The Astronaut

The Astronaut has built a real following in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Hulu among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Kate Mara's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

The Astronaut is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The Astronaut uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. After returning from her first space mission, astronaut Sam Walker is placed under NASA’s care at a high security house for rehabilitation and medical testing. However, when disturbing occurrences begin happening around the property, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. The Astronaut came out in 2025. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find The Astronaut genuinely rewarding. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Kate Mara anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.