly and humorous way.
Movies
1) Marvel's "Avengers" 1-4
The first Marvel entry on this list, "The Avengers" films were all cinematic highlights of the 2010s, and each film is a coming together of all the best superheroes in the Marvel Comic Universe. The first film features Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow and Thor. The following three movies include the likes of Spiderman, Black Panther, Vision and more as they collectively bring the 11-year story to its conclusion.
These films are more than worthy of their place in this list, as aliens from outer space threaten the fate of Earth and it's down to the Avengers to save the planet. Thanos, who is the main enemy through these films, is known as the destroyer of worlds, and the theme of space and exoplanets is explored greatly, especially in "Infinity War" and "Endgame."
Marvel's "Avengers" films all have a great blend of sci-fi, action and comedy, which mean they are great for viewing even if comic book heroes aren't totally your thing.
2) 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Volumes 1 and 2
Starring Chris Pratt as "Star Lord," these films have a great blend of space exploration, action, comedy and a good story to go with it. Each film has a soundtrack largely from the 1980s, the era in which the protagonist, Star Lord, grew up. "Guardians of the Galaxy" Vol. 1 is also a key film in the Marvel Comic Universe, as the story revolves around an "infinity stone" that Thanos needs to collect in order to wipe out half of the universe.
Vol. 2 picks up where Vol. 1 leaves off, with more great comedy, action sequences and the evolving love story between Gamora and Star Lord. In the second film, Star Lord — helped by Gamora, Drax, Groot and Rocket — finds out who his father is and discovers that he is half-celestial and half-human.
3) 'Tron'
This brilliantly colorful 1980s sci-fi action/adventure film sees hacker and arcade owner Kevin Flynn abducted into a digital world. Once in the computerized world, Flynn interacts with programs and joins forces with "Tron'' to outmanoeuvre the Master Control Program (which holds them captive) in what is essentially an ever-challenging, massive computer game. "Tron Legacy" is a sequel that was released in 2010. It's Also on Disney Plus.
4) 'Armageddon'
"Armageddon" is an epic 1998 sci-fi film that sees a giant civilization-destroying asteroid hurtling toward Earth. The only way to stop it is to drill into its core and detonate a nuclear bomb down there. (No, this is not how we'd actually tackle a killer asteroid.) The star-studded line-up includes Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck, who play members of an underfunded but resourceful team that are humanity's last hope as hysteria grips the public around the world.
5) 'Alita: Battle Angel'
"Alita: Battle Angel" is a 2019 story of a deactivated cyborg who gets reactivated but cannot remember who she is or anything from her past. Dr. Dyson Ido (played by Christoph Waltz) discovers Alita and sees her as the key to ending death and destruction. Ironically, the things she must do to fulfill her purpose are fight and kill.
6) 'X-Men' movies
This comic book-turned movie franchise is instantly recognizable and is enjoyed by many all over the world. The films tell the story of mutants with superpowers and their constant struggles against people who fear them. "X-Men" gave Hugh Jackman arguably his most recognized role (Wolverine), and the original trilogy features Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier and Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto, the character who originally devises an evil plan for war.
7) 'Independence Day'
Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum star in this 1996 sci-fi disaster movie, in which an invading alien species destroys major cities around the world including New York, London and Moscow. Humanity discovered the plans of the invading aliens just days before their attack, and on the Fourth of July, we fight back, making it the world's Independence Day.
8) 'Aliens'
This 1986 film is the second installment in the "Alien" franchise and is a classic in its own right. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ellen Ripley following the events of the first film to help Marines fight a colony of Xenomorphs in this sci-fi horror action-adventure epic. After Ripley is awakened from a hyper-sleep 57 years after the events of 1979's "Alien," she must protect a young girl who is the sole survivor of the nearly wiped out colony in a fight-or-die environment.
9) 'Avatar'
"Avatar" is a modern classic from director James Cameron. The movie tells the story of paraplegic Marine Jake Sully, who agrees to infiltrate a native alien species on the exomoon Pandora while going undercover as an avatar of one of the Na'vi species. While undercover, Sully falls in love with one of the natives and decides to fight back against his colonel's efforts to drive out the Na'vi and mine the woodland for minerals and resources.
10) 'Wall-E'
A family-film entry to this list, "Wall-E" is the story of an adorable robot whose primary job is to clear Earth of trash after humanity has left to settle on another planet. Set in the future, Wall-E (the name of the robot protagonist) is alone on Earth before meeting EVE, a reconnaissance robot sent to Earth to prove it is a habitable planet. The main draw of this film is the love story between the two robots.
11) 'Thor: Ragnarok'
Set just before the events of "Infinity War," "Thor: Ragnarok" is a 2017 addition to the Marvel Comic Universe and is a great mix of comedy, science fiction and action. With multiple worlds featured in the film as well as an epic gladiator battle between the god of thunder and the Hulk, Thor must defeat the villain of the film, his half-sister Hela, while also stopping Surtur from destroying his homeland, Asgard.
TV Shows
1) 'X-Men' animated series
The "X-Men" animated series tells a continuing story of the problems mutants face at the hands of a human populace that resents their very existence and the evil of a select few mutants who want to make the world submit to their will. Charles Xavier's school for gifted children is a sanctuary for mutants to learn to control their powers and to try and fit in, as well as being home to the X-Men.
2) 'Phineas and Ferb' 'Star Wars' crossover
Although this isn't "Star Wars" canon, the popular children's show "Phineas and Ferb" does offer a cute crossover where the title characters interact with "Star Wars" characters when telling the story of "A New Hope."
3) 'Futurama'
The hit animated series from Matt Groening set in the year 3000 is on Disney Plus! The long-running futuristic comedy focuses on the antics of Fry, a delivery boy who was accidentally cryogenically frozen for 1,000years and gets a job with Planet Express in the 31st century. Fry and his friends, including Bender (a robot) and Leela (a one-eyed mutant), get up to shenanigans all across the universe as well as in their resident city, New New York.
4) 'Loki'
A spin-off series from Marvel Studios, "Loki" focuses on the title character and his role as the god of mischief. The series is set after the events of "Avengers: Endgame" and features lots of alien life, cool special effects and different world settings. Acclaimed by critics and fans alike, "Loki" offers a great blend of science fiction, action and adventure with just the one series out at the minute.
Documentaries
1) 'Among The Stars'
New for this year, "Among The Stars" is a docu-series that takes a behind-the-scenes look at NASA's mission to repair a $2 billion science experiment (the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer) which aims to reveal the origins of the universe.
2) 'Welcome to Earth'
New for December, Will Smith presents this docu-series that takes a look at the hidden worlds within ours. It shows extreme ends of the planets from active volcanos to deep ocean adventures and more.
3) 'Aliens of the Deep'
Filmmaker James Cameron teams up with NASA scientists and marine biologists to try and explore some of Earth's deepest, most extreme and unexplored environments. This documentary is the result of multiple expeditions to deep-sea hydrothermal vent sites and takes a look at some of the life forms that live there. The vents could be similar to environments on other worlds, so maybe the creatures that live there could be similar too.
4) 'Expedition Mars: Spirit and Opportunity'
"Expedition Mars: Spirit and Opportunity" tells the story of the twin Mars rovers that helped save NASA's Mars program and showed the world that water once flowed on the Red Planet.
5) "Mars Inside SpaceX"
This documentary goes behind the scenes of SpaceX and its plan to get humanity to Mars. "Mars Inside SpaceX" gives us an insight into SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk and his team of engineers as they experience triumphs and setbacks over the course of the three years during which this documentary was filmed.
6) 'One Strange Rock'
This docu-series gives us an insight into our planet and what makes it so special, but from a unique perspective as astronauts tell the story of Earth.
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Elizabeth Howell, Ph.D., is a contributing writer for Space.com since 2012. As a proud Trekkie and Canadian, she tackles topics like spaceflight, diversity, science fiction, astronomy and gaming to help others explore the universe. Elizabeth's on-site reporting includes two human spaceflight launches from Kazakhstan, and embedded reporting from a simulated Mars mission in Utah. She holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, and a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University. Her latest book, NASA Leadership Moments, is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday.
Is the Force Awakens on Disney Plus
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