The Tomorrow War (2021)
Kernel Score: 85% · 3,993 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
Released: 2021-09-03
Runtime: 138 minutes
Is The Tomorrow War worth watching?
Worth watching. Soldiers are drafted from the present to fight an alien war in the future. It's loud, entertaining and better than expected, with a good emotional core, though the plot gets silly late on.
Watch it if you
- like big alien-invasion action
- enjoy a family-minded hero
- want blockbuster fun with time-travel hooks
Skip it if you
- want tight, original science fiction
- dislike long run-times
Best for: Popcorn night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Tomorrow War
- Stream: Prime Video
- Free with ads: Prime Video (free with ads), Amazon MX Player
- Rent: Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Plex
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
The world is stunned when a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: Thirty years in the future, mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight. Among those recruited is high school teacher and family man Dan Forester. Determined to save the world for his young daughter, Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist and his estranged father in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet.
The Tomorrow War parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Tomorrow War is a PG-13 sci-fi action film with alien invasion violence and family-centered themes.
- Violence & scariness: Moderate — Action-heavy alien invasion war film with future combat sequences.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Tomorrow War
If you liked The Tomorrow War, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) — 85%: Time-jumping stakes with a war for humanity
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) — 91%: Big-scale time-travel action to save everything
- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) — 87%: Relentless action in a ruined world
- Parasyte: Part 1 (2014) — 78%: Alien invasion with a human, creepy edge
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) — 86%: Fun, loud sci-fi with family at its core
Director
Chris McKay
Cast
- Chris Pratt as Dan Forester
- Yvonne Strahovski as Colonel Muri Forester
- J.K. Simmons as James Forester
- Betty Gilpin as Emmy Forester
- Sam Richardson as Charlie
- Edwin Hodge as Dorian
- Jasmine Mathews as Lt. Hart
- Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Young Muri Forester
- Keith Powers as Major Greenwood
- Mary Lynn Rajskub as Norah
The Tomorrow War FAQ
Is The Tomorrow War worth watching?
Worth watching. Soldiers are drafted from the present to fight an alien war in the future. It's loud, entertaining and better than expected, with a good emotional core, though the plot gets silly late on.
Where can I watch The Tomorrow War?
In the US you can stream The Tomorrow War on Prime Video, watch it free with ads on Prime Video (free with ads) and Amazon MX Player and rent it from Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Plex.
Is The Tomorrow War OK for kids?
The Tomorrow War is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Tomorrow War is a PG-13 sci-fi action film with alien invasion violence and family-centered themes.
What movies are like The Tomorrow War?
If you liked The Tomorrow War, try X-Men: Days of Future Past, Avengers: Endgame, Mad Max: Fury Road and Parasyte: Part 1.