8 Greatest Sci-Fi Movie Characters of the Last 5 Years, Ranked

We are currently experiencing something of a golden age for the science fiction genre. After years — some might say decades — of underwhelming efforts, the 2010s began a shift thanks to directors like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, and the 2020s have already produced a great deal of truly brilliant sci‑fi.

A large reason behind these movies' success is the compelling and often unforgettable characters at their center, which use familiar tropes to explore humane and complex themes. Jordan Peele's Nope centers on OJ Haywood, played by Daniel Kaluuya, a horse‑wrangler trying to keep his ranch afloat while he and his sister, Emerald (Keke Palmer), seek evidence of an apparent UFO that also draws the attention of Ricky "Jupe" Park (Steven Yeun).

Kaluuya brings a stillness to OJ that makes him magnetic: not a showy action figure but an audience stand‑in whose relatable struggle grounds the film's genre mix of sci‑fi, Western and monster movie.

sci-fi, nope, jordan peele, oj haywood, daniel kaluuya, keke palmer, emerald, ricky jupe, steven yeun, ufo