UFOs in fiction
Many works of fiction have featured UFOs. In most cases, as the fictional story progresses, the Earth is being invaded by hostile alien forces from outer space, usually from Mars, as depicted in early science fiction, or the people are being destroyed by alien forces, as depicted in the film Independence Day. Some fictional UFO encounters may be based on real UFO reports, such as Night Skies. Night Skies is based on the 1997 Phoenix UFO Incident.
UFOs appear in many forms of fiction other than film, such as video games in the Destroy All Humans! or the X-COM series and Halo series and print, The War of the Worlds or Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu. Typically a small group of people or the military, will fight off the invasion, however the monster Godzilla has fought against many UFOs.
Books
Oahspe: A New Bible - John Ballou Newbrough - First book to use the word Starship long before science-fiction writers conceived of interstellar space travel.The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells - Martian capsules are shot at Earth by aliens on Mars..Radio
- "The War of the Worlds" - 1938 - Radio adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel, notable for inciting panic among some viewers
Films
1930s
Flash Gordon - 1936Buck Rogers - 1939 - ''Planet Outlaws''1940s
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe - 1940 - Purple Death from Outer SpaceThe Purple Monster Strikes - 1945 - D-Day on MarsBruce Gentry - 1949 - possibly contains the first cinematic appearance of a Flying Saucer2020s
Nope - 2022No One Will Save You - 2023Television
UFOs in television programs fall into three basic categories: in-universe real UFOs, hoaxes, and misidentified terrestrial spacecraft.Some shows depicting in-universe real UFOs are: The Outer Limits, The Invaders, The Monkees, The Bionic Woman, Dark Skies, Roswell, Counterfeit Cat, Wonder Woman, V, and The X-Files.
Some hoax stories are: Batman, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Brady Bunch, The Green Hornet, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., Mission: Impossible, and The Wild Wild West.
Earth ships mistaken for UFOs appear in: I Dream of Jeannie, The Munsters, Lost in Space, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..