The world of science fiction is filled with big-budget blockbusters and beloved classics. But for every Star Wars, there is a movie that comes and goes so quietly that even the most dedicated fans miss it. Sometimes, studios spend millions on a project only to abandon it, change the title, or release it with zero promotion. From forgotten 2013 dramas to films that sat on a shelf for five years, these sci-fi stories have one thing in common: nobody remembers them.
Distant: The 69 Million Dollar Movie Universal Quietly Dumped on Streaming
One of the most surprising cases is the 2025 film Distant, starring Anthony Ramos (In the Heights) and Naomi Scott (Smile 2). This big-budget sci-fi movie was filmed back in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plot follows an asteroid miner, Andy (Ramos), who crash-lands on an alien planet. His only companion is a snarky AI suit voiced by Zachary Quinto, while he tries to rescue a fellow survivor (Scott) stuck in an escape pod.
Originally, Universal Pictures planned to release the film in March 2022. It was delayed to September, then January 2023, and then completely removed from the schedule. The movie became a ghost. According to reports, the studio simply did not think the movie was good and did not know what to do with it.
In a strange twist, the film quietly showed up in theaters in Vietnam in 2024 without any announcement. Then, on July 3, 2025, it finally appeared on Hulu—but under a different name. Viewers searching for Distant could not find it because the platform had renamed it Long Distance. There was no press release, no trailer push, and no social media announcement. For a movie that cost an estimated 69 million dollars to make, it was a silent burial.
Despite the studio’s lack of confidence, fans who tracked it down had mixed feelings. One viewer on Reddit noted that while it was not a masterpiece, the main characters carried the film well and the visuals were solid for a project that was essentially abandoned.
Supercollider: The Robin Dunne Film Critics Gave a 1 Out of 5
Before the big-budget flops, there were smaller direct-to-video efforts that simply came and went. Supercollider, released in 2013, is a science fiction drama starring Robin Dunne. The story involves a physicist, Victor, who is building the world’s largest super collider. After a test explosion, he wakes up in an alternate reality where his family is gone and natural disasters are destroying the world.
The film had an interesting concept—using a particle accelerator to jump between realities—but the execution was widely criticized. Victor uses an iPhone to contact his original reality, but in the alternate world, the shop assistant has “never heard of an iPhone.” It tried to blend psychological drama with sci-fi action, but it ended up confusing viewers.
Reception for the film was brutal. Allocine gave it a 2 out of 5, Radio Times also gave it a 2 out of 5, and Next Film rated it a 1 out of 5. The plot was criticized for being a mix of The Butterfly Effect and The Matrix but without the budget or cleverness to pull it off. Today, Supercollider sits in bargain bins and streaming deep cuts, mostly forgotten by casual sci-fi fans.
Osiris: A Low-Budget Actioner That Became a Cult Test
Sometimes, a movie gets forgotten because it flies too low under the radar. Osiris, released in 2025, is a perfect example. This is an action-heavy sci-fi film about special forces commandos who are abducted by a mysterious spacecraft. They wake up to find themselves being hunted by a relentless alien race.
With a production budget of just 6.7 million dollars, Osiris was shot in Louisiana and never got a wide theatrical release. It went straight to streaming. The film stars Linda Hamilton (Terminator) and focuses almost entirely on gunfights and combat sequences. There is very little world-building or deep philosophy—just soldiers running through corridors shooting aliens.
Critics and audiences were divided. Some called it repetitive, saying it felt like watching a video game cutscene over and over. Others defended it, arguing that it delivered exactly what it promised: pure action without the fluff. One IMDb user noted, “If you like shiny, hopeful PG-13 sci-fi movies with ton of discussions pass this one… this is about pure action sci-fi.” While it wasn’t a massive hit, it found a small audience that appreciated its straightforward approach.
War of the Worlds and Mercy: The Razzies’ Worst Nightmare
Not every forgotten movie is a quiet indie film. Some are big-budget disasters that critics and audiences wish they could forget. The 2025 adaptation of War of the Worlds inspired by H.G. Wells’ classic novel was so bad that it dominated the 46th annual Razzie Awards. It took home awards for worst picture, worst screenplay, worst remake, worst actor, and worst director.
The Razzies stated that the film “utterly destroyed H.G. Wells’ classic novel.” It was a critical punching bag, but unlike Distant, it was released loudly—only to be immediately hated.
Similarly, Timur Bekmambetov’s Mercy, starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, landed with a thud. The film is set in a future where an AI-controlled justice system gives a detective 90 minutes to prove his innocence in his wife’s murder. Critics tore it apart, with Metacritic giving it a 39 out of 100 and Rotten Tomatoes scoring it at 21 percent. One review called it “science fiction without the science,” and fans compared it unfavorably to the War of the Worlds disaster.
Recollection: The Indie Film Fighting for a Second Life
While some movies are forgotten due to bad quality, others are just overshadowed by bigger releases. Recollection, a 2025 indie sci-fi thriller, falls into that category. Directed by Caden Butera, the film is set in 2033 and explores a world where a corporation called Vitality makes memory cleansing mandatory. When a glitch brings back painful memories for a young employee (Rosslyn Luke), she becomes a target.
The film was acquired by Persimmon and is set for a wider release on March 19, 2026, in select theaters and VOD. It marks the final feature role of Gary Graham before his death in 2024. The director described the movie as a mix of Minority Report and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Because it is an independent film made by a family-run studio in Idaho, it did not have the marketing budget of a Hollywood blockbuster. As a result, despite getting positive early buzz for its unique take on mental health, it remains one of the more obscure sci-fi releases of the year.
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Why These Movies Get Lost
The sci-fi genre is a risky business. Studios spend huge amounts on visual effects and sets, but if a film tests poorly or feels too similar to another hit, it often gets pushed aside. In the case of Distant, the studio reportedly just did not think it was good enough to market. For smaller films like Supercollider or Osiris, they simply lack the star power or buzz to cut through the noise of constant new releases on streaming platforms.
Often, these films find new life later. The Nice Guys, starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, was a box office disappointment when it came out, but it has since become a beloved cult classic for its humor and chemistry. For the movies listed above, whether they will have a similar second wind depends on whether viewers stumble upon them on late-night TV or streaming recommendations.
Also Read: Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole on Netflix: Release Date, Cast, and Why Crime Drama Fans Should Be Excited
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