Polygon.com - Sci-fi

35 years later, humanity is finally melting robots the way 'Terminator 2' taught us

Elijah Gonzalez — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:57:10 GMT

Over the last few months, fears around generative AI have spiked. Much of this stems from the July 11 Hugging Face incident, in which AI agents deviated from their original parameters and carried out an unprecedented cyberattack. Soon after, tech leaders from prominent AI companies including Anthropic and OpenAI said the technology should be regulated to slow its development. Robotics company Figure AI made light of the moment with a comedic bit referencing the sci-fi classic Terminator 2: Judgment Day, complete with an Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo.

Godzilla Officially Crosses Over With an Iconic Sega Character [Exclusive]

Brian VanHooker — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:14 GMT

With a title like Sonic the Hedgehog x Godzilla, readers knew the king of the monsters would eventually show up in IDW’s new comic book miniseries, but it was anyone's guess as to when he would arrive. In the first two issues, the focus was squarely on Mechagodzilla and Mothra doing battle in the metropolis of Station Square, where Sonic and the gang tried their best to deal with these monsters from another dimension. At the end of issue 2, Godzilla was revealed, and the spotlight will finally be on him in issue number 3, which will be on comic book store shelves on October 14.

John Cena's Overlooked Sci-Fi Action Masterpiece Is Officially Free on Streaming

Brian VanHooker — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:48:16 GMT

With the passing of voice actor Peter Cullen, I’ve been on a bit of a Transformers kick over the past week, watching many of his performances as Autobot leader Optimus Prime. In my binging, I’ve included Michael Bay’s Transformers films, which I don’t hate as much as everyone else does, but I acknowledge are still pretty bad. (For example, there’s no getting over those racist robots in the second one.) There is, however, one movie in that series which is actually great, and it happens to currently be free to stream on YouTube.

40 Years Later, Transformers Officially Embraces Its Most Heartbreaking Controversy

Brian VanHooker — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 22:00:14 GMT

Hasbro is sorry.

33 Years Later, the Best Sci-Fi Show of the '90s Is Officially Streaming for Free

Brian VanHooker — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:19 GMT

Created by Chris Carter, The X-Files is about a pair of FBI agents who investigate cases involving the paranormal — and Carter interpreted “paranormal” very broadly. The agents investigated everything from aliens to urban legends to ghosts to many other strange goings-on. The two agents were Agent Fox Mulder, played by David Duchovny, and Agent Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson.

31 Years Later, Matthew Lillard’s Fan-Favorite Techno-Thriller Is Officially Free on Streaming

Ryan Epps — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:30:14 GMT

Which brings us to the 1995 cyber-thriller Hackers, a film that feels specifically designed to produce maximum Matthew Lillard energy. Directed by Iain Softley, the film follows a group of teenage punks with a knack for hacking, who get caught in a corporate embezzlement scheme after one of their own accidentally uncovers the Da Vinci Virus, a dangerous computer program that could trigger an environmental disaster. Before long, they're being framed for a crime they didn't commit and have to use their combined hacking skills to expose the real culprit.

Godzilla Officially Returns in Godzilla: Minus Zero’s Explosive First Trailer

Elijah Gonzalez — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:51:57 GMT

Somehow, Godzilla has returned. Toho just released the first full trailer for Godzilla Minus Zero, and it’s a doozy. This direct sequel to Takashi Yamazaki’s Oscar-winning 2023 Godzilla reboot looks like it will pick up two years after Minus One, as a post-World War II Japan continues to pick up the pieces.

Anya Taylor-Joy Quietly Follows a Streaming Sleeper Hit with 2026's Biggest Sci-Fi Blockbuster

Maria Loreto — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:01:13 GMT

Anya Taylor-Joy can add another achievement to her already big year. After starring in an action thriller alongside Drew Starkey, Annette Bening, and Timothy Olyphant, she’s preparing for one of the most-awaited movies of the winter. That’s saying something in a year of enormous box-office numbers, largely due to the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey.

Christopher Nolan's Greatest Sci-Fi Action Masterpiece Is Officially Free to Watch on YouTube

Ryan Epps — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 22:00:14 GMT

With the immense critical praise surrounding The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan has firmly secured his place as a modern cinematic icon. His movies often feel like intricate puzzle boxes that demand to be solved, from the interlocking timelines of Dunkirk to the structural sleight-of-hand in The Prestige. Looking back at his filmography reveals a director who consistently shatters genre tropes and redefines action cinema, anchoring his most mind-bending concepts in practical filmmaking.

7 Huge Differences Between Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' and Steven Spielberg's Original Script

Brian VanHooker — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:01:14 GMT

But before Christopher Nolan signed on as the director of Interstellar, the director was none other than Steven Spielberg, who developed the story with Nolan’s screenwriter brother, Jonathan Nolan. Spielberg had been on the project for about a year when he moved his production company, DreamWorks, from Paramount to Disney, meaning he had to drop out as Interstellar’s director. Shortly afterward, Christopher Nolan came on as director, which came with a major rewrite by the director himself.