10 Obscure Time Travel Movies You’ve Never Heard Of (2025)

When one thinks of time travel movies, a few classics instantly come to mind. There’s the outrageous antics of Doc Brown and Marty McFly in the Back to the Future franchise, the action-packed adventures of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator franchise, and the hilarious time-loop comedy Groundhog Day. Elsewhere, there are a number of cult classics that also play with the notion of time travel, including the likes of Idiocracy, Donnie Darko, Hot Tub Time Machine, and The Butterfly Effect.

There is a wealth of lesser-known movies, though, that explore the concept in fresh, unexpected ways. These obscure time travel films often take risks with storytelling, blending genres, defying traditional plot structures, and challenging audiences to think more deeply about the consequences of altering time. Below we’ve selected 10 relatively unknown time travel movies and we discuss what they brought to the genre.

10 'Time After Time' (1979)

Time After Time

Release Date

September 28, 1979

Director

Nicholas Meyer

Cast

Malcolm McDowell , David Warner , Mary Steenburgen , Charles Cioffi , Kent Williams , Andonia Katsaros , Patti D'Arbanville , James Garrett , Keith McConnell , Leo Lewis , Byron Webster , Karin de la Penha , Geraldine Baron , Laurie Main , Joseph Maher , M.C. Gainey , Clement von Franckenstein , Read Morgan , Jim Haynie , Shelley Hack , Corey Feldman , Bob Shaw , Larry J. Blake

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

In Time After Time, Malcolm McDowell plays a fictionalized version of real-life British author H. G. Wells, as he uses a time machine to track down infamous London-based serial killer Jack The Ripper who has traveled into the future, finding himself in present-day America. Playing with the classic fish out of water trope, the two react very differently to what they find in the future.

Insightful Social Commentary

Using Wells as the main protagonist is what makes the movie so intriguing. Considered a visionary thinker in his day, he finds himself both fascinated and horrified by what he discovers in the future. Expecting a socialist utopia, he is instead greeted by apparent disarray. His reactions provide a lens to critically examine the state of the modern world. His reactions become even more interesting when contrasted to those of Jack the Ripper, who finds himself far more at home in the chaotic and morally complex late 20th century.

Despite being popular with critics and a minor hit at the time of its release, it seems to have unfortunately slipped into obscurity since.

9 'Triangle' (2009)

Triangle

Mystery

Horror

Thriller

Release Date

October 16, 2009

Director

Christopher Smith

Cast

Melissa George , Michael Dorman , Rachael Carpani , Henry Nixon , Emma Lung , Liam Hemsworth , Joshua McIvor , Bryan Probets

This mind-bending British psychological horror centers around the concept of a time loop aboard an abandoned ship in the Bermuda Triangle. A woman finds herself trapped in this terrifying time loop in which she encounters previous and future versions of herself.

Triangle Offers a Unique Take On the Genre

Focusing more on thrills and scares and the existential implications of time travel rather than the sci-fi elements, it offers an unsettling and disturbing entry into the genre. Critics were impressed and praised its intelligent and intricate plot as well as the acting including a strong performance from Liam Hemsworth before shooting to A-List status following his appearances in the Hunger Games franchise.

8 'Retroactive' (1997)

Retroactive

Science Fiction

Thriller

Action

Crime

Drama

Release Date

January 1, 1997

Director

Louis Morneau

Cast

Jim Belushi , Kylie Travis , Shannon Whirry , Frank Whaley , Jesse Borrego , M. Emmet Walsh , Roger Clinton, Jr. , Sherman Howard , Guy Boyd , Robbie Thibaut Jr.

James Belushi, Kylie Travis, and Frank Whaley star in this sci-fi action thriller. It follows the story of a former police psychologist who finds himself trapped in a deadly time loop following a hostile encounter with a violent couple on a remote back road. Each time he goes back in time to change the past, though, it seems things only get worse.

Reviews for Retroactive Were Mixed

With a score of 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, it was praised for its imaginative and original script but ultimately failed to live up to its exciting premise’s potential. Despite its shortcomings, there’s enough action and tension to keep most viewers satisfied and it possesses a certain b-level charm which might endear itself to the sci-fi genre fandom.

7 'The Endless' (2017)

The Endless

Release Date

April 6, 2018

Director

Justin Benson

Cast

Aaron Moorhead , Justin Benson , Callie Hernandez , Tate Ellington , Shane Brady , Lew Temple

Main Genre

Fantasy

The Endless is a sci-fi horror set within the confines of a mysterious cult. It follows two brothers as they return to the cult which they managed to escape from as children. The more they investigate the cult, the more they realize not everything is as it seems, and it soon becomes apparent that everyone in the camp is stuck in a time loop.

The Endless Combines Elements of Supernatural Horror With Traditional Sci-fi

The time loop sci-fi phenomenon seems to be linked to supernatural forces, giving the movie a unique and original spin on traditional time travel films. The movie was a huge hit with critics, scoring a near-perfect 92% on Rotten Tomatoes with it being described as “a David Lynch meets Stuart Gordon meets Don Coscarelli fever dream of Lovecraftian cosmic horror.”

6 'Primer' (2004)

Primer

Sci-Fi

Release Date

January 16, 2004

Director

Shane Carruth

Cast

Shane Carruth , David Sullivan , Casey Gooden

Primer follows two engineers as they accidentally discover the ability to travel through time. As they experiment with the concept of time travel, they soon find themselves tangled in a web of ethical dilemmas, time paradoxes, paranoia, and betrayal.

It Was Written, Directed, and Produced by Shane Carruth, Who Also Stars in the Movie

"Complicated," "changeling," and "uncompromising," may not be adjectives that immediately endear you to a movie, but it’s exactly the type of movie that writer and director Shane Carruth set out to create in Primer. Despite its complexity, it has developed a cult following and impressed critics with its original and experimental plot and interesting philosophical implications.

5 'Je t'aime, Je t'aime' (1968)

Directed by the highly influential French director Alain Resnais, Je t'aime, Je t'aime follows the story of a man who, following a suicide attempt, volunteers to be the subject of a mysterious time travel experiment. The experiments goes awry, however, and he becomes trapped in his own fragmented memories, jumping randomly through moments of his life.

Je T'aime, Je T'aime’s Unique Time Travel Premise Proved to be Highly Influential

Je T'aime, Je T'aime is an early example of using time travel as not just a tool for adventure but as a component for emotional drama. In particular, its surreal exploration of fragmented time travel as a means to revisit memories almost certainly served as a direct influence on Charlie Kaufman's Oscar-winning screenplay for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The movie not only shares a number of plot similarities but also features several subtle homages to Resnais’ 1968 film.

4 'Timecrimes' (2007)

Timecrimes

Release Date

December 12, 2008

Director

Nacho Vigalondo

Cast

Karra Elejalde , Candela Fernández , Barbara Goenaga , Nacho Vigalondo , Juan Inciarte

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

This mind-bending thriller from Spain tells the story of a man who, after coming across a time machine, finds himself becoming entangled in an intricate web of time paradoxes. When attempting to fix mistakes of the past, he soon discovers that his actions tend to lead to unforeseen and often very dark consequences.

Timecrimes Was Critically Acclaimed

Despite not making much of a splash outside its native country of Spain, Timecrimes was a hit with critics. It holds an impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes with many praising its clever storytelling, intricately woven plot, and unique approach to the time travel genre. This was reflected during awards season with it winning Best Picture at Fantastic Fest and the Newcomer Award at the 64th CEC Medals.

3 'Project Almanac' (2015)

Project Almanac

Thriller

Sci-Fi

Release Date

January 28, 2015

Director

Dean Israelite

Cast

Sofia Black-D'Elia , Ginny Gardner , Jonny Weston , Amy Landecker , Katie Garfield , Cameron Corwin Fuller

Project Almanac is presented in the format of a found footage film which tells the story of a group of students who manage to build their own time machine. They try and travel back in time to alter events for their own personal gain but soon realize that their actions in the past have dire consequences in the future.

Expectations Were High for Project Almanac

There was a buzz surrounding Project Almanac in the lead-up to its release and many were excited to witness its fresh take on both the time travel and the found footage genres. However, upon release, reviews were mixed and, despite making a profit, the movie underperformed at the box office. While it may not have been the ground-breaking movie many were hoping for, it’s still an entertaining time-loop romp that provides plenty of thrills.

2 'The Philadelphia Experiment' (2012)

A made-for-TV remake of the 1984 movie of the same name, The Philadelphia Experiment tells the tale of a top secret government experiment that resulted in a WWII naval ship being teleported into the present day. Things get even stranger when a whole host of mysterious goings-on begin occurring aboard the ship. From crew members becoming fused with the ship’s metal structure to others experiencing severe mental disorientation, nothing is as it seems.

The Philadelphia Experiment Is Loosely Based on a Well-Known Urban Legend

The Philadelphia Experiment is an alleged military experiment conducted by the U.S. Navy in 1943, supposedly aimed at making the USS Eldridge, a naval destroyer escort, invisible to enemy detection.

According to the story, scientists attempted to use powerful electromagnetic fields to bend light around the ship, causing it to disappear from sight and radar. However, some accounts claim the experiment had unintended consequences, with the ship and crew experiencing extreme disorientation, and even horrifying reports of sailors being fused to the metal of the ship.

1 'Blood Punch' (2013)

Blood Punch is a hidden indie horror gem that follows the story of a young recovering addict named Milton. After falling for a manipulative woman at rehab, he finds himself caught up in a drug cooking scheme at a remote cabin in the woods. Things go from bad to worse, though, when he discovers he is actually trapped in a nightmarish time loop.

Blood Punch Was a Hit With Horror Fans

Despite being largely ignored by mainstream audiences, Blood Punch was a minor hit within the horror community. It was praised for its tense and foreboding atmosphere, strong acting, and engaging plotline. It won multiple awards including the Dark Matters Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival, the Festival Award for Best Feature Film at the Hoboken International Film Festival and the Jury Award for Best Feature Film at the New Orleans Horror Film Festival.

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