Netflix has had some hits in the sci-fi genre, and it has a 10/10 franchise that needs another movie. Thanks to its original content, Netflix now has titles among the best TV shows of all time, as well as ranking among the best movies ever. Thanks to these and more, Netflix has stood out in some genres, one of them sci-fi.
Netflix is home to sci-fi hits like Stranger Things and Dark, as well as popular sci-fi movies like Okja and The Electric State. Hidden among all those movies in Netflix’s sci-fi catalog is the Code 8 franchise, which is one of the streamer’s best sci-fi worlds to date, and, as such, it’s more than deserving of at least one more movie.
What Is Code 8 About?
Code 8 is a sci-fi action franchise that started in 2016 with the short film of the same name, directed by Jeff Chan and co-written by him and Chris Paré, and starring Robbie Amell. The Code 8 short film was a success, making way for a feature-length adaptation in 2019, also directed by Chan, written by Paré, and starring Amell.
Code 8 takes viewers to a futuristic version of Earth where some people have developed superhuman abilities. These people, referred to as “Powers”, are required to register their abilities. Despite being key to the city’s workforce, Powers are marginalized after the Third Industrial Revolution, and it gets worse after an addictive drug called “Psyke” hits the streets.
Psyke is made from the spinal fluid of trafficked Powers, and so a Powers ban is debated. Meanwhile, Connor Reed (Amell) tries to make ends meet in a world where he, a Power, can’t work freely and legally, and he desperately needs to get medical treatment for his mother.
When Connor is offered a shady job by Garrett (Stephen Amell), a fellow Power, he finds himself in the middle of chaos between Powers, underground crime, and cops. Code 8 was theatrically released in 2019 and on Netflix in 2020, and it was very well received by critics, so much so that it was granted a sequel.
Code 8: Part II was released on Netflix in 2024, and it reunites viewers with Connor, who, after getting out of prison, tries to get his life back on track. However, when humanoid companion robots are released and led by a corrupt cop, Connor is dragged back into action to help Pav, a young Power. Although it has some flaws, Code 8: Part II got a positive critical reception.
Code 8 Is Netflix’s Most Underrated Sci-Fi Franchise
Code 8 has, unfortunately, gotten lost among Netflix’s many other sci-fi movies and franchises, becoming its most underrated one. Code 8 establishes a fascinating and complex world, which, even though it has futuristic and sci-fi elements, like superpowered people, is still a realistic and relatable world.
Code 8 also includes politics, social issues, and ethical problems through the struggles of the Powers, the intervention of the government and police force, and more. Code 8 isn’t a superhero franchise, as these aren’t characters looking to save the world, instead doing what they can to survive every day and help those around them.
Code 8 has a lot of potential for expansion, whether in film, TV, comic books, and other media, and it could be the big sci-fi movie franchise Netflix needs if it were given the attention it deserves.
What’s Next For The Code 8 Franchise?
At the time of writing, a third Code 8 movie hasn’t been announced, but the Amell cousins, who have served as producers since the 2016 short film, have teased a Part 3 for a while now. The Amell cousins have said there’s a lot more to explore in the world of Code 8, but so far, Part 3 hasn’t been greenlit.
A comic book, titled Code 8: Tales of Lincoln City, was released in August 2025 through crowdfunding, and it serves as an origin story for Connor and past events in the city. If Code 8 doesn’t get another movie, it might have a future as a comic book series, but even that is unclear at the moment.