Every Harrison Ford Sci-Fi Movie That Isn't Star Wars, Ranked

When Harrison Ford first walked into the Mos Eisley Cantina in "Star Wars," it set him on a path to becoming one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The scruffy-looking nerfherder charmed his way across the original three films, so much so that he came close to stealing the whole trilogy from Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker and his flashy lightsaber. From there, his time in the galaxy far, far away led him to ancient burial sites as Indiana Jones, chasing down one-armed men in "The Fugitive" and demanding that Gary Oldman get off his plane in "Air Force One."

Even with all these under his belt, though, Ford very rarely ventured back to the genre that helped jump-start his career. On the rare occasions he did, though, audiences were treated to some pretty fun watches and some that became cinematic milestones in their own right. We've pieced together five of his best sci-fi films that didn't have a single Wookie and, after careful inspection, ranked them from best to worst. Admittedly, to start things off, we've got to place one at the bottom of the pile, and it just so happens to be a movie that sounds like a 10-year-old's dream that became a box-office nightmare.

When it came to deciding the worst movie on this very niche but Ford-focused list, there was only one title that fit the bill. We're not out to get "Cowboys and Aliens" or anything, but unfortunately, upon inspection of the box office receipts for this 2021 Jon Favreau-directed movie, it's clear that no one was out to get it either, given that it remains one of the actor's biggest flops. Adapted from the comic book of the same name, "Cowboys and Aliens" saw Ford as a gruff, excessively grumpy cattleman who runs into trouble when a stranger (Daniel Craig) stumbles into town, being chased by aliens.

On paper, this really does read like a surefire win. The director of "Iron Man" is helming a project starring James Bond and Han Solo as they both fight aliens in the Old West. What could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, far too much. For as out there as the title might sound, "Cowboys and Aliens" plays things far too safe in a by-the-numbers action romp that never pushes its two stars outside the safe zone.

There are some great supporting talents lending a hand, including Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano and Walton Goggins before he made it big, but in truth, anyone could've taken on the roles of Craig or Ford, and not a lot would've changed. Ultimately, a movie that should've made you want to be a cowboy fighting aliens leaves you wondering if you'd rather do anything else instead.

Some truly Hollywood greats have stepped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as higher-ups among the heroes audiences have paid to see. Glenn Close, Robert Redford, Angela Bassett, and a screen-chewing star by the name of Samuel L. Jackson have all given some of the most beloved chapters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that extra oomph, and fans have welcomed it. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Harrison Ford when he stepped in to replace the late William Hurt as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in "Captain America: Brave New World."

The fourth star-spangled story in the MCU, which saw Anthony Mackie in his first big-screen outing as Captain America, needed all the help it could get in a post-"Avengers: Endgame" era, and Ford didn't provide much of it, even when he got really angry as the Red Hulk in the film's final act. Had the focus been on the president and the nation's new conflicted winged warrior working for him, things might've been different.

Unfortunately, "Brave New World" is a messy one, with too many stars (Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder and Tim Blake Nelson as big-brained Samuel Sterns) vying for screen time. Perhaps somewhere down the line (and given how much of a big character Ross' crimson alter-ego becomes in the comics), Ford's Ross might return to do some damage. If he does, hopefully it's in a story that's considerably better than this one.

Perhaps one of Ford's most underappreciated sci-fi movies that's closer to this side of his career and shouldn't be is "Ender's Game." Based on the 1985 novel written by Orson Scott Card, the film follows "Sex Education's" Asa Butterfield as Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, a child genius who is enlisted to train for an impending war between Earth and an alien race that has already given Earth a grilling. Riding on the wave of YA stories that were out in force thanks to the success of "Harry Potter," "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games," "Ender's Game" tried its best to reach the same highs.

Butterfield was joined by the likes of Hailee Steinfeld (who had earned an Oscar nomination a year earlier for "True Grit") and Abigail Breslin as part of the younger cast, while Ford was the seasoned war hero training kids for battle, standing alongside Ben Kingsley and Viola Davis.

While a compelling premise had Ford making his first moves into the bitter, mentor-like figure he'd take on in films like "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "Captain America," and even Apple TV's "Shrinking," he's certainly a supporting member. Unfortunately, this books adaptation from a series consisting of 20 novels didn't quite have the right amount of firepower to be turned into a franchise like the exploits of Katniss Everdeen and Edward Cullen, but it's still a good watch all the same.

One of the greatest legacyquels ever made and another massively underappreciated masterpiece upon its original release, "Blade Runner 2049" bombed at the box office, with only die-hard fans of its predecessor turning up to see it. Reprising his role as Rick Deckard, Ford is this time second fiddle to Ryan Gosling's Blade Runner, K, whose machine-made identity is much clearer-cut than that of the older-generation replicant hunter he crosses paths with. That's because K's desperate hunt for his own humanity, or for something beyond his programming, is what this film is all about, with Ford providing breadcrumbs to this compelling detective story about a machine that may have created a miracle.

The movie doesn't necessarily need Deckard's "magic," but it's a great addition when it arrives. The chemistry between the original protagonist and his protege works wonderfully, even in the few scenes they share. What makes this Ford's runner-up entry on this list is how much soul he brings to Deckard, who fans haven't seen for 30 years and has seemingly lost all hope in this dark future.

He's sharp in his tone with K on their first encounter, but it's later, when he comes face to face with a new model of Rachael, that the movie delivers one of its most heartbreaking scenes. The truth of Deckard's origins might still be left open in the new movie, but there's no denying how much soul is on show with a single line: "Her eyes were green."

Well, if "Blade Runner 2049" didn't take the top spot, there was only one other film that would. Harrison Ford's biggest sci-fi-infused step outside of "Star Wars" just happened to be in another groundbreaking entry that went from a misunderstood detective story to an undisputed masterpiece. "Blade Runner" gave audiences their first introduction to Rick Deckard, a worn-down detective whose last case sees him trying to track down a small band of Replicants (androids) who have escaped from an off-world colony to Earth and are hoping to be left alone.

Unfortunately, Deckard's job as a Blade Runner is to put down these escapees permanently, forcing him to go up against Rutger Hauer's Batty and the rest of these criminals who are more human than human. Establishing what cyberpunk in movies and television could be, "Blade Runner" still remains the greatest of its kind, with plenty of credit falling to Ford and his tortured performance. In a world of flying cars and synthetic owls, Deckard is a man dealing out death to targets that simply want to live.

The further his hunt goes, though, the more he and the audience question his own humanity, resulting in one of the most ambiguous endings that even in its sequel remains unanswered. In the long list of memorable movie roles like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Deckard remains his most complex and, for that reason, his most compelling science fiction movie ever.