The multiverse movie genre has exploded in recent years and stories taking place across the dimensions have found success with critics and audiences. In part thanks to the popularity of comic book movies, multiverse movies have been the coin of the realm in action, fantasy, and science fiction storytelling, but there are plenty of notable movies that take place across the dimensions that have nothing to do with superheroes, and came out before the MCU got running. Frightening, wonderous, and thought-provoking, the multiverse can fit in a variety of genres.

While multiverse movies may have elements of time travel, they are not time travel movies. The universes in these films exist side by side and the denizens of each universe come into with each other in the same way. A character who meets themself in a time travel movie is different from a character who meets another version of themself like in a multiverse movie. The best of these films use the multiverse idea as a central theme, exploring how tiny decisions can lead to vastly different outcomes and lives, while also never losing sight of the inherent fun of the setting.

20 Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)

Stephen Strange Saves The Multiverse From The Scarlet Witch

Sam Raimi once again dipped his toes in the superhero movie genre with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022. This sequel to the first Doctor Strange finds the titular Sorcerer Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch) traveling across dimensions and universes to protect Amercia Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) from the vengeful and grief-filled Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). The multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness threatens to buckle under the weight of the many universes it has to explore, but Raimi's direction keeps the film sparkling, as do the performances from the main trio.

19 The Butterfly Effect (2004)

A Morbid Multiverse Tale Starring Ashton Kutcher

The Butterfly Effect follows Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher), a college student who experienced memory loss in his childhood and, in his 20s, finds he can travel through time. He jumps back to his childhood to prevent the traumatic upbringings his friends suffered at the time, but ends up only causing more pain and suffering along the way. It's a bit of a messy movie, and despite Kutcher's performance, collapses under the weight of its many grim multiverses. However, it's a truly unique film in its tone and storytelling, and for that, puts itself in the multiverse hall of fame.

18 Parallel (2018)

A Group Of Friends Learns The Dangers Of Messing With The Multiverse

In Parallel, a group of friends come across an abandoned mirror that offers entry into the multiverse. At first, they see this as a ticket to the top and bring back information from other universes into theirs. However, they slowly come to realize that there is a cost to bringing this information back into their world. While Parallel may not delve as deep into the philosophy of multiverses as many viewers would hope, it's still an exciting and thrilling watch. The fast-paced script and capable performances make for a relatively easy watch in a traditionally complex genre.

17 John Dies At The End (2013)

Two Slackers Figure Out How To Travel Through The Multiverse

An adaptation of the 2007 novel of the same name by David Wong, John Dies at the End is a comedy horror film that follows two college dropout buddies, John (Rob Mayes) and Dave (Chase Williamson), who stumble across a new type of street drug called "Soy Sauce". The concoction transports its s into different dimensions but also allows interdimensional creatures to follow them back to their own universe. It's darkly funny, a mish-mash of genres, and purposefully incoherent at points, but John Dies At the End is a wild ride all the way through.

16 The One (2001)

Jet Li Goes Up Against Himself To Save The World

In The One, Gabriel Yulaw (Jet Li) is a rogue agent of the MultiVerse Authority (MVA), which polices interdimensional travel. Yulaw wants to kill all other versions of himself to become a mythical super-being known as "The One". Pursuing Yulaw is Gabe Law, a Los Angeles police officer also played by Li who teams up with MVA agent, Evan Funsch (Jason Statham). Jet Li manages to carry the movie with his spectacular stunt work, and impressive acting as two different versions of the same character. Cheesy and fun, The One is a classic of arch multiverse movies.

15 Hostile Dimensions (2023)

Found Footage And The Multiverse

Hostile Dimensions is a found footage horror movie that follows two documentary filmmakers who travel through the multiverse to find out the truth about a graffiti artist who suddenly vanished. The filmmakers stumble upon a door with the power to send them to any dimension and in these worlds, they discover a dark and horrifying truth. Hostile Dimensions is not the most well-known multiverse movie, but it's filled with wit, charm, and plenty of scares that strike the perfect tone between campy and genuinely horrifying.

14 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)

More Universes Are Explored In The Second Part

The second Lego movie, aptly titled The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, retains the creative energy, amiable charm, and winking humor that made the first film a success. There are diminishing returns for the second Lego movie, particularly considering it's the fourth Lego movie in the franchise, but it still holds up incredibly well. Emmett Brickowski (Chris Pratt) is back and travels through even more universes to deal with the coming apocalypse, "Armamageddon". The growing multiverse of the Lego world is incredibly impressive, even if it starts to become unwieldy.

13 The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)

Dr. Banzai Is Ahead Of His Time In This Wild Adventure

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, usually shortened to Buckaroo Banzai, is a science fiction comedy starring Peter Weller as Dr. Buckaroo Banzai, a polymath who saves the world from interdimensional aliens known as Red Lectroids. Buckaroo Banzai is a zany and unusual film that was probably a bit too ahead of its time. While it's a parody of other ridiculous science fiction movies, it would take some time for that message to come across. Now, it's obviously a smart and devoted send-up of other space adventures from the era.

12 Last Action Hero (1993)

A Multiverse Send-Up Of Classic Action Movies

A sharp and loving satire of the action genre, Last Action Hero stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Jack Slater, an LA police detective and fictional character in the Jack Slater film series, a film within a film. When a young boy, Danny Madigan (Austin O'Brien), is transported to the movie universe and the movie series' antagonist, Mr. Benedict (Charles Dance), is transported to the real world; multiverses collide. It's a delightfully silly action movie that strikes the perfect tone between camp and legitimate action, while also creating an interconnected multiverse of film history.

11 Coherence (2013)

Eight Friends Gather For A Night That Turns On Its Head

In Coherence, a group of eight friends gather for a dinner party on the night when a comet, Miller's Comet, is supposed to overhead. Once it does, the eight friends realize something is amiss. Soon, they discover that the comet has split their reality into alternate multiverses. A tense and thoughtful thriller, Coherence uses excellent performances and a tight script to create something truly compelling that questions basic assumptions about reality and how well people know one another. The twists don't stop until the end, but none feel cheap.