A genre that looks to prosper this year is the sci-fi. In a period of remakes and unnecessary sequels, it’s the science-fiction genre that’s leading the way in terms of originality. Thus it seems that Hollywood’s biggest names all want a piece of the pie with mega stars such as Tom Cruise, Matt Damon and Will Smith all signed up to lead in sci-fi films in 2013.
So set your phaser’s to stun and get your light sabres at the ready as we document the 5 sci-fi movies to look out for this year.
OBLIVION
RELEASE DATE: 12th April
STARRING: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko
FIRST THOUGHTS: Tom Cruise is back baby! Whatever your personal thoughts about the little guy, his Hollywood star power cannot be denied. Oblivion looks to be the most beautiful looking of all the sci-fi’s released this year as Cruise explores around an abandoned Earth that was devastated by an alien war. It looks very post-apocalyptic, almost like The Road or The Book of Eli with the trailer revealing a lot of barren, bleak landscapes. Interestingly, the director is Joseph Kosinski, who helmed Tron Legacy, another uniquely visual sci-fi film.
VERDICT: MUST SEE IN THE CINEMA
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
RELEASE DATE: 17th May
STARRING: Chris Pine, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch
FIRST THOUGHTS: Minus the dodgy lens flares, J.J . Abrams did a stellar job rebooting Star Trek for a new generation and he’s brought the entire cast back for a sequel, Into Darkness. If the rumours are true, Benedict Cumberbatch will be squaring up to our heroes as the villainous Khan, which makes this one of the best ensemble casts in years. However, without a trailer, everything is conjecture. The only concern about this project is the news that it’s in 3D, which could well put potential cinema-goers off. Hopefully an even spread of 2D and 3D showings will be made available for those who want to see the film the ‘traditional’ way.
VERDICT: WAIT FOR A TRAILER
AFTER EARTH
RELEASE DATE: 7th June
STARRING: Will Smith, Jaden Smith
FIRST THOUGHTS: We’re not really feeling Will Smith’s newest project – After Earth. There’s no doubt with Will Smith as the lead, the film will make a lot of money but will it be any good? The trailer, which you can find online, shows a father and son crash landing on a planet that was abandoned 1000 years earlier. The director is none other than, M. Night Shymalan, a man who was once the talk of Hollywood. His last two films (Last Airbender and The Happening) were universally panned and the man’s reputation hasn’t recovered since. Another factor causing trepidation is the casting of Jaden Smith, a casting decision screaming Hollywood nepotism.
VERDICT: WAIT FOR THE DVD RELEASE