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The Best Sci-Fi Movies for 12 Year Old Kids

Updated August 16, 2019 9.5k votes 252 voters80 items

List RulesVote up the best PG and G-Rated science fiction movies for twelve year old kids to watch.

Science fiction movies can get really complicated and hard to follow. The top sci-fi films for 12 year olds don’t get too bogged down in the advanced science department but still maintain the genre’s sense of out of this world imagination. If you're wondering what sci-fi films should 12 year old kids watch, this list is a really good place to start.

There are all different kinds of science fiction movies on this roundup. Some of the films feature space exploration, others take place in a galaxy far, far away, and one movie even tells the hilarious tale of a scientist father accidentally shrinking his two kids down to the size of an insect.

Which do you think are the best sci-fi films for 12 year olds? Vote up all your favorites. Did we miss an appropriate science fiction movie you think would be perfect for someone who is not quite but almost a teenager, go ahead and add it to the list below.

1
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24
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor
Released: 2005
Directed by: George Lucas
(19 Years before Episode IV) Three years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights have been leading a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists. When the... more
2
53
24
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor
Released: 2002
Directed by: George Lucas
(22 Years Before Episode IV) Ten years after the events of the Battle of Naboo, not only has the galaxy undergone significant change, but so have Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala, and Anakin Skywalker... more
3
53
24
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley
Released: 1999
Directed by: George Lucas
(32 Years Before Episode IV) Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master... more
4
59
32
Back to the Future
Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd
Released: 1985
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the... more
5
54
27
Star Wars
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1977
Directed by: George Lucas
Star Wars is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. The first release in the Star Wars franchise, it stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter... more
6
65
38
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1980
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay, with George Lucas writing the film's story and... more
7
67
43
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1983
Directed by: Richard Marquand
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand, and the third and final film in the original Star Wars trilogy. After a daring... more
8
46
21
Back to the Future Part II
Clint Eastwood, Michael J. Fox
Released: 1989
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 American comic science fiction film and the second installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, who directed all three... more
9
49
24
Back to the Future Part III
Michael J. Fox, Elisabeth Shue
Released: 1990
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Back to the Future Part III is a 1990 American science fiction Western film. It is the third and final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and... more
10
56
32
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher
Released: 2017
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Star Wars: The Last Jedi film is a 2017 American epic space opera film directed by Rian Johnson. Having taken her first steps into the Jedi world, Rey (Daisy Ridley) joins Luke Skywalker (Mark... more

11
107
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Shazam!
Zachary Levi, Mark Strong
Released: 2019
Directed by: David F. Sandberg
Shazam! is a 2019 superhero film directed by David F. Sandberg, based on the DC Comics character. A boy (Asher Angel) is given the ability to become an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) in times of need... more
12
203
225
Alita: Battle Angel
Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz
Released: 2019
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Alita: Battle Angel is a 2019 American science fiction action film directed by Robert Rodriguez, based on the manga by Yukito Kishiro. After being revived by Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz), cyborg... more
13
98
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld
Released: 2018
Directed by: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a 2018 American computer-animated superhero film directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, based on the Marvel Comics character. Teenager... more
14
35
27
Jurassic Park
Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Goldblum
Released: 1993
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the first installment of the Jurassic Park franchise. It is based on the 1990 novel of the same... more
15
40
45
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Keri Russell, Allison Mack
Released: 1989
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 soft science fiction-family film. The directorial debut of Joe Johnston and produced by Walt Disney Pictures, it tells the story of an inventor who accidentally... more
16
80
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Black Panther
Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan
Released: 2018
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Black Panther is a 2018 American superhero film, based on the Marvel Comics character, directed by Ryan Coogler. After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King TChalla (Chadwick Boseman)... more
17
80
100
Wonder Woman
Gal Gadot, Chris Pine
Released: 2017
Directed by: Patty Jenkins
Wonder Woman is a 2017 American superhero film directed by Patty Jenkins, based on the DC Comics character. When a pilot (Chris Pine) crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, Diana (Gal... more
18
38
46
The Iron Giant
Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel
Released: 1999
Directed by: Brad Bird
The Iron Giant is a 1999 American animated science fiction comedy-drama film using both traditional animation and computer animation, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and based on the 1968 novel... more
19
31
40
The Truman Show
Jim Carrey, Paul Giamatti
Released: 1998
Directed by: Peter Weir
The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical social science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Andrew Niccol. The cast includes Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, Laura... more
20
27
35
Moonraker
Roger Moore, Lois Chiles
Released: 1979
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis... more

21
37
51
WarGames
Matthew Broderick, William H. Macy
Released: 1983
Directed by: John Badham
WarGames is a 1983 American science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, John Wood, and Ally... more
22
33
48
Galaxy Quest
Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman
Released: 1999
Directed by: Dean Parisot
Galaxy Quest is a 1999 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon. The film follows the adventures of a troupe of actors who... more
23
40
62
Big Hero 6
Jamie Chung, Maya Rudolph
Released: 2014
Directed by: Chris Williams, Don Hall
Big Hero 6 is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated superhero action comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 54th film in the Walt Disney... more
24
67
105
Captain Marvel
Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson
Released: 2019
Directed by: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Captain Marvel is a 2019 American superhero film directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, based on the Marvel Comics character. In 1995, former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Carol Danvers (Brie Larson)... more
25
48
78
Flight of the Navigator
Sarah Jessica Parker, Paul Reubens
Released: 1986
Directed by: Randal Kleiser
Flight of the Navigator is a 1986 comic science fiction film directed by Randal Kleiser and written by Mark H. Baker and Michael Burton, about David Freeman, a 12-year-old boy who is taken by an... more

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Captain Marvel