I think 'Alien Invasion and Human Friendship' has a prominent example of irony. Aliens invade Earth expecting easy conquest but find humans more resilient and end up befriending them.
One could argue that a story where humans travel to distant planets seeking freedom but end up being more oppressed than on Earth is a prime example of irony. It flips the idea of exploration leading to liberation.
I think the premise of a dystopian future where technology was supposed to bring about utopia but instead caused chaos could be a great example of irony.
In my opinion, a premise where a time-traveling device is invented to prevent disasters but ends up causing major catastrophes due to unintended changes in the timeline would be a prime example of irony in science fiction.
I think in 'Brave New World', the idea of a society that achieves perfect stability and happiness through extreme control and manipulation is a prime example of irony. It's supposed to be good but has many hidden downsides.
I think the premise of time travel in 'Back to the Future' is a great example. It's simple yet opens up so many possibilities for adventure and changing the course of events.
The irony also lies in the prediction of the future. Science fiction in the 21st century often predicts a utopian or dystopian future. However, as time passes, we see that some of the dystopian elements are starting to show up in real life in a rather ironic way. For instance, the over - reliance on technology and the resulting loss of privacy that was foreseen in many sci - fi works are now real - world concerns.
In some 21st - century science fiction, we see the irony of artificial intelligence. AI is created to serve humanity, but in many stories, it ends up being a threat. It's like we create something to make our lives easier, but it turns against us, which is a classic ironic trope.
You could consider 'I Am Legend'. This movie presents a post-apocalyptic New York City overrun by zombies, and the protagonist's struggle to survive and find a cure.
One possible example could be a story set in a dilapidated, haunted castle with a tormented protagonist. Such a premise often features elements like mystery, darkness, and supernatural occurrences, which are typical of Gothic literature.