Time travel movies might seem like a niche genre, but in reality, they’re some of the most surprisingly popular films in the entire landscape of pop culture.
With noteworthy examples including the likes of Terminator, Back to the Future, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and The Avengers: Endgame, time travel-focused movies have routinely found their way to the forefront of the mainstream film industry, delighting millions of viewers across the world. From wacky sci-fi comedies to thrilling action films, here are some of our favorite time travel-oriented movies, ranked in order from worst to best.
Orion Pictures
Years before he was performing high-octane martial arts in The Matrix or John Wick, Keanu Reeves was more readily associated with his breakthrough role in 1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The first installment in the hit Bill & Ted series, Excellent Adventure does indeed serve up a satisfying sci-fi action comedy with an outwardly zany premise and laugh-out-loud sense of humor, from its hilarious portrayal of historical figures to the joyous performances of Reeves, Alex Winter, and George Carlin.
Warner Bros.
Christopher Nolan has long held a strong fascination with time and linear storytelling. Just as he’d toyed with chronological presentation in Memento, Interstellar, and Dunkirk, the director once again provided his own topsy-turvy meditation on time with his 2020 espionage thriller, Tenet. A James Bond-influenced action film, Tenet might not exactly rise to the level of Nolan’s best work, but its wholly original plot is sure to please most of the filmmaker’s dedicated followers.
Universal Pictures
On paper, 12 Monkeys might sound a lot like Terminator, what with a reluctant hero from the future traveling to a contemporary setting in order to prevent a massive apocalyptic event from occuring in the present. Yet just as he’d done with Monty Python, Brazil, and Time Bandits, director Terry Gilliam finds a way to help 12 Monkeys stand on its strengths and merits, ingeniously upending the traditional time travel storyline and rebuilding it from the ground up.
Columbia Pictures
To be fair, we probably wouldn’t describe Groundhog Day strictly as a time travel movie. And yet, due to its overarching emphasis on time loops and chronological distortion, we’ll go ahead and categorize it as such. Led by a career-defining performance from Bill Murray, Groundhog Day remains a laugh-out-loud comedy responsible for creating its own distinct genre, influencing countless similarly high-concept sci-fi movies that followed in its wake (Happy Death Day, Palm Springs, etc.).
TriStar Pictures
Crime and time travel seldom go together, but every now and again, a truly terrific combination of the two make its way to theaters nationwide. Looper is one such film. Thoughtfully directed by Star Wars’ Rian Johnson, Looper offers a tantalizing portrayal of the complexities surrounding time travel utilization, allowing for a fittingly stylish neo-noir drama that often feels like a live-action anime brought to the big screen.
Disney
Following the release of Avengers: Infinity War, most fans might have rightfully wondered how exactly the MCU could top itself with Endgame. Fortunately, the final film proved to be every bit as awe-inspiring as its predecessor, adequately matching the creativity of Infinity War’s narrative. Drawing on a time travel-infused plot, it’s an overstuffed superhero epic filled with plenty of cathartic moments for the MCU’s most revered characters, from Tony Stark sharing an intimate moment with his father to Captain America battling . . . Captain America?
Tri-Star Pictures
Yes, yes, it’s safe to say we’re cheating by listing two separate movies under one banner head. But at the end of the day, it’s impossible to conclusively say which is better: 1984’s original Terminator or its equally thrilling sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In the case of both films, director James Cameron posits a fascinating overhaul of its time travel premise, hopping back and forth between the neon-lit 1980s and ‘90s to the grim dystopia of tomorrow. Bolstered by explosive action and iconic performances, they are quite possibly the best sci-fi films of the past 40 years, more than rivalling the esteem of Jurassic Park, Avatar, or the MCU.
Universal Pictures
Has there ever been a time travel-oriented film more famous than Back to the Future? Sure, plenty of sci-fi movies have toyed with the idea of traveling back in time and disrupting the set chronological timeline, but no movie had ever explored the idea to such a clever extent as Back to the Future. A prime example of an altogether perfect film, everything about Back to the Future remains pure comedic gold, from the performances of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to its iconic soundtrack to its endlessly quotable script. (“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need … roads.”)
With noteworthy examples including the likes of Terminator, Back to the Future, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and The Avengers: Endgame, time travel-focused movies have routinely found their way to the forefront of the mainstream film industry, delighting millions of viewers across the world. From wacky sci-fi comedies to thrilling action films, here are some of our favorite time travel-oriented movies, ranked in order from worst to best.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Orion Pictures
Years before he was performing high-octane martial arts in The Matrix or John Wick, Keanu Reeves was more readily associated with his breakthrough role in 1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The first installment in the hit Bill & Ted series, Excellent Adventure does indeed serve up a satisfying sci-fi action comedy with an outwardly zany premise and laugh-out-loud sense of humor, from its hilarious portrayal of historical figures to the joyous performances of Reeves, Alex Winter, and George Carlin.
Tenet (2020)
Warner Bros.
Christopher Nolan has long held a strong fascination with time and linear storytelling. Just as he’d toyed with chronological presentation in Memento, Interstellar, and Dunkirk, the director once again provided his own topsy-turvy meditation on time with his 2020 espionage thriller, Tenet. A James Bond-influenced action film, Tenet might not exactly rise to the level of Nolan’s best work, but its wholly original plot is sure to please most of the filmmaker’s dedicated followers.
12 Monkeys (1995)
Universal Pictures
On paper, 12 Monkeys might sound a lot like Terminator, what with a reluctant hero from the future traveling to a contemporary setting in order to prevent a massive apocalyptic event from occuring in the present. Yet just as he’d done with Monty Python, Brazil, and Time Bandits, director Terry Gilliam finds a way to help 12 Monkeys stand on its strengths and merits, ingeniously upending the traditional time travel storyline and rebuilding it from the ground up.
Groundhog Day (1993)
Columbia Pictures
To be fair, we probably wouldn’t describe Groundhog Day strictly as a time travel movie. And yet, due to its overarching emphasis on time loops and chronological distortion, we’ll go ahead and categorize it as such. Led by a career-defining performance from Bill Murray, Groundhog Day remains a laugh-out-loud comedy responsible for creating its own distinct genre, influencing countless similarly high-concept sci-fi movies that followed in its wake (Happy Death Day, Palm Springs, etc.).
Looper (2012)
TriStar Pictures
Crime and time travel seldom go together, but every now and again, a truly terrific combination of the two make its way to theaters nationwide. Looper is one such film. Thoughtfully directed by Star Wars’ Rian Johnson, Looper offers a tantalizing portrayal of the complexities surrounding time travel utilization, allowing for a fittingly stylish neo-noir drama that often feels like a live-action anime brought to the big screen.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Disney
Following the release of Avengers: Infinity War, most fans might have rightfully wondered how exactly the MCU could top itself with Endgame. Fortunately, the final film proved to be every bit as awe-inspiring as its predecessor, adequately matching the creativity of Infinity War’s narrative. Drawing on a time travel-infused plot, it’s an overstuffed superhero epic filled with plenty of cathartic moments for the MCU’s most revered characters, from Tony Stark sharing an intimate moment with his father to Captain America battling . . . Captain America?
The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Tri-Star Pictures
Yes, yes, it’s safe to say we’re cheating by listing two separate movies under one banner head. But at the end of the day, it’s impossible to conclusively say which is better: 1984’s original Terminator or its equally thrilling sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In the case of both films, director James Cameron posits a fascinating overhaul of its time travel premise, hopping back and forth between the neon-lit 1980s and ‘90s to the grim dystopia of tomorrow. Bolstered by explosive action and iconic performances, they are quite possibly the best sci-fi films of the past 40 years, more than rivalling the esteem of Jurassic Park, Avatar, or the MCU.
Back to the Future (1985)
Universal Pictures
Has there ever been a time travel-oriented film more famous than Back to the Future? Sure, plenty of sci-fi movies have toyed with the idea of traveling back in time and disrupting the set chronological timeline, but no movie had ever explored the idea to such a clever extent as Back to the Future. A prime example of an altogether perfect film, everything about Back to the Future remains pure comedic gold, from the performances of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to its iconic soundtrack to its endlessly quotable script. (“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need … roads.”)