The Best Visual Guides to Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies and Television

4/14/2025

I have always been fascinated by the creative process of making movies, video games and television shows. Whether they’re live-action or animated, I will spend hours watching videos and reading about concept and production design, especially for science fiction and fantasy projects.

Some of this may be my interest in art. Still, just as much may stem from the era I grew up in — the 1970s and 80s — when science fiction and fantasy began to break out of the previous eras of low-budget productions with goofy costumes, poor special effects, and papier-mache sets. If there were any notable progenitors for all this, it was probably the original Star Trek (1966-1969) and Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Both demonstrated that science fiction could be sophisticated, mature, and thought-provoking. Both explored themes dealing with social change, environmental concerns, and the complexities of human nature. And both took their art design and production values more seriously, striving to create (more) distinct and believable narratives about the human exploration of space. While Star Trek’s artistic design, in particular, may look dated to modern eyes, in 1966, it raised the bar for television production values despite the limited budget of a weekly series. The very design of the U.S.S. Enterprise — a dramatic and intentional departure from the cigars-with-fins spacecraft of the previous decades — made the vessel one of the most recognizable in popular culture.

From this point, there was no turning back. Audiences might still have to endure a bad script or poor acting, but they would not endure bad production design as patiently. For example, to this day, my son is more wildly critical of a science fiction show or movie that looks bad than one that is bad… This is perhaps why we’ve never seen eye-to-eye on which Star Wars movies are the superior product.

If you also appreciate the art of production design, I have curated some of the best books that capture the process, from concept sketches to fabrication and everything in between.

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Alien: The Archive-The Ultimate Guide to the Classic Movies Book icon by Titan Books

The Art and Making of The Expanse by Titan Books

Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Avengers: Age of Ultron: The Art of the Movie by Jacob Johnston

Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Captain America: The Winter Soldier: The Art of the Movie by Marie Javins

Avatar: The Last Airbender The Art of the Animated Series (Second Edition) by Bryan Konietzko

Batman: The Animated Series: The Phantom City Creative Collection by Mondo

Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Black Panther: The Art of the Movie by Eleni Roussos

DC Cinematic Universe: A Celebration of DC at the Movies by Nick Jones

The Magic of MinaLima Celebrating the Graphic Design Studio Behind the Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts Films by Minalima and Nell Denton

Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Bestiary: A Definitive Guide to the Creatures of the Goblin King's Realm by S.T. Bende

The Lord Of The Rings Sketchbook by Alan Lee

Dune: Exposures by Josh Brolin

This is an incredible hardcover book that combines art and creator commentary to chronicle four seasons of my favorite animated adventure in a galaxy far, far away! In the early days of the rebellion, a tight-knit group of rebels from various backgrounds banded together against all odds to do their part in the larger mission of defeating the Galactic Empire, sparking hope across the galaxy. The award-winning team from Lucasfilm Animation brought the beloved occupants of the Ghost into our homes five years ago. Now, step behind the scenes to witness the journey from paper to screen with The Art of Star Wars Rebels. Featuring never-before-seen concept art and process pieces and exclusive commentary from the creative team behind the show, Dark Horse Books and Lucasfilm proudly present the official look inside one of the galaxy's most beloved shows. MORE >>