August is a huge month for the best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Disney Plus as there’s loads of blockbusters and binge-worthy series to get stuck in to. Below, you’ll find all the out-of-this-world content the streaming platform has to offer.
There’s a wide range of sci-fi movies and TV shows to choose from on Disney Plus in August from “Star Wars” to “Futurama,” from “Marvel” to documentaries and more. We’re in the heights of Summer and there’s fresh content for you to get your blockbuster fix. “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” will be available to stream as well as the first few episodes of the anticipated “Ahsoka” series.
It goes without saying, there’s plenty of sci-fi movies and TV shows to discover and Disney Plus isn’t the only platform you can stream it on. So, if you want to explore extra content, you should check out our guides for the best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Paramount Plus.
Disney Plus is the home of the Star Wars Universe and we’re living in a great time for new shows. You can stream hit shows like “The Mandalorian” and “Star Wars: Andor” as well as the upcoming Ahsoka series. It’s also home to the Marvel cinematic universe, so you can watch all Marvel movies in order. So, without further ado, read on below to check out the best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Disney Plus in August.
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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) ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’
Ewan McGregor is reprising his role as the famous Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi in this TV series set between episodes III and IV. This series will tell the story of Obi-Wan watching over a young Luke Skywalker while evading the Empire’s Jedi hunters during his exile on Tatooine.
The series began streaming back in 2022 and was initially due to be released on the anniversary of “A New Hope” but the launch was delayed. With the series finale was released in the Summer of that year, so you’ll be able to binge watch this series, meaning you’ll have your Disney Plus and Star Wars fix through the month.
6) ‘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 season three is available to stream with new episodes available weekly throughout April.
7) ‘The Book of Boba Fett’
Released on December 29 2021, The Book of Boba Fett is an exciting new addition to the Star Wars universe. A spinoff from “The Mandalorian” this new series sees 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.
Episodes six and seven came fresh for February 2022 with seven being the series finale. This series has proved a hit with fans and critics alike, and we think is reason enough to try Disney Plus if you haven’t yet.
8) ‘Star Wars: Andor’
This new story tells the tale of Cassian Andor, one of the heroes from ‘Rogue One’, but five years prior to his antics alongside Jyn Erso.
We find our protagonist as a thief without too much going for him while plans to act out in rebellion against the Empire aren’t on his agenda. We knew the least about this show that’s new to our screens and it’s been a huge success with fans. It premiered initially with two episodes, and new instalments then released weekly. All episodes are now available to binge.
9) ‘Ahsoka’
This brand-new series tells the story of former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano following the collapse of the Empire. Unfortunately, we don’t know much else about it but, there is a trailer to check out for this hotly anticipated new show.
10) ‘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.
11) ‘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.
12) ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’
“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.
Series two is now available to stream in its entirety as the Bad Batch continue their journey across the galaxy following events on Kamino. Their adventures will see them face friends and foes both new and old as well as face perilous situations.
13) 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.
14) ‘Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures’ (Shorts)
New episodes are available to stream from Early May, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is set during the High Republic Era and follows Jedi younglings on their journey to becoming a Jedi Knight as they study the force, help those in need and explore the galaxy.
15) ‘Star Wars: Visions’ Volume 2
This new volume of Star Wars: Visions shows a new perspective on the storied mythos of Star Wars with nine new shorts from nine studios around the world, incorporating different animation styles from different countries.
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 1,2 and 3
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.
Vol. 3 is available to stream from August 2023, and is the final instalment in the franchise. It’s an emotional send off for the crew with a strong narrative focus on “Rocket” but this is definitely a movie to appease new and returning fans alike.
3) ‘Lightyear’
The film that inspired the ‘Buzz Lightyear’ toys and indeed the character of the same name in the “Toy Story” franchise. This spin-off is an animated Summer 2022 blockbuster and landed on Disney Plus back in August. Notably, Chris Evans (Captain America) is the voice of Buzz Lightyear and not Tim Allen, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story films.
4) ‘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.
5) ‘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.
6) ‘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.
7) ‘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.
8) ‘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.
9) ‘Alien’ Franchise
The “Alien” franchise is a favorite among sci-fi fans, not least for the first couple of instalments that captivated audiences around the world. Sigourney Weaver plays Ellen Ripley – the protagonist to begin with – and has to fight against Xenomorphs in the first batch of movies. “Prometheus” is the pick of the more recent additions to the franchise, and ranking among some of the best of all the ‘Alien’ films. A lot of tension, gore, sci-fi and action help make this franchise a classic and has helped it to resonate with fans for over 40 years.
10) ‘Avatar’ and ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water
“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.
The second movie sees Jake Sully as his avatar with a family and as leader of his tribe. They are driven out of the forest and forced to live among another tribe on the water’s edge. There, legend becomes reality and they fight back against a human military and brutal mining corporation.
11) ‘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.
12) ‘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.
13) ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
The latest instalment in the ‘Thor’ franchise and the Marvel cinematic universe is fresh out of theaters and now available to stream as of September. The story sees Thor seek the help of King Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who – to Thor’s surprise – wields his iconic hammer, Mjolnir.
14) ‘Free Guy’
Released on Disney Plus in February 2022, Ryan Reynolds stars as ‘Guy,’ a bank teller with a fairly routine and normal life. That is until, he discovers he is a character in an open-world video game. After discovering this, Guy is determined to rewrite his own life in a world that has no limits, save his computerized world from being erased and perhaps find a little romance along the way.
15) ‘Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!’
In this animated movie, the Marvel heroes come together to stop Loki and Ymir (a frost giant) from stealing Santa Claus’s powers, which they intend to use to rule the world. Perfect for some Marvel festive fun.
16) ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku and others fight to defend the kingdom of Wakanda from world powers following King T’Challa’s death. This blockbuster was nominated for five Oscars and received generally good reviews as it continues the story of the kingdom of Wakanda following the death of Chadwick Boseman, who played King T’Challa.
17) ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’
This new entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe sees the return of Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne as they explore the Quantum Realm, embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond their limits.
18) ‘Spiderman: Homecoming’
Peter Parker lives at home with his Aunt May while under the watchful eye of Tony Stark. He must come to grips with his newfound identity as Spiderman as a new villain, The Vulture, emerges.
19) ‘Venom’
Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock, who is at his lowest point in life when he becomes host to an alien symbiote which results in him having extraordinary powers. Venom, as he becomes with these powers, must choose whether to use his newfound superpowers for good or for evil, and it’s not always an easy choice to make.
TV Shows
1) ‘Moon Knight’
This Marvel TV show tells the story of gift shop employee, Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) who becomes plagued with blackouts and flashbacks of another life. Steven Later discovers he has had powers from an Egyptian Moon God thrust upon him. These powers mean Steven shares his body with a Mercenary named Marc Spector, as the powers become both a blessing and a curse. Steven and Marc explore their complex identities to investigate a deadly mystery among the Egyptian gods while their enemies converge on them.
2) ‘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.
3) ‘The Orville’
From creator Seth MacFarlane, is this worth-the-watch TV series that has plenty of sci-fi adventure, drama and comedy. Set 400 years in the future, this series tells the story of the crew onboard the U.S.S Orville as they explore the mysteries of the universe, as well as the complexities of their own relationships.
4) ‘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.”
5) ‘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.
6) ‘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.
7) ‘She Hulk: Attorney at Law’
This addition to the Marvel timeline is available to stream in its entirety. In this series, we see Jennifer Walters face the difficulties of balancing having a regular life, being an attorney and being a super-strong, green and angry she-hulk.
8) ‘Mars’
First airing in 2016, this two-series TV show depicts the first manned mission to the Red Planet in an attempt colonize it in 2033.
9) ‘Crater’
After the death of his father, Caleb is about to be relocated to a faraway planet after being raised on lunar mining colony. But before he goes, Caleb and his friends hijack a rover to explore a mysterious crater as this final adventure could fulfil his father’s wish.
10) ‘Secret Invasion’
This new entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is centred around Nik Fury as he recruits Skrull Talos, among others, to defeat a clandestine invasion of earth by shapeshifters, known as Skrulls. They must work together to save Earth – episodes one and two will be available to stream this month.
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) ‘Hubble’s Cosmic Journey’
After launching in 1990, The Hubble Telescope has revolutionized what we know about the universe and has taken stunning pictures of space. Narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, this documentary tells the definitive story of one of the most successful scientific ventures ever.
3) ‘Mission Pluto’
This exciting documentary tells the story of New Horizons, a NASA spacecraft launched to explore the furthest parts of our solar system. The spacecraft will be used to intercept, give us a clearer picture of and better our understanding of the ninth planet or ‘dwarf planet’, Pluto.
4) ‘Welcome to Earth’
Released in 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.
5) ‘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.
6) ‘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.
7) “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.
8) ‘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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