When you crave smart, character‑first sci‑fi with hope at its core, movies like The Martian rise to the top. Ridley Scott’s film is a science‑fiction survival story with a buoyant can‑do tone, powered by an iterative, problem‑solving narrative engine, life‑or‑death yet grounded stakes, a lone protagonist supported by an earthbound ensemble, and signature moments of botany‑meets‑engineering triumph. It balances meticulous NASA realism with witty gallows humour and treats collaboration as the ultimate superpower. The set‑pieces are built from math, materials, and timing rather than magic, so every success feels earned. You get competence, creativity, and camaraderie framed by clean, classical filmmaking. That blend of optimism and ordeal is why it plays so well for mixed‑age movie nights. If you’re hunting movies like The Martian, the throughline is brains under pressure. The list below keeps that spirit front and centre.
To curate movies like The Martian, we focused on five precise similarity axes: tone that stays hopeful under pressure, a narrative engine driven by sequential problem‑solving, themes of ingenuity and resilience, character dynamics that pair a focused lead with a supportive team, and stakes that remain intimate even when the canvas is cosmic. Each title below matches at least four axes, with a few perfect fives. We also ensured variety in era and region to avoid a samey watchlist while maintaining strict similarity to the seed’s feel. You’ll find studio standouts alongside craft‑forward British and American films, each favouring clarity over cynicism. The aim is a line‑up that can sit beside the seed film on the same shelf. Expect tools, checklists, and time constraints to do the heavy dramatic lifting. Expect payoffs that reward competence and kindness. Expect the kind of stories that make you want to learn something new the next day.
Jump to: Top picks | Darker options | Lighthearted picks
We used five axes—tone, narrative engine, themes, character dynamics, and stakes—to rank how closely each title aligns with The Martian. We also ensured a deliberate mix of eras and regions, so the list spans 1980s classics to recent releases and blends US and UK perspectives while staying faithful to the seed film’s feel.
Smart, uplifting sci‑fi choices that truly deliver the feel of movies like The Martian
1) Apollo 13 (1995)
Ron Howard turns a near‑catastrophe into a stirring crowd‑pleaser about collective ingenuity. The premise tracks NASA’s lunar mission as an explosion forces an improvised return plan. The tone is earnest and steadily thrilling rather than bleak. Character dynamics mirror The Martian with stranded astronauts relying on engineers in mission control. The setting moves between cramped modules and buzzing consoles that make procedure cinematic. Emotional payoff aligns around competence, trust, and calm under pressure. Fans of movies like The Martian will recognise the checklists‑and‑duct‑tape suspense. It’s survival drama built from resourcefulness under pressure.
2) Interstellar (2014)
Christopher Nolan threads cosmic spectacle through intimate, human stakes. The premise follows a desperate mission beyond Saturn to secure a future for Earth. The tone blends awe with urgency while keeping scientific problem‑solving legible. Its crew dynamics echo the seed’s mix of a resolute lead and far‑flung collaborators. World‑building feels tactile, from dust‑bowl farms to icy, hostile planets. Emotional payoff prizes perseverance, sacrifice, and the belief that problems yield to math. Viewers after movies like The Martian will love the engineering puzzle‑box storytelling. It’s a lone‑survivor odyssey that never forgets the team.
3) Gravity (2013)
Alfonso Cuarón crafts a white‑knuckle real‑time thriller about staying alive in orbit. After debris shreds a shuttle, a stranded specialist must make a chain of precise decisions. The tone is tense yet ultimately optimistic about grit and adaptation. Character focus mirrors The Martian’s solitary lead buoyed by distant voices. The setting renders low‑Earth orbit as both sublime and unforgiving in meticulous detail. Emotional payoff rewards persistence and the will to keep breathing. Seekers of movies like The Martian will appreciate its science‑forward, step‑by‑step suspense. It’s optimistic spacefaring that earns every gasp.
4) Cast Away (2000)
Robert Zemeckis strips survival to its human essentials on a remote Pacific island. A FedEx executive learns to endure after a plane crash leaves him marooned. The tone is contemplative, patient, and quietly suspenseful. Its single‑protagonist struggle mirrors The Martian’s diary‑like milestones and small victories. World‑building swaps Mars for wind, tide, and coral that behave like antagonists. Emotional payoff centres on rebirth through hardship and the courage to begin again. If movies like The Martian appeal because of grit and ingenuity, this is the terrestrial twin. The craftsmanship makes every solution feel earned.
5) The Right Stuff (1983)
Philip Kaufman adapts Tom Wolfe’s chronicle of test pilots with swagger and soul. The Mercury program unfolds from desert runways to orbital milestones. The tone is rousing, humorous, and steeped in procedure. Ensemble dynamics echo The Martian’s chorus of experts lifting one hero at a time. Settings swing from hangars to capsules and control rooms where teamwork sings. Emotional payoff honours courage and competence without mythmaking. Admirers of movies like The Martian will savour its teamwork procedural rhythms. It’s NASA realism with warmth and wit.
Harder‑edged survival that still fits the optimism of movies like The Martian
6) Sunshine (2007)
Danny Boyle fuses cerebral science with sensory intensity on a sun‑bound mission. A multinational team carries a stellar bomb to reignite a dying star. The tone is urgent and increasingly existential. Fraying crew dynamics reflect the seed film’s reliance on fragile collaboration. The ship’s gold‑leaf corridors and blinding vistas create a striking, tactile world. Emotional payoff weighs sacrifice against collective survival. Fans of movies like The Martian will recognise the tools‑and‑timers suspense. It’s survival drama that treats equations as action beats.
7) Moon (2009)
Duncan Jones builds a haunting chamber piece about identity and labour on the moon. A solitary operator tends a mining facility as his contract nears its end. The tone is restrained, melancholy, and quietly suspenseful. One‑to‑one interplay echoes The Martian’s intimacy with a single problem‑solver. Industrial modules, canteen corners, and dusty vistas give the world a believable texture. Emotional payoff arrives through self‑discovery and moral resolve. Seekers of movies like The Martian will appreciate the methodical fixes and ethical questions. It’s a compact story that thinks big.
8) Ad Astra (2019)
James Gray sends a composed astronaut across the solar system in search of answers. The premise intertwines a rescue‑like mission with a father‑son reckoning. The tone is meditative but punctured by sudden, practical dangers. Solitary resolve and support systems parallel the seed film’s rhythms of endurance. The world is near‑future, from Moon outposts to blue storms at Neptune. Emotional payoff privileges acceptance and fragile connection over spectacle. Those chasing movies like The Martian for quiet resilience will find it here. The film treats procedure as a path through grief.
9) The Finest Hours (2016)
Craig Gillespie dramatizes a daring Coast Guard rescue against impossible seas. A small crew faces monstrous waves to reach a broken tanker and bring sailors home. The tone is straight‑ahead, sincere, and steadily suspenseful. Its split focus between rescuers and engineers mirrors The Martian’s dual narrative tracks. The setting swaps vacuum for winter ocean but keeps equipment and timing as characters. Emotional payoff honours quiet bravery, craft, and solidarity. If movies like The Martian appeal for procedural uplift, this scratches the same itch. It’s teamwork under pressure writ large.
10) First Man (2018)
Damien Chazelle reframes Apollo through the textures of risk, ritual, and routine. Neil Armstrong’s path unfolds in rattling capsules and quiet domestic spaces. The tone is restrained, technical, and finally cathartic. Family interplay and mission teams echo the seed film’s dual support systems. World design emphasises analog dials, limited sightlines, and ever‑present peril. Emotional payoff arrives as muted release rather than cheerleading. Fans of movies like The Martian who crave authenticity will connect deeply. It’s the engineering mindset turned into cinema.
Warm, uplifting science‑first adventures aligned with movies like The Martian
11) Hidden Figures (2016)
Theodore Melfi spotlights the mathematicians who pushed Mercury into orbit. Three brilliant women navigate barriers while solving flight trajectories with elegance. The tone is buoyant and feel‑good without losing bite. Team dynamics map onto The Martian’s celebration of collective intelligence. Offices, chalkboards, and wind tunnels become lively arenas for ingenuity. Emotional payoff arrives through recognition, dignity, and mission success. If you love movies like The Martian for their optimistic science, this is a perfect parallel. It radiates competence and kindness.
12) October Sky (1999)
Joe Johnston adapts Homer Hickam’s memoir into a rousing small‑town rocket tale. A coal miner’s son pursues rocketry with friends and a patient teacher. The tone is earnest, warm, and gently exhilarating. Its mentorship and tinkering mirror The Martian’s do‑it‑yourself triumphs. Workshops, fairs, and launch fields feel tactile and inviting. Emotional payoff celebrates curiosity transforming a life’s trajectory. Seekers of movies like The Martian who want family‑friendly inspiration will be delighted. It’s optimistic spacefaring energy without leaving Earth.
13) Life of Pi (2012)
Ang Lee frames survival as a lyrical parable adrift on an endless ocean. A shipwrecked teen shares a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger and must adapt wisely. The tone mixes wonder, danger, and reflective calm. Solitary problem‑solving and log entries echo the seed’s rhythms. The world is water, sky, and bioluminescent nights as vast as Mars. Emotional payoff asks what story helps us endure and grow. Fans of movies like The Martian will recognise the humane resilience at its core. It closes on a gentle but resonant note.
14) The Aeronauts (2019)
Tom Harper turns a Victorian balloon ascent into a lively survival spectacle. Two pioneers chase weather data through dangerous altitudes where judgment is everything. The tone is bright, swift, and encouraging from take‑off to freefall. The duo’s trust and quick fixes mirror the seed film’s teamwork at distance. The world trades rockets for ropes, frost, and cloud cathedrals that feel newly discovered. Emotional payoff celebrates bravery tied to knowledge and preparation. Viewers drawn to movies like The Martian for cheerful ingenuity will smile here. It lands with a confident flourish.
Conclusion: how to choose your night from the best movies like The Martian
For gentle competence‑forward nights, start with Apollo 13, The Right Stuff, and Hidden Figures. If you want higher‑stakes but still humane journeys, pick Gravity, Sunshine, or First Man. When quick, lighthearted wins sound best, choose October Sky or The Aeronauts. For classic grit‑and‑ingenuity survival, reach for Cast Away and Moon. If clue‑hunt science adventures are your thing, Interstellar and The Finest Hours supply measured tension and satisfying payoffs. For reflective voyages that balance peril and tenderness, Life of Pi and Ad Astra offer introspective calm after storms. To dive deeper into craft and context, explore AFI’s take on the seed film via the <a href=’https://www.afi.com/news/the-martian-afi-movie-club/’ target=’_blank’ rel=’noopener’>AFI Movie Club feature on The Martian</a>, and broaden your space‑cinema map with the BFI’s <a href=’https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-films-about-space-travel’ target=’_blank’ rel=’noopener’>10 great films about space travel</a>.
FAQ: smart picks for fans of movies like The Martian
Q1: What makes a film genuinely feel like The Martian?
Q2: Are these choices broadly suitable for a family movie night?
Q3: Why include Earth‑bound rescues alongside space adventures?
Q4: Which pick best matches the film’s witty, can‑do tone?
Q5: What should I watch if I want a slightly darker edge without losing hope?
Q1: What makes a film feel genuinely close to The Martian?
Q2: Are these choices broadly suitable for family viewing?
Q3: Do the picks rely on accurate science like The Martian?
Q4: Why include non‑space titles such as Cast Away or The Finest Hours?
Q5: What should I watch first if I loved the humour and optimism most?
