The Sci-Fi Romance Dubbed “Titanic in Space” Surges on Streaming Charts

5 days ago 9

Michael Sheen as a bartender, cleans a glass with a rag in Passengers

Published Feb 22, 2026, 7:20 PM EST

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The most ambitious sci-fi romance of the 21st century has quietly landed in the MGM+ Top 10, proving that sometimes streaming is the ultimate redemption arc. Once described by a reviewer as “Titanic in space,” the film has resurfaced as a glossy, bingeable curiosity that viewers are apparently more willing to embrace in 2026 than they were in 2016.

Directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Jon Spaihts, Passengers stars Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence as two colonists aboard a luxury spaceship traveling to a distant planet. Set on the spaceship Avalon during a 120-year voyage to a new colony planet, the story follows Jim (Pratt), a mechanical engineer who’s accidentally awakened from hibernation 90 years too early. Facing a lifetime of solitude, Jim eventually wakes up fellow passenger Aurora (Lawrence), a decision that essentially condemns her to the same fate — without her consent.

Yep, it's as creepy as it sounds. But it’s a high-concept, visually stunning, star-driven spectacle that gives viewers something to talk about. The supporting cast includes Michael Sheen as the ship’s android bartender, Arthur, and Laurence Fishburne as a crew member who awakens later in the crisis.

Is 'Passengers' Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that Passengers is a film split between two identities — a compelling sci-fi romance that works and a bolted-on space thriller that doesn’t — and the clash between those halves ultimately holds it back from greatness. Perri Nemiroff highlighted the ethical dilemma that Jim faces as the film’s strongest element. With two charismatic leads whose chemistry feels natural and lived-in, the emotional tension between them becomes genuinely unsettling and fascinating.

"Pratt and Lawrence deliver huge, almost instantly inspiring you to root for them, and Michael Sheen makes for a delightful supporting character - the ship’s resident android bartender, Arthur. There’s also loads to be praised on the technical front, particularly the stunning visuals from cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, and the score from Thomas Newman which adds a great deal to the atmosphere of the film. Tyldum had all the pieces necessary to deliver something engrossing and highly unique, and that makes it especially unfortunate that ill-fitting action detracts so significantly from the experience."

Passengers is streaming now on MGM+.