While filmmaker Luc Besson has been busy lately dabbling into a variety of genres, from dark crime comedy The Family to character-driven sci-fi actioner Lucy, he’s returning to blockbuster territory with his latest film, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Based on the long-running French comic Valérian and Laureline, which was first published in 1967, the sci-fi epic stars Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan as special operatives for the government of the human territories charged with maintaining order throughout the universe. The two are tasked with a mission in the intergalactic city of Alpha, which finds them in direct conflict with unforeseen forces that put them in grave danger.
During last night’s MTV Movie Awards, the first footage from Valerian was revealed by way of a behind-the-scenes look at the movie, and it looks pretty wild. Besson is definitely back in Fifth Element territory here, and I’m curious to see what a Luc Besson sci-fi epic looks like in the post-Marvel world, now that audiences are much more accustomed to sci-fi blockbusters. He’s off to a great start with Delevigne in one of the lead roles, and the footage here looks pretty promising.
Take a look below, via MTV. The film also stars Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock and Kris Wu. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets opens in theaters on July 21, 2017.
Here’s the official synopsis for Valerian:
Rooted in the classic graphic novel series, Valerian and Laureline- visionary writer/director Luc Besson advances this iconic source material into a contemporary, unique and epic science fiction saga.
Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are special operatives for the government of the human territories charged with maintaining order throughout the universe. Valerian has more in mind than a professional relationship with his partner- blatantly chasing after her with propositions of romance. But his extensive history with women, and her traditional values, drive Laureline to continuously rebuff him.
Under directive from their Commander (Clive Owen), Valerian and Laureline embark on a mission to the breathtaking intergalactic city of Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis comprised of thousands of different species from all four corners of the universe. Alpha’s seventeen million inhabitants have converged over time- uniting their talents, technology and resources for the betterment of all. Unfortunately, not everyone on Alpha shares in these same objectives; in fact, unseen forces are at work, placing our race in great danger.
