Moviefone Editorial

Tag: sci-fi

  • ‘Alien: Covenant’ Gets Earlier Release Date, Creepy New Poster

    Much like you’d expect from real extraterrestrials, “Alien: Covenant” is popping up without much warning.

    20th Century Fox revealed Wednesday that the film — the second in the Alien prequel series — has been pushed up by almost three months. “Covenant” is now set to land in theaters on May 19 instead of Aug. 4. The news came with a bonus as well: a creepy teaser poster with the simple warning “Run.”
    “Covenant” could face stiff competition during its new opening weekend. The film will now open against the “Baywatch” reboot, starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, among other movies. Nonetheless, “Covenant” has a lot of ingredients for success. The sci-fi flick bring back Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender as their respective “Prometheus” characters, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and the android David. Their galactic adventures will continue with newcomers Billy Crudup, Katherine Waterston, Demian Bichir, and Danny McBride.

    Catch the Ridley Scott-helmed “Alien: Covenant” in theaters on May 19.

    [via: 20th Century Fox/Twitter]

  • 7 Alien Encounters That Gave Us All The Feels

    First contact with an extra-terrestrial can be out-of-this world emotional. Here are seven alien encounters that made us feel a galaxy of feelings.

  • The ‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ Trailer Will Blow Your Mind

    It’s very easy to say that something is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, especially since it’s very rare that something (especially a major motion picture) can be all that different. But after watching the trailer for Luc Besson‘s upcoming sci-fi extravaganza “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” it’s very clear that the movie, which opens next summer, will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne in Valerian and the City of a Thousand PlanetsIf you’ve never heard of “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” you’ve still probably been exposed to it (at least tangentially) — the French comic books that the film is based on (Jean-Claude Mézières and Pierre Christin) are said to have influenced George Lucas when he was crafting the “Star Wars” series. So, you know, there’s that. Based on this teaser trailer, though, it’s a lot more outrageous, wacky, and fun than anything George cooked up.

    The trailer is brief and mostly dialogue-free. There’s a truly incredible song backing the action that will probably blow your mind when you hear it, but Besson asked that we keep it a secret (for now). But pretty much from the very beginning your jaw will be on the floor. This movie looks like it crams an almost incalculable amount of science fiction-y stuff in it: robots, aliens (dozens of different species), monsters, glittering futuristic cities, spaceships (the main characters’ signature ride was designed with the help of Lexus), characters running on beams of energy, different planets, and, of course, ray guns. There’s one shot that’s looking down towards the city and I swear to god there are flying carpets zooming past. (For those wondering, the majority of the visual effects were split between Weta and Industrial Light & Magic.)Alpha Space Station Docking Bay Extras K-Tron Warriors sets from "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"You get a sense of the playful, almost-romantic banter between intergalactic peace-keeping agents Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne), without ever getting into the narrative nitty gritty. And almost as eye-popping as the various aliens, spaceships, and robots, is an appearance by a positively radiant Rihanna, who as we all know is so perfect she might as well be an android.

    At the end of the tease comes a very delicious tag line: “A universe without boundaries needs heroes without limits.” Aaaaaand is it Summer 2017 yet?

    After watching the trailer, we mingled with Besson, who was on hand to answer any questions and also to have some wine and cheese with a small assortment of journalist (he’s French, after all!) The filmmaker said of “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” “It’s my dream sci-fi movie.” And there’s a sense that he has been working towards this film his entire career — “The Fifth Element,” which will be 20 years old by the time “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” hits the big screen, felt like an initial stab at this kind of material. It, too, was inspired by French comic books (Mézières was often cited) and had a similarly decadent, larger-than-life aesthetic (those Jean Paul Gaultier costumes!)

    But it’s not just “The Fifth Element” that “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” calls to mind. There’s also echoes of the absurdist humor that ran through things like “Angel-A” and “The Family,” and the kind of harmonious one-love message of his brilliant “Lucy,” which was sort of like Terrence Malick’s contemplative “Tree of Life” but remade as a late-night direct-to-Cinemax action movie. And someone from Besson’s EuropaCorp told us that the original comic books that inspired “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” have largely informed Besson’s entire career, from the way he writes rat-a-tat dialogue between actors to his fascination with a strong female central character.Star Dane DeHaan, director Luc Besson and star Cara Delevingne team up for EuropaCorp's Valerian and the City of a Thousand PlanetsWhen I asked Besson about Alexandre Desplat‘s score for the film (which, honestly, seems like an odd tonal fit considering the composer’s rather somber proclivities), since it was announced that he would be handling the music shortly after leaving similar duties on “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Besson said he hadn’t heard anything yet. “He starts this week,” Besson explained. So while things that he had been tinkering with for “Star Wars” could end up in the mix for “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (and given how long Desplat was a part of “Rogue One,” that seems likely), Besson hasn’t heard a note.

    Besson has secured the rights to nine of the comic books in the series and will have a script for the second film by the time “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” hits screens next summer (a trilogy has been fully mapped out, as of now), so if the movie turns out to be as awe-inspiring as the trailer suggests, there should be a lot more from the franchise coming your way very soon.

    But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, here; for now let’s all get really excited about “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” (Between this and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Summer 2017 is going to be full of really crazy space operas.)

    If two minutes of “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” leaves you borderline speechless, imagine what the whole movie will do.

  • ‘Life’ Trailer: Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal Have a Scary Alien Encounter

    A new giant leap for mankind may have disastrous consequences for Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal.

    Sony Pictures Entertainment has released the official trailer for the upcoming sci-fi flick “Life,” and it makes life aboard the International Space Station look pretty terrifying. When the crew — played by Reynolds, Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Olga Dihovichnaya, Ariyon Bakare, and Hiroyuki Sanada — discover life on Mars, they get much more than they bargained for.

    The preview shows the ET encounter going horribly, horribly wrong. It’s unclear exactly what the life form does, but we can definitely see it is dangerous because everything seems to go to hell in a handbasket after it contacts one of the crew members. There are literal fires to put out, the crew are at odds with one another, and, oh, yeah, they’re in space, so everything is more dangerous.

    Watch the chaos unfold below.

    “Life” is slated to open on May 24, 2017.

  • HBO’s ‘Westworld’ Explores Eerie Dreams in New NSFW Trailer

    Evan Rachel Wood in WestworldHBO is set to blur fantasy and reality in its eerie new sci-fi series, “Westworld,” when the show debuts in October. In the meantime, the latest trailer has dropped, showing off the twisted drama to come.

    The preview starts out innocently enough. There’s a beautiful couple, a Western town, and talk of dreams. That changes pretty quickly, though. Before we know it, Dolores (played by Evan Rachel Wood) is being questioned — naked, mind you — by Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins).

    From there, it’s off to the races. The trailer contains an orgy, blood, and some terrifying violence — basically, all of the controversial elements that have been buzzed about in the run-up to the series premiere. Not surprisingly HBO labeled the trailer as “mature,” aka probably NSFW.

    Check it out for yourself below.
    The series’ stellar cast also includes Ed Harris, Tessa Thompson, James Marsen, Thandie Newton, and more. “Westworld” premieres on HBO on Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. ET.

  • Best TV Shows for Sci-Fi Fans

    The 100In the same way “Game of Thrones” made fantasy cool again, the return of classic franchises like “Battlestar Galactica” has brought sci-fi back to mainstream audiences in the form of big budget, concept-heavy prime time TV shows. If you’re a sci-fi fan looking to delve deeper into the genre or a newbie ready to check out the fundamentals of TV science fiction, check out these shows — and buckle up for some journeys into time, space, and other dimensions.

    ‘The 100’ (2014 – )

    “The 100” (pronounced “The Hundred”) is a post-apocalyptic drama that borrows heavily from predecessors like “Lost” and “The Walking Dead” — only this time, the band of survivors is made up of teenage delinquents exiled from a space station thought to be humanity’s last refuge from nuclear war. Naturally, when they return to Earth, they find they’re not alone — and the fun of “The 100” lies in the conflicts between the surviving factions. Like most shows on the CW, there’s as much crying as there is action, but it works for “The 100,” and the show remains grounded (no pun intended) by the harsh realities of post-apocalyptic survival. More fun than “The Hunger Games” and less brutal than “Lord of the Flies,” “The 100” is great at keeping the pressure on and bringing its audience back each week.

    ‘Doctor Who’ (2005 – )

    “Doctor Who” is a science fiction institution — the BBC show has been on and off the air for more than 50 years, as well as kept alive in audio plays, comic books, novels, and of course, fan fiction. The show follows the Doctor, a brilliant yet goofy Time Lord traveling throughout space and time with a human companion, righting the wrongs of the universe one episode at a time. While “Doctor Who” is grounded in traditional sci-fi — the Doctor is no stranger to aliens, time-travel paradoxes, or space battles — above all else, the show is mostly lighthearted and fun. What’s more, “Doctor Who” has one of the largest international fan bases of any show, so wherever you are, there are likely to be hardcore fans — dubbed Whovians — nearby.

    ‘Rick and Morty’ (2013 – )

    Don’t let the playful animation fool you: “Rick and Morty” is a dark, cynical, and hilarious sci-fi show that follows the adventures of a genius alcoholic sociopath and his idiot grandson. Created by Community”) and Justin Roiland, “Rick and Morty” has become a sci-fi classic as the pair explores multiple dimensions, space, and the occasional high school dance. Guest voices, including Stephen Colbert, David Cross, and Werner Herzog, delightfully augment off-the-wall characters. And be sure to keep watching after the credits — each episode closes with a coda that takes a grim joke from the story even further.

    ‘Firefly’ (2002 – 2003)

    Perhaps the most beloved sci-fi show in recent memory, “Firefly” is Star Trek,” half “Gunsmoke” — while it’s set in space, many of the costumes and story lines recall classic Westerns, giving the show a futuristic-but-timeless feel. Audiences rallied for the show after its cancellation, which eventually led to the follow-up feature film “Serenity.” Even so, unsatisfied, passionate fans (who refer to themselves as “Browncoats”) still circulate petitions around the internet begging producers to revive “Firefly,” and cast reunion panels are the crown jewels of Comic-Cons lucky enough to host them.

    ‘Quantum Leap’ (1989 – 1993)

    “Quantum Leap” told the story of Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula), a scientist lost in time, occupying other people’s lives. In each episode, Sam had to be someone new and work to fix a problem in that person’s life in order to make his next leap — forever hoping he would someday leap home. The show was satisfying both as a sci-fi show and a mystery show — the drama revolved around protecting the timeline of history as much as it did keeping the audience wondering who was controlling where Sam leaped. After garnering four Emmys and a cult following, “Quantum Leap” ended with a finale that was well earned and worth the wait.

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  • The British TV Show Invasion: 7 Reasons You Should Watch ‘Doctor Who’ Now

    doctor who“Doctor Who” is one of the longest-running franchises in all of space and time — it’s been on TV, radio, and bookshelves for more than 50 years, so there’s a lot to dig into. With such a long history, you can join in on the fun anywhere, anytime. Here are the best reasons to join the Doctor in his time machine/spaceship, the TARDIS, for adventures throughout the space-time continuum.

    1. You Can Start Anywhere

    Every fan has an opinion about the best place to start watching “Doctor Who.” Some argue for beginning with the 1964 black-and-white series, and others advocate for jumping in with the more modern 2005 version of the franchise — affectionately known as “Nu Who.” Although “Doctor Who” is full of canonical rules, backstories, and in-jokes, most episodes are intended as standalone stories about the Doctor and his companions running into adventures throughout space and time. Really: You can pick almost any episode and find an enjoyable, one-off, thoughtful sci-fi feature that doesn’t require a lot of previous knowledge. All you need to know is that the Doctor is a Time Lord with a penchant for dragging humans on his escapades, and he has a knack for finding trouble — and saving the day.

    2. There Are Plenty of Doctors to Choose From

    Thirteen different actors have played the role of Doctor Who — the Doctor doesn’t die, he merely regenerates into a new incarnation of himself, allowing others to play the part — and each actor puts his own spin on the role. Whether you prefer David Tennant‘s passion, Matt Smith‘s boyish charm, or Peter Capaldi‘s measured wit, it won’t take long to claim one as your favorite — most fans even go so far as to claim a favorite as “my Doctor.”

    3. It’s Got Plenty of Romance …

    Although he’s thousands of years older than most of the people and creatures he meets, the Doctor has been known to find himself in the midst of numerous romantic entanglements. Whether it’s a brief romantic-comedy fling with Queen Elizabeth, endless flirtation with his companions, or a heist with his occasional wife, River Song — who has been played by several actresses, most often the wickedly charming Alex Kingston — “Doctor Who” always packs in the banter, affection, and classic will-they-or-won’t-they scenarios.

    4. … And a Lot of Action, Too

    Despite being a pacifist, the Doctor always manages to get himself into tense, fast-paced scenarios that leave viewers’ hearts racing. He’s saved Earth from alien invasions — both from the sky and underground — defended entire galaxies from his archrivals the Daleks, and even managed to stop entire wars. The Doctor has a host of catchphrases, but with the nearly nonstop action on the show, the most enduring is “Run!”

    5. The Doctor Who Spinoffs Are Just as Good

    “Doctor Who” has given rise to several spinoff series, most notably “Torchwood” — an anagram of “Doctor Who” — a “The Sarah Jane Adventures” is the most family-friendly spinoff, featuring one of his former companions and her exploits. In addition, the show “Class” will premiere later in 2016, and is aimed at the young adult crowd — show-runner Steven Moffat even describes it as a “British Buffy [the Vampire Slayer].”

    6. It’s Good on TV, and Even Better at the Movies

    Once or twice a year, Doctor Who fans can enjoy the treat of seeing their favorite episodes on the big screen, often in specialized 3-D versions. Most recently, the epic two-part Season 8 finale was shown in theaters nationwide, proving that the Doctor is even more of a spectacle in three dimensions. The 2015 Christmas special, “The Husbands of River Song,” was also a cinematic delight for fans.

    7. There’s Always More to Binge

    Normally, binge-watching a show inevitably means getting to the end, but with “Doctor Who,” there’s always more to watch, read, or listen to. Most of the actors from the TV show continue playing their roles in the countless audiobooks and radio plays that fans continue to gobble up. Whether you’re ready for a foray into classic ’60s “Doctor Who” or just want more time with your own favorite Doctor, there are enough stories to satisfy any fan for a lifetime.

    Sources

  • The 21 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix Right Now

    %Slideshow-373323%Stop everything: “Blade Runner” was just added to Netflix. This densely-layered sci-fi classic from Ridley Scott is one we’ll happily watch and rewatch in any version.

    It’s just one of several gems of the genre you can stream right now, including Jodie Foster seeking alien life in “Contact” and the mind-bending indie “Primer.” From “Star Trek” to “Galaxy Quest,” we got you covered.

  • 27 Sci-Fi Movie Mistakes That Only a Time Machine Can Fix

    %Slideshow-2921% A big budget doesn’t always guarantee a perfect movie — especially when special effects are involved.

    Some of the biggest sci-fi movies of the past four decades are littered with plot holes, continuity errors, and, in some cases, blatant gaffes. For all you purists out there, here’s a roundup of some of the sci-fi genre’s most noticeable movie mistakes.

    As usual, all photos are courtesy of MovieMistakes.com.sci-fi movie mistakes

  • 7 Inventions From Animated TV Shows & Movies That Are Real Now

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    We still don’t have time travel or flying cars, but a surprising number of inventions featured in animated movies and TV shows are now real. You can chat with your boss via Skype (just like George Jetson!) and there are real-life Wall-E’s out there cleaning out oil pipelines as we speak. And how many of you felt like Kim Possible after you splurged on that Apple Watch?

    Here are some of our favorite high-tech gadgets from “Super Friends,” “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “The Simpsons” that now (or will very, very soon) exist.inventions in animated movies and tv shows