Blade Runner is one of the most iconic cyberpunk movies ever made, and not only did the world expand with a 2017 sequel, but the series Blade Runner 2099 is being developed for Amazon Prime Video. The show has tons of potential, as Amazon throws so much money into its productions, and it could bring the cyberpunk world to the small screen.

Redditors have been quick to debate which cyberpunk movies are the very best. There are so many movies in the subgenre; users have named classics, leftfield choices, a movie that's almost a hundred years old, and even the goofiest cyberpunk movies are beloved.

Metropolis (1927)

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Metropolis (1927) Directed by Fritz Lang

Devilb0y points to an almost 100-year-old movie, Metropolis, as the best-ever cyberpunk movie. The Redditor comments, "I would recommend Metropolis as an amazing entry point. It pre-dates Cyberpunk by about 60 years, but the lofty; futuristic; art deco city vistas it depicts are undoubtedly an influence on basically all terrestrial science fiction."

Having been released in 1927, Metropolis might be the very first cyberpunk movie. The film isn't full of leather jackets or neon lights, and it wasn't even shot in color, but it does have that classic gothic aesthetic and is also set in the distant future. It's also about the advancement of technology that might be doing as much damage to civilization as good.

The Matrix (1999)

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Neo flying in The Matrix

The Matrix is the quintessential cyberpunk movie. It has an alluring aesthetic, and it the narrative with technology is at the forefront. Though it's a philosophical topic that has been discussed for centuries, the idea of reality being a simulation was a completely original concept for a movie, and it was handled intelligently all while delivering spectacular action sequences.

IWantSpaceships makes a great point, noting, "William Gibson called The Matrix 'the ultimate cyberpunk artifact.' And he would know." Gibson is a science fiction writer and essentially created the cyberpunk subgenre with his now-classic novel, 1984's Neuromancer.

Strange Days (1995)

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Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett in Strange Days

A lot of creative science fiction movies came out of the 1990s, whether it's The Matrix or the mind-bending science fiction film 12 Monkeys, but one that's significantly underrated is Strange Days. Reddit user Drelow specifically cites the 1995 film as the best cyberpunk release, simply crediting the director, stating, "Strange Days from Bigelow."

Kathryn Bigelow is one of the best action directors there is, and her fluid sequences are on full display in the science fiction flick. But the movie's big appeal is the concept, as a man tries to uncover a sex worker's murderer by watching her memories, and the idea that is so inherently cyberpunk.

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

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Keanu Reeves in the 2006 movie A Scanner Darkly.

This user thinks the Keanu Reeves-starring A Scanner Darkly is one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever, mentioning, "Definitely recommend it, the style is weird and awesome." One thing that the 2006 movie does that no other cyberpunk film has, and hardly any other film in history has for that matter, is rotoscoping. Rotoscoping is the process of coloring over footage of a movie, and it gives the film a strange look that feels both cartoonish and realistic. And it fits the bizarre sci-fi flick so well.

Reeves clearly has a specific kind of genre he's most interested in. Along with the Matrix series and A Scanner Darkly, the actor also starred in the inherent cyberpunk film Johnny Mnemonic. The celebrated actor's filmography is full of creative and aesthetically pleasing futuristic sci-fi flicks, and A Scanner Darkly is one of many.

The Animatrix (2003)

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Ac519 thinks The Animatrix is the best cyberpunk movie, even better than its live-action counterparts. The Redditor posits, "Animatrix is a wonderful DVD of anime movies that explore the Matrix and its origin." But with it being animated, the movie manages to indulge in the aesthetic even more, as it's even more neon and even more leather-clad than the theatrically released film.

And as it's an anthology movie that's made up of different stories set before, during, and after the war with the machines, audiences get to see all sorts of variations of the cyberpunk vibe. Given how inventive the 2003 animation is, many fans of the series think Animatrix 2 should be the next Matrix project.

Blade Runner (1982)

Shot of a city skyline in Blade Runner

Kris-Kringle points to one of the most accomplished cyberpunk films ever as the best, calling Blade Runner the best because of how influential it was. The Redditor suggests, "Sci-fi movies after it copied/are still copying the visual style 37 years later." During a time when filmmakers were trying to recreate the magic and spectacle of Star Wars, director Ridley Scott delivered a dark, quiet, and hypnotic sci-fi film full of imaginative concepts.

The follow-up, Blade Runner 2049, which follows the original by 35 years, is one of the best legacy sequels ever made too. Though the sequel isn't as influential as the original, it totally doubles down on the cyberpunk themes. The movie is full of giant holograms in the night sky and is almost like a cyberpunk fan's fever dream.

Total Recall (2012)

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Total Recall remake Collin Farrell

Philip K. Dick novels make fantastic cyberpunk movies, as not only is A Scanner Darkly based on one of the author's books, and not only is Blade Runner based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, but Total Recall is based on one of Dick's novels too. However, while the 1990 film is incredible, that's not the one that this user refers to when they call it the best cyberpunk movie ever.

The Redditor prefers the remake, noting, "I would definitely recommend the modern remake of Total Recall for those who have not seen it. The opening 45 minutes or so, set in future Australia, has to be some of the best Cyberpunk aesthetic I've ever seen in a movie." The Total Recall remake has a lot of problems, specifically the fact that being rated PG-13 means it loses a lot of the original's appeal, but when it comes to visuals alone, it looks spectacular.

Equilibrium (2002)

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Clownprinceofscotch points to a movie from the 2000s that's all but forgotten despite its A-list cast, Equilibrium. The film is one of many sci-fi movies released in the early 2000s that was greenlit as a reaction to the overwhelming success of The Matrix, and the Redditor admits that it isn't perfect.

However, it's great for anyone looking for a fun cyberpunk movie, and the user comments, "I've been on the fence on this one, but I lean that thematically this movie is very cyberpunk." Though Equilibirum was never going to win any awards, any sci-fi fan would find the action, cinematography, and interesting dystopian concept entertaining.

Dredd (2012)

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Dredd aims a gun in Dredd

As it's now 10 years old, it's safe to say that Dredd has become a cult classic. The movie bombed when it was first released, but it has grown such a strong following in the time since. v13ragnarok7 thinks the 2012 release is one of the best cyberpunk movies ever, noting, "I wish this movie became a franchise."

The film is extremely underrated and the Redditor isn't the only one who wants to see more movies set in this world. Most fans want to see a Dredd 2, but it was almost an impossibility that a sequel would ever get greenlit based on the box office gross. However, with its constantly increasing fanbase's voice getting louder, a legacy sequel seeing the light of day shouldn't be ruled out completely.

Ghost In The Shell (1995)

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Ghost in the Shell anime movie key art featuring the cyborg Motoko Kusanagi.

Though the Scarlett Johansson-starring Ghost in the Shell was released in 2017 to tepid reviews, WhatuDeserve is referring to the 1995 animated original film as the best cyberpunk movie. The Redditor comments, "I feel it most accurately predicts the future of man's relationship to technology."

According to The Guardian, the Wachowskis were hugely influenced by the 1995 animated film when making The Matrix, and even directly lifted the digital rain from the film's opening credits. Even though there are so many great live-action cyberpunk movies, if fans want truly original sci-fi films with that aesthetic, anime is a treasure trove for it. Along with Ghost in the Shell, Akira is a fantastic and original animated cyberpunk movie, and there are loads more just like them too.

NEXT: 7 Other Movies That Influenced The Matrix Franchise