First contact movies and TV shows

The list contains the best, new and most relevant first contact movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out suspenseful, futuristic, surprise ending, suspense, serious and psychotronic films and TV shows about / with first contact, alien, space, outer space, alien invasion, ufo, space and aliens, creature, death and distopia plots mostly in Sci-Fi, Adventure and Thriller genres shot in USA, UK, Canada and other countries.
first contact
 5339
first contact movies
TOP 10 movies tagged as first contact: Cosmos (2019), Arrival (2016), Prometheus (2012), Contact (1997), The Abyss (1989), Sphere (1998), Magellan (2017), War of the Worlds (2005), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), The X Files (1998).

List of first contact movies

Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie
 6.0
 7K
Cosmos (2019)
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: UK
Duration: 128 min.
Story: Three astronomers accidentally intercept what they believe to be a signal from a distant alien civilization, but the truth is even more incredible than any of them could have imagined.
Style: enigmatic, breathtaking, inspirational, philosophical, mind bending ...
Plot: astronomy, first contact, science, alien civilization, ufo, space exploration, scientific discovery, race against time, space and aliens, escapades, forest, time ...
Time: future
Is relevant ?
 7.9
 759K
Arrival (2016)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 116 min.
Story: Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.
Style: psychological, intellectual, philosophical, reflective, futuristic ...
Audience: family friendly, teens, adult
Plot: alien, first contact, female protagonist, linguist, ufo, time, science, alien race, alien contact, extraterrestrial, scientist, creature ...
Time: future, year 2016, 2010s
Place: china, montana, america, massachusetts, venezuela ...
Is relevant ?
 7.0
 641K
Prometheus (2012)
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
Style: futuristic, scary, atmospheric, suspenseful, dark ...
Audience: girls' night, boys' night, adult
Plot: alien, space travel, survival, androids, outer space, robot, space and aliens, distant planet, expedition, alien encounter, spacecraft, alien life-form ...
Time: future, year 2012, 2010s, year 2000, 21st century
Place: scotland
Is relevant ?
 7.5
 292K
Contact (1997)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 150 min.
Story: Contact is a science fiction film about an encounter with alien intelligence. Based on the novel by Carl Sagan the film starred Jodie Foster as the one chosen scientist who must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and ...
Style: cerebral, inspirational, philosophical, futuristic, emotional ...
Audience: teens, adult
Plot: science, space travel, scientist, nasa, alien encounter, outer space, alien, space and aliens, first contact, astronomy, religion, alien contact ...
Time: future, 90s, 20th century, distant future
Place: puerto rico, new mexico, washington d.c., usa, hokkaido ...
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
lone hero movies
4353
dialogue movies
9446
mentor movies
9688
 7.5
 191K
The Abyss (1989)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 140 min.
Story: A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious ...
Style: suspenseful, exciting, psychological, suspense, tense ...
Audience: kids, teens
Plot: ufo, ocean, underwater, first contact, submarine, sea, disaster, alien, space and aliens, survival, alien encounter, heroic mission ...
Time: 80s, 20th century, year 1989, future
Is relevant ?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, UK, China
Duration: 138 min.
Story: After an encounter with UFOs, a line worker feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
Style: suspenseful, breathtaking, captivating, cerebral, atmospheric ...
Audience: kids, teens, family outing, adult, teen drama
Plot: ufo, alien, alien abduction, first contact, space and aliens, contact, alien contact, space, benign alien, technology, chase, airplane ...
Time: 70s, 20th century, year 1977, future, near future
Place: indiana, wyoming, india, ohio, mongolia ...
Is relevant ?
 6.1
 112K
Sphere (1998)
Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story: The OSSA discovers a spacecraft thought to be at least 300 years old at the bottom of the ocean. Immediately following the discovery, they decide to send a team down to the depths of the ocean to study the space craft.They are the best of best, ...
Style: scary, psychological, mind bending, suspenseful, breathtaking ...
Audience: boys' night, adult
Plot: ocean, underwater, alien, paranoia, first contact, psychology, survival, supernatural, space, submarine, space and aliens, ghost ship ...
Time: future, jurassic, 90s, 20th century, 80s
Is relevant ?
 5.1
 2K
Magellan (2017)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 103 min.
Story: After NASA picks up a trio of mysterious signals from within our own solar system, astronaut Roger Nelson is dispatched on a multi-year solo mission aboard the Magellan spacecraft to investigate the sources.
Style: disturbing, exciting, suspenseful, unusual plot structure, suspense ...
Audience: boys' night, chick flick
Plot: planet, alien planet, nasa, alien contact, space, mission, space travel, astronaut, suspended animation, artificial intelligence, outer space, distopia ...
Time: future
Is relevant ?
War of the Worlds (2005)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Russia, Japan, Mexico, South Korea
Duration: 116 min.
Story: Ray Ferrier is a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife and her new husband drop of his teenage son and young daughter for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down.
Style: exciting, suspenseful, tense, futuristic, bleak ...
Audience: girls' night, family friendly, teens, boys' night
Plot: apocalypse, alien invasion, alien, end of the world, survival, disaster, invasion, space and aliens, destruction, creature, evil alien, catastrophe ...
Time: year 2005, future, jurassic, 2000s, 21st century
Place: new jersey, new york, usa, los angeles, boston ...
Is relevant ?
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 104 min.
Story: A representative of an alien race that went through drastic evolution to survive its own climate change, Klaatu comes to Earth to assess whether humanity can prevent the environmental damage they have inflicted on their own planet. When barred from ...
Style: serious, suspenseful, stylized, apocalyptic, visual ...
Audience: teens
Plot: ufo, end of the world, alien, alien encounter, alien contact, evil alien, alien invasion, robot, extraterrestrial, first contact, space, apocalypse ...
Time: year 2008, future, 20th century, 1920s, 2000s ...
Place: usa, washington d.c., new york, virginia, australia ...
Is relevant ?
 7.0
 110K
The X Files (1998)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story: Mulder and Scully, now taken off the FBI's X Files cases, must find a way to fight the shadowy elements of the government to find out the truth about a conspiracy that might mean the alien colonization of Earth.
Style: suspense, suspenseful, scary, cerebral, psychological ...
Audience: teens, boys' night
Plot: ufo, alien, conspiracy, first contact, conspiracy theory, virus, chase, evil alien, paranoia, fbi, obsession, twists and turns ...
Time: 20th century, 90s, prehistory, prehistoric times
Place: washington d.c., london, usa, europe, antarctica ...
Is relevant ?
 6.6
 251K
Life (2017)
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story: The six-member crew of the International Space Station is tasked with studying a sample from Mars that may be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life, which proves more intelligent than ever expected.
Style: suspense, scary, apocalyptic, tense, suspenseful ...
Audience: adult
Plot: space travel, space, mars, outer space, monster, alien, space station, astronaut, survival horror, alien life-form, extraterrestrial life, first contact ...
Time: year 2017, 2010s, near future
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story: The Borg, a relentless race of cyborgs, are on a direct course for Earth. Violating orders to stay away from the battle, Captain Picard and the crew of the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E pursue the Borg back in time to prevent the invaders from ...
Style: futuristic, epic, saga, exciting, anamorphic ...
Audience: boys' night, teens
Plot: space travel, time travel, cyborgs, star trek, space, alien, first contact, sent to the past, robot, apocalypse, androids, intergalactic ...
Time: future, year 1996, 24th century, 21st century
Place: montana, space western
Is relevant ?
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 113 min.
Story: Major Bill Cage is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously demoted and dropped into combat. Cage is killed within minutes, managing to take an alpha alien down with him. He awakens back at the beginning of the same ...
Style: futuristic, mind bending, exciting, clever, captivating ...
Audience: teens, boys' night, family friendly, chick flick
Plot: time loop, time travel, alien invasion, alien, invasion, battles, repeated event, military, danger, soldier, time paradox, space and aliens ...
Time: future, year 2014, near future, 2010s, 2020s ...
Place: france, paris france, united kingdom, europe, big ben london ...
Is relevant ?
The Time Machine (2002)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, United Arab Emirates
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds humankind divided into two warring races.
Style: futuristic, exciting, serious, stylized, atmospheric ...
Audience: teens
Plot: time travel, time machine, dystopic future, steampunk, obsessive quest, post apocalypse, utopia, changing the past or future, chase, apocalypse, loss of loved one, scientist ...
Time: future, distant future, victorian era, 2030s, 19th century ...
Place: usa, new york
Is relevant ?
Independence Day (1996)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 145 min.
Story: On July 2, a giant alien mothership enters orbit around Earth and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped 'destroyer' spacecraft that quickly lay waste to major cities around the planet. On July 3, the United States conducts a coordinated ...
Style: exciting, entertaining, suspense, apocalyptic, futuristic ...
Audience: kids, teens, family friendly, family outing, boys' night
Plot: alien invasion, end of the world, invasion, extraterrestrial, survival, ufo, space and aliens, alien, evil alien, first contact, alien encounter, save the world ...
Time: 90s, 20th century, jurassic, future
Place: new york, washington d.c., usa, houston texas, london ...
Is relevant ?
At First Light (2018)
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 90 min.
Story: A high school senior, Alex Lainey, has an encounter with mysterious lights that appear over her small town. She soon develops dangerous, supernatural abilities and turns to her childhood friend Sean Terrel. The authorities target them and a chase ...
Style: light, sweet, futuristic, romantic, realistic
Audience: teens
Plot: teenage girl, transformation, supernatural, bullying, relationships, teenager, teenage love, fish out of water, strong female character, female protagonist, cadet, shark ...
Time: future
Is relevant ?
 6.9
 265K
Paul (2011)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 104 min.
Story: For the past 60 years, a space-traveling smart-ass named Paul has been locked up in a top-secret military base, advising world leaders about his kind. But when he worries he’s outlived his usefulness and the dissection table is drawing ...
Style: funny, entertaining, unusual plot structure, hilarious, road movie ...
Audience: teens, kids, date night
Plot: alien, road trip, benign alien, ufo, friendship, first contact, space and aliens, alien invasion, alien encounter, space travel, buddies, chase ...
Time: year 2011, 2010s, 1940s, 80s, future ...
Place: nevada, arizona, usa, austin texas, wyoming ...
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
adaptation movies
7676
destiny movies
8492
runaway movies
9443
The Astronaut's Wife (1999)
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story: When astronaut Spencer Armacost returns to Earth after a mission that nearly cost him his life, he decides to take a desk job in order to see his beautiful wife, Jillian, more often. Gradually, Jillian notices that Spencer's personality seems ...
Style: suspenseful, psychological, surprise ending, suspense, scary ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: woman in danger, alien, outer space, space, astronaut, pregnancy, nasa, danger, space travel, alien invasion, space and aliens, suburbs ...
Time: 90s, year 1999, future
Is relevant ?
 5.2
 118K
Doom (2005)
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, Czech Republic, Germany, USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story: A team of space marines known as the Rapid Response Tactical Squad, led by Sarge, is sent to a science facility on Mars after somebody reports a security breach. There, they learn that the alert came after a test subject, a mass murderer ...
Style: suspense, rough, action packed, splatter, futuristic ...
Audience: teens, boys' night
Plot: monster, mars, alien, creature, deadly creature, zombie, good versus evil, virus, danger, first contact, video game, future war ...
Time: future, 2040s, year 2005, jurassic, 2020s ...
Is relevant ?
 6.2
 145K
The Thing (2011)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story: When paleontologist Kate Lloyd travels to an isolated outpost in Antarctica for the expedition of a lifetime, she joins an international team that unearths a remarkable discovery. Their elation quickly turns to fear as they realize that their ...
Style: scary, suspenseful, suspense, atmospheric, serious ...
Audience: date night, boys' night, adult
Plot: monster, alien, gory, alien invasion, deadly creature, evil alien, chase, alien encounter, survival, apocalypse, danger, transformation ...
Time: 2010s, year 2011, future, 80s, year 1982 ...
Place: antarctica
Is relevant ?
 4.5
 92K
Skyline (2010)
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story: When strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, people are drawn outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth. Now the band of survivors must fight ...
Style: suspense, futuristic, apocalyptic, exciting, serious ...
Audience: teens, boys' night
Plot: ufo, apocalypse, alien, evil alien, space and aliens, alien invasion, alien encounter, vestiges of humanity, end of the world, alien abduction, creature, fantasy world ...
Time: future, 2010s, 2000s, 21st century
Place: los angeles, new york, california, usa, london ...
Is relevant ?
 6.7
 68K
Cocoon (1985)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story: When a group of trespassing seniors swim in a pool containing alien cocoons, they find themselves energized with youthful vigor.
Style: sentimental, touching, captivating, humorous, feel good ...
Audience: family outing, date night
Plot: alien, elderly, cocoon, life & death, benign alien, chase, aging, fountain of youth, space and aliens, first contact, alien invasion, cancer ...
Time: 80s, future, 20th century
Place: florida, usa
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
 5.5
 96K
Dreamcatcher (2003)
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 136 min.
Story: Four boyhood pals perform a heroic act and are changed by the powers they gain in return. Years later, on a hunting trip in the Maine woods, they're overtaken by a vicious blizzard that harbors an ominous presence. Challenged to stop an alien ...
Style: scary, suspense, psychological, dark, slasher ...
Audience: boys' night, teen drama
Plot: alien invasion, stephen king, alien, supernatural, virus, first contact, supernatural ability, alien encounter, mind control, danger, transformation, cabin in the woods ...
Time: year 2003, 2000s, 70s, 21st century
Place: colorado, usa, boston, massachusetts, maine
Is relevant ?
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story: Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
Style: futuristic, exciting, humorous, suspenseful, captivating ...
Audience: teens, kids, girls' night, chick flick, family friendly ...
Plot: superhero, space opera, heroes, outer space, space travel, intergalactic, escapades, space and aliens, good versus evil, talking animal, raccoon, creature ...
Time: future, year 2014, year 2016, 80s, 2010s ...
Place: space western, london, usa, missouri
Is relevant ?
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 137 min.
Story: Nearly 10 years have passed since Sarah Connor was targeted for termination by a cyborg from the future. Now her son, John, the future leader of the resistance, is the target for a newer, more deadly terminator. Once again, the resistance has ...
Style: exciting, apocalyptic, suspense, breathtaking, futuristic ...
Audience: boys' night, kids, manly, adult
Plot: artificial intelligence, time travel, terminator, robot, cyborgs, man versus machine, apocalypse, androids and robots, end of the world, violence, child in peril, time traveler ...
Time: future, 90s, 20th century, year 1991, near future ...
Place: california, los angeles, america, persia, usa ...
Is relevant ?
 8.1
 817K
Blade Runner (1982)
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 117 min.
Story: In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
Style: neo noir, futuristic, tech noir, atmospheric, thought provoking ...
Audience: adult
Plot: cyberpunk, dystopia, artificial intelligence, existentialism, dystopian future, distopia, androids, cyborgs, melancholy, fugitives, police detective, fugitive ...
Time: future, 2010s, year 2019, 20th century, near future ...
Place: los angeles, california, bolivia, usa
Is relevant ?
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Australia
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Max Rockatansky returns as the heroic loner who drives the dusty roads of a postapocalyptic Australian Outback in an unending search for gasoline. Arrayed against him and the other scraggly defendants of a fuel-depot encampment are the bizarre ...
Style: apocalyptic, road movie, futuristic, grindhouse, cult classic ...
Audience: boys' night, date night
Plot: post apocalypse, apocalypse, desert, truck, car chase, dystopia, loner, lone hero, chase, post apocalyptic, oil, survival ...
Time: future, year 1982, distant future, 20th century, near future ...
Place: australia, oceania, middle east
Is relevant ?
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Genre: Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story: After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott. Bringing the extraterrestrial into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces E.T., as the alien is dubbed, to his brother ...
Style: sentimental, feel good, sad, inspirational, sweet ...
Audience: family outing, kids, family friendly, teens, girls' night ...
Plot: alien, friendship, childhood, children, coming of age, ufo, extraterrestrial, space and aliens, friendly alien, boy, chase, child protagonist ...
Time: 20th century, 80s, future, year 1982, 90s
Place: california, usa, persia, los angeles
Is relevant ?
 6.8
 384K
Signs (2002)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story: A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.
Style: twist ending, psychological, suspense, psychological thriller, suspenseful ...
Plot: alien invasion, ufo, alien, alien encounter, single father, survival, faith, end of the world, first contact, loss of faith, macabre, natural disaster ...
Time: year 2002, 2000s, future, 21st century
Place: philadelphia, pennsylvania, usa, north america, mexico ...
Is relevant ?
Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie