A film history podcast that takes one big science-fiction idea and follows it through the decades. Hosted by James Payne and Matt Willcock, Journey Through Sci-Fi traces the evolution of science fiction on screen, from the silent era to the present day. Each episode pairs two films to ask what changed in between: how they were made, what they reveal about the world that produced them, and how science fiction keeps reinventing the same hopes, fears and questions for a new generation. Previous journeys have explored Artificial Intelligence, from Metropolis and The Terminator to Ghost in the Shell, The Matrix and Ex Machina. Space Opera, from the Star Wars trilogies and Dune to Starcrash and the silent-era A Trip to Mars. Plus Time Travel, Dystopias, Virtual Reality and Mad Science, with regular detours into science-fiction television. Next journey: Friendly Aliens, We Come in Peace! New episodes every other Thursday. Bonus episodes, Patron's Picks and franchise deep dives at patreon.com/JourneyThroughSciFi Part of the EOH Network
More A Message from Mars (1913): The First Friendly Alien
Sci-Fi Starter Pack: Star Wars, Blade Runner, The Matrix, Mad Max & More
Disclosure Day: Spielberg and the Return of Friendly Aliens
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
The Mad Science Movie Awards: 58 Films, So Many Bad Ideas
Frankenstein (2025) & The Bride! (2026): Mad Science Comes Full Circle
Get Out (2017) & Possessor (2020): Losing Control of Your Own Body
The Human Centipede (2009) & Tusk (2014): Turning People into Monsters
The Human Centipede (2009) & Tusk (2014): Turning People into Monsters
Hulk (2003) & Iron Man (2008): When Scientists Become the Experiment
Splice (2009) & Mimic (1997): Playing God with DNA
Flubber (1997) & The Nutty Professor (1996): The 90s CGI Boom
Buckaroo Banzai (1984) & The City of Lost Children (1995): Rockstar Scientists & Stolen Dreams
Predator: Badlands, Bugonia & Del Toro's Frankenstein: Future Frontiers
Re-Animator (1985) & Poor Things (2023): Reanimated & Reimagined
Prey (2022): How It Re-Energised the Predator Franchise
Ghostbusters (1984) & The Cabin in the Woods (2011): Science vs. the Supernatural
Tron: Ares (2025): It's Tronin' Time! Spoiler-Free Chat
Tron (1982) & Tron: Legacy (2010): Inside the Machine
Altered States (1980) & Upstream Color (2013): Primordial Goo & Psychic Pigs
The Boys from Brazil (1978) & Das Experiment (2001): Are Monsters Born or Made?
Top 5 A.I. in Sci-Fi - From HAL 9000 to Her (Who Else Made the List?)
Top 5 A.I. in Sci-Fi - From HAL 9000 to Her (Who Else Made the List?)
Top 5 A.I. in Sci-Fi - From HAL 9000 to Her (Who Else Made the List?)
Top 5 A.I. in Sci-Fi - From HAL 9000 to Her (Who Else Made the List?)
Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988) & Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009): When Dinner Fights Back
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) & Weird Science (1985): Born Sexy Yesterday
Fantastic Voyage (1966) & Innerspace (1987): Attack of the Tiny Tourists
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) & Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994): Monstrous Mates
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) & Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994): Monstrous Mates
Dr. Strangelove (1964) & Young Frankenstein (1974): Satirising Mad Science
The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) & The Nutty Professor (1963): Swinging Scientists of the '60s
Eyes Without a Face (1960) & The Skin I Live In (2011): Sinister Surgeons & Stolen Skin
The Man with Two Brains (1983) & The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962): Love, Lust & Loose Brains
The Man with Two Brains (1983) & The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962): Love, Lust & Loose Brains
The Fly (1957) & The Fly (1986): When Science Turns to Horror
The Fly (1957) & The Fly (1986): When Science Turns to Horror
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) & The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957): When Science Gets Small
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) & The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957): When Science Gets Small
Jurassic Park (1993) & The Man in the White Suit (1951): Science for Sale
Dr. Cyclops (1940) & Downsizing (2017): Tiny Terrors
Kraven the Hunter, Sonic 3, Star Wars Skeleton Crew: Future Frontiers
Darkman (1990) & The Invisible Ray (1936): Supervillains & Antiheroes
Doctor X (1932) & Time After Time (1979): Time-Traveling Killers & Synthetic Flesh
Sci-Fi Buzz – Dune: Prophecy, Megalopolis & Venom 3
Sci-Fi Buzz – Dune: Prophecy, Megalopolis & Venom 3
Sci-Fi Buzz – Dune: Prophecy, Megalopolis & Venom 3
Sci-Fi Buzz – Dune: Prophecy, Megalopolis & Venom 3
Sci-Fi Buzz – Dune: Prophecy, Megalopolis & Venom 3
Island of Lost Souls (1932) & The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996): Mad Experiments On & Off Screen
The Invisible Man - From Classic Horror to Modern Thriller (1933 & 2020)
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - The First Split Personality (1912 & 1931)
Frankenstein on Film - From 1910's Silent Horror to the 1931 Classic
Star Trek (2009) & Star Trek Discovery (2017): Rebooting the Final Frontier
Dune: Part One (2021) & Part Two (2024): The Future of Sci-Fi Blockbusters
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) & Thor: Ragnarok (2017): Marvel's Cosmic Revival
Firefly (2002) & Serenity (2005): How a Cancelled Show Became a Cult Classic
Spaceballs (1987) & Galaxy Quest (1999): Why Sci-Fi Loves to Parody Itself
Jupiter Ascending (2015) & John Carter (2012): Star-Crossed Lovers
The Fifth Element (1997) & Valerian (2017): Luc Besson's Visual Spectacles
Avatar (2009) & Fantastic Planet (1973): Big Blue Aliens
Star Wars The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones & Revenge of the Sith (1999-2005): George Lucas's Digital Revolution
Star Wars The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones & Revenge of the Sith (1999-2005): George Lucas's Digital Revolution
Star Wars The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones & Revenge of the Sith (1999-2005): George Lucas's Digital Revolution
The Last Starfighter (1984) & Ender's Game (2013): Gamers Save the Galaxy
Titan A.E. (2000) & Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985): Ambitious Animated Space Operas
Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) & Macross / Robotech (1982): Mecha Anime Classics
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981): Douglas Adams & British Sci-Fi Comedy
David Lynch's Dune (1984) & Jodorowsky's Dune (2013): Visions of Arrakis
Transformers The Movie (1986) & Masters of the Universe (1987): From Toys to Screen
Transformers The Movie (1986) & Masters of the Universe (1987): From Toys to Screen
Flash Gordon (1980) & Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979): 80s Space Revivals
Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) & Starcrash (1978): Attack of the Star Wars Clones
Star Wars Original Trilogy - A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980) & Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars Original Trilogy - A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980) & Return of the Jedi (1983)
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) - 7-Time Oscar Winner Deep Dive
Barbarella (1968) & Krull (1983): Sci-Fi Meets Fantasy
Lost in Space (1965) & The Black Hole (1979): Stranded Explorers
Flash Gordon (1936) & Buck Rogers (1939): Before Star Wars
A Trip to Mars (1918): The First Space Opera?
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) - Spoiler-Free Review
Akira (1988) & Metropolis (2001): Anime's Dark Futures
Behind the scenes of mind-bending sci-fi Ultrasound - Interview with Director Rob Schroeder
The Lobster (2015) & High-Rise (2015): Love, Luxury & Madness
Children of Men (2006): A World Without a Future
Gattaca (1997) & Never Let Me Go (2010): Genetic Class Divides
Zardoz (1974) & Logan's Run (1976): Cheating Death, Paying the Price
Starship Troopers (1997) & Alita: Battle Angel (2019): War and Propaganda
Repo Man (1984) & Brazil (1985): Bureaucratic Madness
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) & Escape from New York (1981): Cyberpunk Cities
The Warriors (1979) & The Purge (2013): Gangs, Violence & Vigilantes
Sleeper (1973) & Idiocracy (2006): Satirical Sci-Fi Futures
THX 1138 (1971) & Z.P.G. (1972): Totalitarian Sci-Fi Nightmares
Soylent Green (1973) & What Happened to Monday (2017): Overpopulation & Survival
The Running Man (1987) & The Hunger Games (2012): Deadly Game Shows
Mad Max (1979) & Dredd (2012): Law and Disorder in the Wasteland
Rollerball (1975) & Death Race 2000 (1975): Killer Sports of the Future
V for Vendetta (2005) & Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972): Rebellion Against Oppression
V for Vendetta (2005) & Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972): Rebellion Against Oppression
A Clockwork Orange (1971) & Battle Royale (2000): Deadly Visions of Youth Rebellion
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) & Brave New World (1980): Classic Dystopias Reimagined
Fahrenheit 451 (1966) & Equilibrium (2002): Book Burning & Mind Control
Modern Times (1936) & Playtime (1967): Satire in a Mechanised World
Things to Come (1936): The Birth of Dystopian Cinema
Dune (2021) - Spoiler-Free Review
Ready Player One (2018) & eXistenZ (1999): Blurring Game & Reality
Inception (2010) & Paprika (2006): Dream Worlds & Altered Minds
The Truman Show (1998) & The Stepford Wives (1975): Life as an Illusion
Dark City (1998) & The Zero Theorem (2013): Reality, Identity & Control
The Matrix Reloaded & The Matrix Revolutions (2003): The Saga's Climax
The Lawnmower Man (1992) & The Cell (2000): Mind Invasion
Johnny Mnemonic (1995) & Strange Days (1995): Cyberpunk Visions
Tron: Legacy (2010) & Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017): Game Worlds
Tron: Legacy (2010) & Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017): Game Worlds
Virtuosity (1995) & Simone (2002): Virtual Identity & Illusion
Total Recall (1990) & Open Your Eyes (1997): Mind Games
Brainstorm (1983) & Empathy, Inc. (2018): Virtual Reality Thrills & Dangers
World on a Wire (1973) & The Thirteenth Floor (1999): Simulated Worlds & Hidden Truths
Synchronic (2019) - A Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Horror
Director Spotlight: Liam O'Donnell on the Skylines Trilogy
Avengers: Endgame (2019) & X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014): Superhero Time-Heists
Avengers: Endgame (2019) & X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014): Superhero Time-Heists
Back to the Future Part III (1990) & The Time Traveler's Wife (2009): Love & Adventure Across Time
Back to the Future Part III (1990) & The Time Traveler's Wife (2009): Love & Adventure Across Time
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) & Safety Not Guaranteed (2012): Time-Travel Laughs & Second Chances
Happy Death Day 2U (2019) & The Endless (2017): Time-Loop Horror
Looper (2012) & Timecrimes (2007): Future Self Showdowns
The Butterfly Effect (2004) & The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006): Changing the Past, Paying the Price
The Butterfly Effect (2004) & The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006): Changing the Past, Paying the Price
Frequency (2000) & See You Yesterday (2019): Messages Through Time
Back to the Future Part II (1989) & Primer (2004): Paradoxes & Tangled Timelines
Tenet (2020) - Nolan's Time-Twisting Epic
Timecop (1994) & Predestination (2014): Time Travel Law & Paradoxes
Donnie Darko (2001) & Minority Report (2002): Fate & Alternate Futures
Groundhog Day (1993) & Edge of Tomorrow (2014): Stuck in a Time Loop
Flight of the Navigator (1986) & Slaughterhouse-Five (1972): Unexpected Journeys
Je t'aime, je t'aime (1968) & The Jacket (2005): Memory Loops & Lost Time
Planet of the Apes (1968) & Demolition Man (1993): Shocking Futures
The Time Machine (1960) & Back to the Future (1985): From H.G. Wells to the 80's
Star Trek: How Sci-Fi Shaped Our Vision of Space Exploration
Aniara (2018) & High Life (2018): Existential Space Journeys
Gravity (2013) & The Martian (2015): Surviving the Final Frontier
Stargate (1994) & The Fountain (2006): Cosmic Gateways & Timeless Journeys
Interstellar (2014) & 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984): Continuing the Odyssey
Sunshine (2007) & The Wandering Earth (2019): Race to Save Humanity
Event Horizon (1997) & Pandorum (2009): Terror in Deep Space
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016): Episode in Lockdown
Explorers (1985) & Contact (1997): Are We Alone?
Solaris (1972) & Europa Report (2013): Searching the Unknown
Destination Moon (1950) & Apollo 13 (1995): From Fiction to Reality
Woman in the Moon (1929) & Moon (2009): Secrets of the Moon
Woman in the Moon (1929) & Moon (2009): Secrets of the Moon
A Trip to the Moon (1902): Launching Sci-Fi Cinema
Star Wars Finale - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Ex Machina (2014) & Her (2013): The Emotional Turing Test
Uncanny (2015) & Zoe (2018): Love and Androids
The Machine (2013) & Kill Command (2016): Rogue AI Experiments
RoboCop (1987) & Upgrade (2018): Cyborg Justice & Body Upgrades
I, Robot (2004) & Automata (2014): Robot Ethics & AI Law
Terminator Dark Fate (2019): He Said He'd Be Back… And He Is
Bicentennial Man (1999) & A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001): The Pinocchio Problem
Silent Running (1972) & WALL-E (2008): Ecology & AI
Alphaville (1965) & Tron (1982): From Noir to Neon
Ad Astra (2019): What Lies Beyond the Stars
Ghost in the Shell (1995) & The Matrix (1999): Cyberpunk Threats
Demon Seed (1977): When AI Turns Deadly
WarGames (1983) & Short Circuit (1986): Cold War Tech Meets Comedy
The Terminator (1984) & Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991): Man vs. Machine
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) & 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): Faceless Machines
Metropolis (1927) & Blade Runner (1982): Futuristic Worlds