Scarlett Johansson’s sci-fi action thrillerLucyis one-of-a-kind, but these five movies that are all streaming on Netflix replicate some ofLucy’s best qualities.Lucyreached Netflix’s top 10 listin early April 2025, over 11 years after it was initially released. While many older movies do see a resurgence in popularity upon being added to Netflix, it’s still proof thatLucyis a popular film with a lot of advantages going for it. In fact,Lucy’s popularity is also proof that viewers may want other, newer films that can recreate some parts ofLucy, like its high-octane action, existential questions, and intriguing protagonist.
Luckily, some of thebest sci-fi movies on Netflixare quite similar toLucy. Many of them deal with questions about humanity’s role in the future, the way drugs interact with the human brain, and people who go into uncharted waters that give them unheard of powers and abilities. Many of them also feature intense action scenes and incredible visuals in the same style asLucy, and while they can’t completely replace Johansson’s film, they are well worth watching. These five movies, all streaming on Netflix, are great to watch afterLucy.
One ofLucy’s biggest and best concepts was the idea of expanding the limits of the human body and mind, and no other movie blended that with intense sci-fi action quite likeUpgradedid.Upgradefollows Grey (Logan Marshal-Greene), a man who submits his body to an advanced AI program to avenge his wife’s murder.There are plenty of beautifully shot and choreographed fights inUpgradethat evoke the style ofLucy, though it does take a grittier, darker tone. That darker tone extends all the way to the twist end of the film, which is just as thought-provoking as theending ofLucy.
Lucylargely centers around CPH-4, a drug that can unleash the full power of the human mind.Spiderhead, however, proposes a world in which drugs can cause the body to overpower the mind. LikeLucy,Spiderheadcenters around some dubious pharmaceuticals and the effect they have on fundamental parts of the human experience.UnlikeLucy,Spiderhead’s drugs are mainly used to torment Jeff (Miles Teller), and they’re part of a massive and sinister conspiracy. There’s not as much action inSpiderhead, but the ethical questions and psychological thrills more than make up for that.
Project Powermay not have the same mind-bending visuals and existential questions asLucy, but it may actually do a better job of showcasing high-energy superpowered fights.Project Poweronce again focusing on a sci-fi drug that grants its users superpowers for five minutes, but they don’t know which power they’ll get.That leads to some truly awesome fight scenes and action sequences inProject Powerthat were probably at least partially inspired byLucy. It’s a more straightforward movie thanLucy, but for anyone who enjoys action over thoughtful hypotheticals,Project Poweris a great flick.
It’s hard to talk about science fiction in general without talking about Frank Herbert’s seminal work,Dune, which was adapted to the screen by Denis Villeneuve in the form ofDune: Part Two.The biggest similarity betweenDuneandLucyis their protagonists: like Lucy, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is on a quest for power regular humans scarcely dream of. While he doesn’t dematerialize, Paul’s journey from an ordinary boy into the legendary Kwisatz Haderach gives him telepathic powers to rival Lucy. That, and the incredible action ofDune: Part Two, make it a wonderful companion toLucy.
Scarlett Johansson’s $469M Sci-Fi Sequel Must Only Happen On 1 Condition That The First Movie Makes Difficult
A sequel to this sci-fi thriller starring Scarlett Johansson would be possible if it kept one critical element used in the original movie.
Tauisn’t, strictly speaking, very similar toLucyon the surface, but it has a lot of things fans of Scarlett Johansson’s movie will appreciate.Tauis a psychological horror thriller that focuses on Julia (Maika Monroe), a woman abducted by a villainous inventor to work out the bugs in an advanced artificial intelligence.There is also action to be had, butTauis more interested in posing deep questions about AI that are just as fun to chew on as the questionsLucyhad about the human brain. Even ifTauisn’t your cup of tea, however, there are plenty of films likeLucyon Netflix.
