If you’ve been itching to see filmmaker Luc Besson return to something outlandishly sci-fi like his 1997 classic The Fifth Element, then his next film, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, should be of particular interest to you. 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. And now, Besson has revealed some new images from the set, giving us our first look at Clive Owen’s character.

The film looks decidedly insane, and I’m happy to see Besson gleefully back in the saddle on this kind of movie again. Lucy was a bit too self-serious and his sojourns into decidedly different territory with The Family and The Lady didn’t exactly pan out too well. Regardless, it’s funny to see Owen in such an outlandish getup—especially on the heels of the spectacular but dark The Knick—and I am mighty curious to see what this thing will look like once it’s all put together.


For now, check out some of Besson’s set images below via his Facebook.





Here’s the official synopsis for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets:
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.
[caption id="attachment_555423" align="aligncenter" width="394"] valerian-and-the-city-of-a-thousand-planets-dane-dehaan-luc-besson-cara-delevingne Image via EuropaCorp[/caption]