6 Best Body Snatchers and Alien Doppelganger Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 19, 2026

Being replaced by an identical, emotionless duplicate is a Cold War fear that never really went away. Invasion of the Body Snatchers shows up twice, in 1956 and 1978, the later one with San Francisco residents being swapped out. The Thing has an Antarctic team hunted by a shapeshifter, The Faculty swaps the teachers, and Invaders from Mars and It Came from Outer Space bring the retro flavor.

The Faculty (1998)

TMDB ★ 6.2

High school students find out their teachers have been secretly replaced by parasitic alien invaders.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez · 1h 44m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Invaders from Mars (1986)

TMDB ★ 5.7

A young boy discovers his parents and neighbours have been secretly taken over by invading Martians.

Directed by Tobe Hooper · 1h 40m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Artiflix · Rent: Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Thing (1982)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 85% Metacritic 57

A shapeshifting alien picks off an Antarctic research team one paranoid reveal at a time.

Directed by John Carpenter · 1h 49m · Rated R

1 win & 5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A health inspector discovers San Francisco residents are being secretly replaced by alien duplicates.

Directed by Philip Kaufman · 1h 56m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A small-town doctor discovers his neighbours are being secretly replaced by emotionless duplicates.

Directed by Don Siegel · 1h 20m

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

It Came from Outer Space (1953)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A stranded alien crew disguises itself as townspeople to secretly repair their crashed spaceship.

Directed by Jack Arnold · 1h 20m

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Cultpix, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Body Snatchers and Alien Doppelganger Movies

The Faculty (1998)

Invaders from Mars (1986)

The Thing (1982)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

It Came from Outer Space (1953)

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