THE ASTRONAUT is a new Horror Sci-Fi Thriller movie starring Kate Mara as an astronaut experiencing a strange homecoming. At 90 minutes, it’s an emotional and tightly paced story. Read our full The Astronaut movie review here!
THE ASTRONAUT is a Sci-Fi Thriller with strong horror elements throughout. It’s full of trippy experiences for our main protagonist while she tries to figure out what’s going on. We’re right alongside her and will wonder about everything happening as well.
It may not be for everyone, but fans of everything from Close Encounters of the Third Kind to Arrival should find something they like. I certainly had some moments where it managed to remind me of both those iconic sci-fi movies, despite this being very different.
Continue reading our 2025 The Astronaut movie review below. Find it in Theaters from October 17, 2025.
Finding your way back home
Returning from a space mission and feeling strange isn’t a new concept. One of the more recent similar stories was the Apple TV+ series Constellation, starring Noomi Rapace as an astronaut returning home.
With The Astronaut, it’s astronaut Sam Walker (Kate Mara) who returns from her first space mission. Getting back to Earth wasn’t a smooth ride, and she was found miraculously alive inside a punctured capsule while floating far off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Her father is General William Harris (Laurence Fishburne), and he has arranged for her to be placed in a high-security house while she rehabilitates. Also, she is under intense NASA surveillance and subjected to constant medical testing.
Sam doesn’t mind as she just wants to be cleared for her next mission, so she can get back out there.
Her husband, Mark (Gabriel Luna), and young daughter, Izzy (Scarlett Holmes), are very happy to have her back home and safe, but Sam herself is torn between being with them and the allure of space.
Very soon, strange and even disturbing things are happening around Sam. Could something extraterrestrial have followed her back to Earth? Or is she perhaps losing her mind and is unfit to ever travel to space again?!
Small but wonderful cast
Kate Mara is perfectly cast as the astronaut Captain Sam Walker. She has just the right mix of heart and grit. The title character has a passion for her job that is threatening to ruin her family. However, it’s also clear that she loves her husband and daughter, so she is torn.
Laurence Fishburne as Sam’s father, General William Harris, is tough and strong as always. For the record, he adopted Sam, and yes, we do get their back story.
We also get to see Macy Gray in yet another acting role, as a fellow NASA colleague, Val, who advises Sam on how to get cleared for her next mission as soon as possible. Basically, she needs to lie and pretend everything is fine.
Standing in her way – by helping secure Sam’s health and sanity before greenlighting her – is Ivana Milicevic as Dr. Michelle Aiden.
Many of these roles are fairly small, as Kate Mara has the majority of the screentime alone. And yes, it works magnificently. Well, for me, anyway. I ended up enjoying this movie much more than I expected, thanks to its horror, heart, and overall message.
Watch The Astronaut in theaters!
The Astronaut is the solo directorial debut of Jess Varley. She previously directed two segments for 2021’s horror anthology Phobias. Now, she’s getting her debut as a writer-director with this sci-fi horror thriller, and I am a very happy genre fan.
Among the producers of the movie are stars Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne, along with genre heavyweight Brad Fuller. Yes, the very same Brad Fuller, who’s given us genre titles like the Quiet Place franchise and the Purge franchise.
Other talents, whose work you already know, include cinematographer Dave Garbett (Evil Dead Rise), production designer Alan Gilmore (Cobweb), and music by Jacques Brautbar (Sting).
The Astronaut had its world premiere at SXSW back in March 2025, and now it’s finally coming out in a theatrical release. With a runtime of 90 minutes, it worked extremely well for me. I loved the character-driven plot and am a huge fan of how the story evolved.
The Astronaut (2025) is out in U.S. Theaters from October 17, 2025.
Details
Director: Jess Varley
Cast: Kate Mara, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Luna, Ivana Milicevic, Macy Gray, Scarlett Holmes
Plot
When an astronaut crash-lands back to Earth, a General places her in quarantine for rehabilitation and testing. As disturbing events unfold, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her home.
📺 Watch trailer
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