Movies like
Loved the vibe? Here are ten films that hit similar notes—with match scores, reasons to watch, and where to stream in the US.
Audiences latched onto Brightburn (2019) as a horror theatrical experience: big enough for a group watch, specific enough to reward a second viewing once you know where it's headed. The horror and science fiction blend is the engine: it lets the film shift registers without feeling like two different movies stitched together.
Runtime 1h 31m · ★ 6.1
Mood
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Era
Showing 10 of 10 picks
★ 6.9 · Horror · Action · Science Fiction · 1h 36m
Why you'll love it
There's a reason Brightburn fans keep landing on Tremors (1990) — the horror is unmistakably related even when the plots diverge. Both films operate on the same emotional frequency, especially in their third acts.
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★ 6.5 · Comedy · Horror · Science Fiction · 1h 26m
Why you'll love it
Critters draws from the same horror well as Brightburn, channeling science-fiction in ways that feel unmistakably related. The 1986 film makes a natural companion watch — similar in spirit but distinctly its own.
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★ 6.2 · Comedy · Horror · Science Fiction · 1h 26m
Why you'll love it
Critters 2 (1988) captures the horror appeal of Brightburn without simply imitating it. The science-fiction streak running through both films is what puts Critters 2 at the top of any "if you liked…" shortlist.
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★ 7.6 · Action · Adventure · Science Fiction · 3h 12m
Why you'll love it
The science-fiction appeal of Brightburn — that tense edge, the action — translates cleanly into Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). Different setting, same essential satisfaction.
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★ 7.0 · Science Fiction · Adventure · Action · 1h 55m
Why you'll love it
The filmmakers behind The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025) clearly understood what makes science-fiction work — the same quality that keeps Brightburn rewatchable. Expect the same tense rhythm, executed with a fresh angle.
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★ 6.7 · Science Fiction · Crime · Action · 1h 42m
Why you'll love it
Samaritan (2022) is the kind of film Brightburn fans discover and immediately send to their group chat. The science-fiction overlap is real, but it's the tense emotional pull that seals the recommendation.
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★ 6.3 · Science Fiction · Action · Crime · 1h 39m
Why you'll love it
Code 8 shares Brightburn's gift for science-fiction — the 2019 film delivers action without overstaying its welcome. Consider it required viewing once you've finished rewatching your first pick.
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★ 6.3 · Adventure · Drama · Science Fiction · 1h 52m
Why you'll love it
Much of what makes Brightburn compelling — the science-fiction, the adventure — shows up in Midnight Special (2016) in a slightly different form. Both films understand that tense storytelling works best when it trusts the audience.
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★ 6.5 · Comedy · Science Fiction · 1h 56m
Why you'll love it
The science-fiction energy of Brightburn is alive in Cocoon: The Return (1988), filtered through a different story but the same emotional register. It earns its place on this list with a funny payoff that rivals the original pick.
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★ 6.4 · Science Fiction · Action · Crime · 1h 41m
Why you'll love it
Code 8 Part II (2024) operates in the same science-fiction as Brightburn, but with its own distinct voice and pacing. The tense payoff will feel satisfyingly familiar without retreading the same ground.
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