All things from the internet relating to design, SEO and the cosmos at large.
Check out this nice little science experiment.
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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Help find a cure!!
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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Amazing 3D mapping!
Just WOW!!!! Is this the future of stage shows! I hope so 
Love it!
….WOW!
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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Classic – Love this one!
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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“Men are not as good looking as they think!”
Hahaha – great parody.
“His eyes were kind of …rapey”
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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An amazing ad from Dove – Talk about connecting with the target audience!
Inspiring and beautiful approach to aligning a product to such a significant part of the human spirit – emotive indeed.
Hat’s off to Dove and the ad agency involved. Nice work!
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For all lovers and hater of the #hash tag – check this out. #igramers and #igers will find it particularly amusing.
#random (sorry)
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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I couldn’t resit – re-posting this epic list of coming Sci-Fi fliks (yet to be fully digested by me)
Originally from http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/a-new-era-of-sci-fi-is-upon-us/3/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_51271 – Check it out!
Welcome to what we’ve unceremoniously dubbed the “big ass list of upcoming sci-fi movies” for 2013 and beyond. While researching and writing the editorial, we collected (in chronological order based on the expected release) a complete list of any/all upcoming science fiction projects. That includes a few horror and post-apocalyptic crossovers, but mostly anything that is true sci-fi in a more cosmic sense. It’s not only important, but kind of fascinating, to get a glimpse at the future of sci-fi in one big helping – which is why we wanted to share this. Here are all the reasons why we’re so enthusiastic about this new era that we’re in.
Looking ahead, here is our definitive list of over 60+ upcoming sci-fi projects currently in the works at this moment. These are the upcoming batch of movies that will push the genre further than its been before.
Andrew Niccol’s The Host
Expected this Weekend
An adaptation of the young adult series by Twilight author Stephanie Meyer about an extraterrestrial threat that takes over human bodies and minds, erasing their memories, from the director of Gattaca, S1im0ne and In Time. The first of many young adult sci-fi movies following The Hunger Games, with the Twilight demographic shifting to sci-fi and away from vampires and werewolves (finally). I just hope it doesn’t water down the rest of the genre, but I’m not too worried. Watch the final trailer for The Host if you’re interested.
Joseph Kosinski’s Oblivion
Expected in April
The second feature from sci-fi filmmaker Joe Kosinski (of Tron Legacy), this time envisioning a futuristic world where humans have been driven off Earth to space stations above a desolate planet. Tom Cruise stars with Olga Kurylenko and Morgan Freeman. Kosinski is one of the most innovative sci-fi directors around, and I’ve got a feeling this might be something spectacular, with a brand new M83 soundtrack, too. I can’t wait to see it, and it might just be the first sensational sci-fi hit of 2013 as long as everything turns out. You can watch the latest trailer for Kosinski’s Oblivion here and listen to a sample of the M83 score as well. We should also mention Joe Kosinski is still attached to remake The Black Hole for Disney at some point.
Shane Black’s Iron Man 3
Expected in May
This Marvel Studios sequel can barely be classified sci-fi, but we’re including it mostly because of director Shane Black, who has said that he’s focusing on the technology in this one. And since the technology Tony Stark (still Robert Downey Jr.) uses can certainly be classified as sci-fi, especially Hulkbuster armor and a remote-controlled armory (seen in the trailer), it’s more than worthy of being mentioned. I’m not sure the plot in this will break out into the Marvel cosmic universe yet, but it might. Even if it doesn’t, I’m sure this will be a great time at the movies anyway. Take a look at the tech action in the latest Iron Man 3 trailer here.
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness
Expected in May
“Tell me this is going to work…” We’ve already seen enough kick ass trailers and action-packed footage to know that director J.J. Abrams has definitely kicked things up a notch with the sequel to his 2009 revival of the Star Trek franchise. Some old school fans have recently come out complaining about how this isn’t the Trek they know, but I trust Abrams is staying true to the core values of Roddenberry’s universe, while upgrading it in exciting and contemporary ways. Exactly what this genre needs to stay fresh and continue to evolve. It’s great to see Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto back as Kirk and Spock, but I think we’re most excited to see if Benedict Cumberbatch is badass enough on his own to become a legendary sci-fi villain.
M. Night Shyamalan’s After Earth
Expected in June
Forget about M. Night Shyamalan for the moment, this is the new sci-fi project from a screenplay written by Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli) featuring a concept that is just downright cool. A spaceship crash lands on Earth a thousand years in the future, encountering a completely different environment overrun by animals and perhaps another threat. There will be twists and turns, but the big one we already know – it’s Earth all along. Which is why I’m curious to find out what’s there and what Will and his son Jaden Smith have to go through. Despite Shyamalan’s recent downfall, the trailers look fantastic and I’m genuinely excited for it.
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg’s This is The End
Expected in June
Formerly known as Jay and Seth Vs. the Apocolapyse. One of the few big comedies branching into sci-fi by way of the world ending, the apocalypse arriving, with alien invaders, giant monsters, or whatever else they decide to throw in. The idea for this is what makes it great – all the actors are playing themselves attending a party at James Franco’s house only to realize the apocalypse has arrived. Seth Rogen is directing a script he co-wrote with Evan Goldberg, starring him and James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Michael Cera, Danny McBride, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, plus plenty of other celebrity guests. This will be the perfect comedy relief in the middle of a summer packed with sci-fi. Watch the hilarious first teaser.
Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel
Expected in June
“He was convinced that the world wasn’t ready…” Not many realize yet just how sci-fi this movie is going to be, exploring some of Krypton and how that world parallels Earth. Plus, the plot involves an alien with super powers being raised by Americans. The villains will be even more aliens, lead by General Zod and Faora (both wearing some kick ass sci-fi armor), who come to our planet with nefarious plans and weaponry. This movie may be set on contemporary Earth as we know it, but touches upon the questions of how we would deal with such sci-fi events if they were to actually happen. I’ve got a good feeling Zack Snyder (of 300, Watchmen) has totally reinvented himself for Man of Steel, and chose wisely with Henry Cavill as Kal-El.
Marc Forster’s World War Z
Expected in June
Zombies everywhere in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by zombies. While it may not be as good as Max Brooks’ book that it’s based on, the World War Z movie we’re getting this summer from director Marc Forster (of Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, Quantum of Solace) at least looks like it will have a shitload of zombies. Brad Pitt stars in what seems to be the biggest zombie movie ever, with invasions the size of cities, but will it live up to “The Walking Dead”? Get a glimpse of the undead chaos in the new trailer.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim
Expected in July
“Today we are cancelling the apocalypse!” This isn’t even out yet, and that quote has pretty much achieved legendary status already. Spoken by Idris Elba, that line represents just how epic of a monster movie this will be, but I’m sure we’re still going to lose our minds once we actually watch it. Guillermo del Toro (of Cronos, Blade II, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) pretty much went all out with this, bringing us monsters the size of skyscrapers and human-driven robots to match them. Sci-fi as its grandest, with everything realized to insanely epic detail and crafted to exhilarate our geekiest sci-fi inhibitions. Bring on the Kaiju and Jaeger!
Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium (+ Chappie)
Expected in August
From the visionary filmmaker who brought us District 9 comes his second feature film, Elysium, another action science fiction story involving a futuristic society still divided by classes. Neill Blomkamp filmed Elysium starring Matt Damon last year, and was planning to have it out in theaters by now, but pushed it back until August. In the meantime, he’s developing his third film, Chappie, a sci-fi comedy (but that’s all anyone knows about the plot so far). Blomkamp is clearly one of the leading voices in science fiction cinema right now, and there’s no question that he’s likely to push the genre even further with these next two movies.
Edgar Wright’s The World’s End
Expected in August
Another apocalypse comedy, similar to This is The End above, that busts its way into sci-fi thanks to that angle. Edgar Wright (of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim) deserves to be on here anyway for supporting Attack the Block, but The World’s End is sci-fi anyway. The story is about five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier, but unwittingly become humankind’s only hope for survival when the apocalypse arrives. Both Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will be back, as this is the final film in their Cornetto Trilogy. The World’s End has been described by Wright as “social science-fiction”, which is a whole subgenre of its own and one that will evolve in this era thanks these kind of films.
David Twohy’s Riddick
Expected in September
Everyone’s favorite Furyan badass is back. One of my own personal favorite sci-fi films is Pitch Black from 2001, even though I didn’t care much for the sequel. Now director David Twohy and star Vin Diesel are taking things back to those Pitch Black roots, with an R-rated sci-fi featuring Riddick once again stuck on a planet with some nasty ass alien creatures. Even though they haven’t changed the title from only Riddick, based on the first teaser just revealed and all the enthusiasm Vin Diesel has for the project, this might be the awesome follow-up all the Pitch Black fans have been waiting for. “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?”
Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity
Expected in October
From the filmmaker who gave us Children of Men, one of the best sci-fi movies of this last decade, comes another original story set entirely in space. Alfonso Cuaron (Great Expectations, Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) writes & directs this highly ambitious, highly anticipated sci-fi drama starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts left drifting aimlessly in space after a catastrophic collision. From everything we’ve heard about it, including hyperbolic early buzz, it could be one of the most groundbreaking sci-fi movies of this new era, but Warner Bros has been playing things close to their chest, delaying it from a late 2012 release until late 2013 and upgrading to IMAX 3D in the meantime.
Gavin Hood’s Ender’s Game
Expected in November
Remember – the enemy’s gate is down. This might just be our most anticipated sci-fi movie of 2013. Adapted from Orson Scott Card’s 1985 sci-fi novel, it’s about a very young soldier being trained at the International Fleet’s battle school. Ender’s Game has Gavin Hood (of Tsotsi, Rendition, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), who has been developing it for years, writing & directing along with Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley as Col. Graff and Mazer Rackham, respectively. Asa Butterfield plays Ender Wiggin, with Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin and Viola Davis all in the cast. We haven’t seen too much yet, but I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about how it’s turning out so far, and I’ve got a good feeling it might just live up to the book.
Joon-ho Bong’s Snowpiercer
Expected in 2013
An ensemble post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller set in the future during an ice age, that takes place entirely on a massive train carrying the last human survivors still divided by social class. From the director of Memories of Murder and The Host comes Joon-ho Bong’s first sci-fi film – Snowpiercer. Everything we’ve heard following this project for years makes it sound like it will be one of the most thought-provoking and unique sci-fi films about humanity, with an incredible international cast, too. I’m very anxious to see this already.
Richard Curtis’ About Time
Expected in 2013
Even British director Richard Curtis, of Love Actually and Pirate Radio, is venturing into sci-fi. His next movie is called About Time about a time traveling young man named Tim, played by Domhnall Gleeson (Brendan Gleeson’s son, seen in both Deathly Hallows). Rachel McAdams stars as his love interest (in her second time traveling romance following The Time Traveler’s Wife) but after they meet, an unfortunate time-travel incident means he’s never met her at all. Tim learns he can relive any moment in his life to try things differently until he gets them perfectly right and we’re off from there. Curtis is a talented storyteller and I’m curious to see what he does with a concept like this. The film is shot and ready for release in 2013.
Alan Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World
Expected in 2013
While this is a comic book movie, the cosmic setting makes it a worthy sci-fi crossover. At the helm is “Game of Thrones” director Alan Taylor making his feature debut, with Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor up against the evil Dark Elves of Svartalfheim. This is mostly comic book fantasy, but I love the cosmic universe Kenneth Branagh established with Thor in 2011, with the very mystical feeling traveling between worlds. I hope we see them expand upon that, but with Marvel’s Phase 2 kicking off in 2013, I have no doubt they will.
Francis Lawrence’s Hunger Games: Catching Fire (+ Mockingjay 1 and 2)
Expected in 2013 (+ 2014/2015)
The World Will Be Watching… From the beginning all the way to the very end. It was Francis Lawrence (of Constantine, I Am Legend, Water for Elephants) who landed the job of directing not one, but all three of the remaining The Hunger Games sequels (yes they’re splitting the last book), based on the book series by Suzanne Collins. Up first is Catching Fire, already being shot and prepared for release in November of 2013. The sequel picks up where the first movie left off, in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi world centered around the annual Hunger Games event. Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss, along with Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, and a massive ensemble cast. I actually loved the first one and can’t wait for the rest.
Sebastián Cordero’s Europa Report
Expected in 2013
This sci-fi project came out of nowhere, but has a hell of a cast, including genre favorite Sharlto Copley. Europa Report, from Ecuadorian director Sebastián Cordero (of Ratas ratones rateros, Chronicles, Rage), is about a crew of international astronauts sent on a private mission to Jupiter’s fourth moon – Europa. Late in 2012 they launched a mesmerizing series of viral websites and videos of the crew in their spaceship, already captivating us. We’re waiting for a proper trailer, but I would prefer to watch this without seeing anything else for the best experience, since I bet there are a few creepy twists. “Post Tenebras Lux.”
Jeff Renfroe’s The Colony
Expected in 2013
Another ice age movie. We recently featured the trailer for Jeff Renfroe’s thriller The Colony, set during the next ice age, about an outpost of colonists struggling to survive below the world’s frozen surface who lose contact with their only other known settlement. The chilling cast is lead by Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton, Kevin Zegers, John Tench and Charlotte Sullivan. It doesn’t seem like this will change the genre much, but it might be an entertaining indie ice age horror-thriller. Give the first trailer a watch here.
Terry Gilliam’s The Zero Theorem
Expected in 2013
Yet another great filmmaker taking a trip back into science fiction is Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits, Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) who already shot is next film, The Zero Theorem. Lighter on the sci-fi, heavier on existentialism, the drama stars Christoph Waltz as Qohen Leth, a computer hacker who attempts to discover the reason for human existence. His inward voyage is made possible with some kind of “virtual reality ‘inner-space’ suit” that allows him to encounter the hidden dimensions and truth of his own soul. Whoa. This sounds a lot deeper spiritually than many of these other projects, and I’m eager to see what kind of sci-fi mindfuck Gilliam has come up with.
Oren Peli’s Area 51
Expected in 2014
This may be out in 2013, or maybe never, but it’s definitely sci-fi. And I’m sure it will scare the crap out of everyone. Remember Paranormal Activity? The guy who wrote and directed that, Oren Peli, didn’t direct the sequels. Instead, the first thing he did after it blew up was go out and make another found footage movie about aliens, instead of ghosts, called Area 51 that is supposedly about some reporters who bust into Area 51. I bet I know what they encounter, and I bet it’s going to be freaky. Despite Peli writing and producing many other horror projects since, this has quietly been delayed by Paramount, and Peli hasn’t directed much else. They must be waiting until everyone forgets about it, then spring it on us when we’re least expecting.
José Padilha’s RoboCop
Expected in 2014
Part man. Part machine. All cop. Part what the heck are they doing. The future of the dark side of the sci-fi genre. Despite endless complaints to stop remaking Paul Verhoeven’s seminal sci-fi movies, MGM finally pushed forward with their remake of 1987′s violent RoboCop. For years this remake had Darren Aronofsky attached, but eventually MGM lined up Brazilian director José Padilha (of Elite Squad, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within) to make his Hollywood debut. Then they cast Swedish up-and-comer Joel Kinnaman as Alex Murphy, but gave him some of the cheesiest armored costumes to wear. We hope Padilha can salvage this and deliver an entertaining film, but I’m honestly not optimistic (especially being dumped in February).
Wes Ball’s The Maze Runner
Expected in 2014
This gets an extra nod because its director, Wes Ball, broke his way into the industry directing a highly acclaimed sci-fi short film called Ruin in 2012, made in his spare time. The Maze Runner is actually an adaptation of post-apocalyptic book series by James Dashner (think The Hunger Games, of course) about a community of boys trapped in an enormous maze which is part of a mysterious test. A cast is being finalized, with Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Nowhere Boy) as Newt and Will Poulter (Son of Rambow) as Gally.
Doug Liman’s All You Need Is Kill
Expected in 2014
Concept is king in sci-fi. All You Need Is Kill, adapted from Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s illustrated novel, is all about concept. Tom Cruise stars as a soldier fighting in a war with aliens called Mimics who finds himself caught in a time loop of his last day in the battle. As he continues to relive the same day, he becomes a better solider, searching for a way to alter his own fate. Directing is Doug Liman, who got some sci-fi action experience making Jumper in 2008. Shooting is finished, with Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton in the cast, too. The one photo teased so far of Cruise inside a badass mech was more than enough to grab my attention.
Neil Burger’s Divergent
Expected in 2014
Another “young adult” sci-fi adaptation inspired by The Hunger Games. Summit is producing Divergent, an adaptation of Veronica Roth’s popular books, set in a future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities. Shailene Woodley will play Tris, a “Divergent” that doesn’t fit into any one group, who discovers a conspiracy to destroy all Divergents. This sounds an awful lot like a Hunger Games clone, minus the violent “gaming”, but Summit seems to have faith in it. Directing Divergent is Neil Burger, of The Illusionist, The Lucky Ones and Limitless previously. I am curious about how this turns out.
Wally Pfister’s Transcendence
Expected in 2014
The first grand sci-fi of 2014 – Transcendence. This film is the feature directing debut of Wally Pfister, cinematographer for Chris Nolan on most of his films (Memento, The Prestige, Inception, The Dark Knight Trilogy), telling a sci-fi story about a scientist and his supercomputer. Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany and Rebecca Hall will star in this thriller. In the story, two leading computer scientists work toward their goal of “technological singularity”, while a radical anti-technology organization fights to prevent them from creating a world where computers can transcend the abilities of the human brain and think for themselves. Pfister’s visuals will be vital to make this a coherent and engaging experience, but I’m looking forward to it.
Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla
Expected in 2014
Roar! The iconic Japanese lizard monster, and apparently a couple of his friends, are finally returning to the big screen. Inspired by the buzz for Pacific Rim, Legendary Pictures decided to move forward with a gritty, epic take on Godzilla. To breath new life into this monster movie, they hired the director of indie sci-fi hit Monsters – Gareth Edwards – another filmmaker who’s already left an impact on the genre recently. While shooting is underway, plot details are being kept a secret, but we’ve heard it will involve a more grounded, realistic approach to humans dealing with all the destruction from Godzilla fighting other gigantic monsters. Horror legend Frank Darabont worked on the screenplay, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the lead.
Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Expected in 2014
Rupert Wyatt’s outstanding Rise of the Planet of the Apes from 2011 earned an immense amount of respect in the sci-fi community, making the sequel one of our most anticipated coming up. Somehow they actually rebooted the Planet of the Apes franchise and made it exciting again (thanks to technology allowing us to create CG apes like Caesar) without forgetting about the themes of the original films. Initially they tried to get Rupert Wyatt back, but he moved onto other projects so eventually they signed on Matt Reeves (of Let Me In, Cloverfield) to take over. I’m looking forward to seeing them continue the Rise of the Apes storyline.
Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic Park 4
Expected in 2014
“Life finds a way.” After making quite a debut with Safety Not Guaranteed, director Colin Trevorrow got scooped up into Hollywood in a very big way. At first he was rumored to be the frontrunner for Star Wars: Episode 7, but ended up landing another high profile gig – Jurassic Park 4. After years of development and script revisions, Universal finally announced a release date for another Jurassic Park sequel in June of 2014. Spielberg may only be producing, but they’ve found a fresh and talented up-and-coming director to hopefully revitalize this franchise – at least this is their chance. We’re not sure what it will be about yet, but many fans are already anxiously anticipating this 2014 return to Spielberg/Crichton’s dinosaur-filled world.
Michael Bay’s Transformers 4
Expected in 2014
Autobots, roll back in. Everyone ready for Round 4, or are we getting tired of Michael Bay’s never-ending robots-from-another-world eye candy? No matter the answer, they’re making another. After breaking the box office again with Dark of the Moon, Paramount lured Michael Bay back to direct Transformers 4, but since the original trilogy is complete, he’s starting over again fresh. In early 2013, Bay confirmed that “we’re meeting a new cast” for the sequel, but they’ll “keep the Transformers the way they were” – except for a redesign, which gets explained. “It’s just four years later,” he says, “we’re trying to broaden the franchise and give it more places to go.” So Optimus and Bumblebee are still here, but Sam Witwicky and Carly aren’t.
Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Days of Future Past
Expected in 2014
Time-traveling X-Men and Bryan Singer’s much-needed return to his comic book roots. X-Men: Days of Future Past, which counts as a I-still-cannot-believe-this-is-happening project, will ambitiously attempt to combine different casts from various movies for an epic story about past, present and future. At first, Matthew Vaughn (who made X-Men: First Class) was developing, but left the director’s chair open for Bryan Singer (Usual Suspects, X-Men, X2, Superman Returns, Valkrie) to fill instead. Filming is slated to start this summer on a massive budget. Singer is bringing back everyone from before: Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, Halle Berry. If they can somehow pull off this comic book arc storyline featuring time travel, this will be spectacular entertainment.
The Wachowskis’ Jupiter Ascending
Expected in 2014
Returning to the genre 15 years after bringing us The Matrix in 1999, The Wachowskis are preparing their next sci-fi movie, Jupiter Ascending. While their last experiment, Cloud Atlas, certainly featured plenty of vivid sci-fi worlds, Jupiter Ascending is their progression into epic space opera. The story sounds oddly similar to Snow White, about a “Queen of the Universe” who hunts down a human woman “because her very existence threatens to end the Queen’s reign.” It’s set in a world where humans are near the bottom of the evolutionary ladder, and these other more evolved beings have epic powers. Channing Tatum, who stars with Mila Kunis & Sean Bean, said that “what the Wachowskis are planning is the craziest shit he’s ever seen.” I’m sure we have no idea, but I’m ready for another mind blowing cinematic creation from these two.
James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Expected in 2014
What do Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot and Rocket Raccoon have in common? They’re all Guardians of the Galaxy – and we’ll be meeting them in 2014. In Marvel Studios first attempt to branch off with lesser-known characters, the studio is making a movie about the Guardians of the Galaxy team, with James Gunn (of Slither, Super) selected as director. Kevin Feige has said that Guardians will take place “95% in space” and represents the “cosmic side of the” Marvel Universe. Thanos might be the villain this, or he might not, but it will definitely be an experiment in how far Marvel can go without ending up in Green Lantern territory. So far the cast includes Chris Pratt as Star-Lord and wrestler Dave Bautista as Drax.
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar
Expected in 2014
It’s Christopher frickin’ Nolan directing an acclaimed screenplay, written by his brother Jonathan Nolan, titled Interstellar that originally had Spielberg attached for years. I believe this will be the pinnacle of the new era, with Christopher Nolan pushing the limits of the sci-fi genre as far as he possibly can with a story that pushes humanity as far as it possibly can into the cosmos. The script is being updated by Nolan, but the original idea is based on scientific theories by Caltech astrophysicist Kip Thorne that involve time travel, alternative dimensions and wormholes. Recently, we heard that Interstellar “will depict a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.” This is going to be incredible.
Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland
Expected in 2014
This is a sci-fi dream team if there ever was one. Director Brad Bird (Incredibles, Ratatouille, MI: Ghost Protocol) teaming up with writers Damon Lindelof (“Lost”, Prometheus, Star Trek Into Darkness) & Jeff Jensen (Fallacy, Velocity), plus actors George Clooney & Hugh Laurie, to tell a weird interdimensional story involving Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. Originally titled 1952, the plot revolves around a teenage girl, a genius middle-aged man named Frank and a pre-pubescent robot that attempt to get to and unravel what happened to Tomorrowland, which exists in an alternative dimension. Yea it sounds crazy, and if that’s not alluring enough, take a peek inside Brad Bird’s 1952 mystery box, with photos of Walt Disney himself.
George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road
Expected in 2014
Though it took them a few years, and they had to battle weather problems and financial troubles, apparently George Miller finally got everything together to shoot his gritty new Mad Max movie down in Australia. Tentatively titled Mad Max: Fury Road, based on an old script, this sorta-sequel introduces us to a new “Mad Max”. He cast Tom Hardy (Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior) as the new Max, with Charlize Theron (Prometheus), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Transformers), Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) and Zoë Kravitz (X-Men: First Class) in supporting roles. Early reports indicated that it might be about a group of people fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig, and the paparazzi snapped a few photos of gnarly vehicles harkening back to The Road Warrior. Here’s to hoping this turns out as badass as we all want it to.
Joe Wright’s Our Robot Overlords
Expected in 2014
Acclaimed filmmaker Joe Wright, of everything from Pride & Prejudice to Atonement to Hanna to Anna Karenina is currently working on a sci-fi project. He’s preparing to shoot Our Robot Overlords, a sci-fi drama budgeted around $20 million set in the future about a woman with multiple kids living in a world run by robots. Leading the cast are Gillian Anderson and Ben Kingsley, even though the plot focuses on a gang of teens trying to survive in a “robot-occupied, futuristic Britain.” This sounds incredibly intriguing, especially from Wright, who always has a sleek visual style. I expect to see this pop up at a film festival soon.
Ruairi Robinson’s Last Days on Mars
Expected in 2014
Surprisingly, out of all the sci-fi projects on here, this is one of the few exploring Mars. Instead of directing the live-action Akira, Irish filmmaker Ruairi Robinson will make his feature debut with Last Days on Mars, a sci-fi film produced independently in the UK. Robinson is the genius mind behind the infamous Blinky™ short film, and is a filmmaker we’ve been impatiently waiting to see a feature film from. The plot is about a group of astronaut explorers who succumb one by one to a mysterious and terrifying force while collecting specimens on Mars. So far we’ve seen one image with Liev Schreiber, but I’ve got high hopes for this and the future of Robinson’s sci-fi career. Another reason this might be good – Weta is doing the effects.
Jake Paltrow’s Young Ones
Expected in 2014
An original sci-fi story to follow-up all the other young adult adventures we’re getting. Written and directed by Jake Paltrow (of only The Good Night), Young Ones is set in a violent near-future (a “neo-realistic dystopia”) where water has become the most precious—and fastest-dwindling—resource on the planet. Our lead is a 14-year-old boy forced use his wits to survive. The cast just came together, with Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning and Kodi Smit-McPhee on-board, plus Michael Shannon. I’m not expecting that much out of this project, but the world seems fascinating and the early sales art from 2011 already caught my eye.
Ringan Ledwidge’s Glimmer
Expected in 2014
Glimmer might be one of those breakout sci-fi sensations quietly being made. At least it has that potential based on the idea: a group of teenagers discover a portal to the past. When one of them changes history, the effects start to snowball with tragic consequences. It’s the second film from commercials director Ringan Ledwidge, whose debut was a straight-to-TV horror called Gone, so this seems like a huge step up. Logan Lerman (of Gamer, Percy Jackson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah) is starring and Spielberg’s DreamWorks production company is developing, so it has all the ingredients of a sci-fi cult classic. But more than anything, I’m curious to see how this portal concept works and what exactly they screw up in history.
Spike Jonze’s Her
Expected in 2014
Another little sci-fi project that we’ll hopefully see something from soon. Director Spike Jonze (of Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Where the Wild Things Are) has already shot an upcoming comedy called Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix. He plays a lonely writer who develops an unlikely relationship with his newly-purchased operating system that’s designed to meet his every need. This seems to be a bit lighter on the sci-fi, however original synopses state that it’s set “in the not so distant future.” Anything from the mind of Spike Jonze is usually brilliant, however something like this with a sci-fi tinge makes it sound even better.
John Huddles’ The Philosophers
Expected in 2014
More from the “social sci-fi” subgenre. From writer and director John Huddles (Far Harbor, At Sachem Farm) comes a philosophical look at the apocalypse with the indie drama The Philosophers, already shot and finished. Here is the setup: At an international school in Jakarta, a philosophy teacher challenges his class of twenty graduating seniors to choose which ten of them would take shelter underground and reboot the human race in the event of a nuclear apocalypse. The cast features a couple of recognizable names/faces, like James D’Arcy (Cloud Atlas), Bonnie Wright (Harry Potter), Katie Findlay, George Blagden and Daryl Sabara (John Carter). There’s one photo so far, but this seems like an interesting film to look into.
Vic Armstrong’s Left Behind
Expected in 2014
This religious post-apocalyptic film stars Nicolas Cage, which is really the reason it makes the cut. Second unit director Vic Armstrong makes his feature debut on Left Behind, about a group of people struggling to survive in the aftermath of a “Rapture” that removed people of the Christian faith from Earth. Shooting is supposed to start sometime in 2013, with a summer 2014 release initially scheduled. I’m not yet sure if this will be any good, or if it’s a straight-to-DVD quality disaster, but it’s worth noting as another “social sci-fi”.
J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII (+ Episodes VIII and IX)
Expected in 2015 (+2018/2021)
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… It’s back! Believe it or not. The long-awaited return of Star Wars to continue the original trilogy that ended in 1983. It only took three months to officially confirm J.J. Abrams as director from the moment it was announced in late 2012 that Disney was buying Lucasfilm and making another trilogy. Who would’ve thought that in 2015 we’d see George Lucas stepping back and letting Disney, of all places, pick up again with the Star Wars Skywalker storyline that hasn’t been touched in over 30 years. But here we are, it’s about to happen, things are in motion. Oscar winning writer Michael Arndt (of Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3, Oblivion, Catching Fire) is working on the script, and in just a few years, we’ll likely be seeing Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy, and maybe Lando, together on the big screen again.
Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Spin-Off Movies
Expected in 2015
In addition to three new Star Wars movies about the Skywalkers, Disney CEO Bob Iger recently confirmed that they’re planning multiple standalone spin-off movies focused on other characters. While exact details are still sketchy, rumors have ranged from Yoda and Boba Fett features, to young Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt solo adventures, to even a Zack Snyder-directed Seven Samurai-style Jedi spin-off (which still sounds amazing even if it isn’t real). Ever since more spin-off films were confirmed, many fans have spoken out against them, but I’m admittedly very excited to see them expand the universe cinematically in every way possible. Just think of how many unique Star Wars films we’ll have if they hire a new director each one.
Joss Whedon’s The Avengers 2
Expected in 2015
If it’s true that Thanos (shown at the end credits of The Avengers) is the big bad villain of Marvel’s The Avengers 2, then this sequel is definitely going to be a sci-fi, comic book, action movie smorgasbord. Kevin Feige and Joss Whedon like to feed fans with as much misinformation as real information, and when it comes to Avengers 2, the most we really know is that it’s the epic team-up for Marvel’s “Phase 2″. While Feige has denied that Phase 2 is their “cosmic” phase, with Guardians of the Galaxy due out just before this, it’s likely they’ll be spending lots of time fighting intergalactic villains and saving a planet in Avengers 2. Joss Whedon has an extensive sci-fi history and will hopefully take things even farther this time around.
Joe Cornish’s Snow Crash
Expected in 2015
One of my own favorite novels, Snow Crash is the 1992 sci-fi written by author Neal Stephenson about a future where most people spend their time plugged into a virtual reality called the Metaverse. There, a pesky virus called “Snow Crash” is killing people in real life so Hiro Protagonist (“Last of the freelance hackers and Greatest swordfighter in the world”) investigates. Similar to Neuromancer in scope, adapting this will be a very ambitious challenge, but hopefully Paramount understands the true potential in making this kind of intellectual sci-fi correctly. Best of all they’ve hired Joe Cornish, the up-and-comer behind Attack the Block, to direct with Kathleen Kennedy producing. I want this to be in production already.
Dan Trachtenberg’s Y: The Last Man
Expected in 2015
What would happen if you were the last man left alive on a planet full of only women? Brian K. Vaughan’s beloved comic book series Y: The Last Man has been waiting to be adapted for many years, with directors like D.J. Caruso taking a shot at pushing for a trilogy, to no avail. New Line Cinema is determined to one day make a Y: The Last Man movie, and recently decided to hire Dan Trachtenberg (of The Totally Rad show fame and Portal: No Escape) to direct. Whether it takes two or four more years until it’s finally made, we can at least rest easy knowing this is in the hands of a director who truly cares for the source material.
Josh Trank’s The Fantastic Four
Expected in 2015
Another one of the standout sci-fi films of 2012 was Chronicle, the feature debut of director Josh Trank and screenwriter Max Landis. After proving how capable of a filmmaker and storyteller he is, Trank went on to land the job of directing Fox’s brand new take on the Fantastic Four. At one point, Akiva Goldsman was spearheading the reboot, titled Fantastic Four Reborn, but that was canned and Trank took over with a fresh take, which will likely have a more realistic feel (with “sci-fi” as the superpower catalyst). As of early 2013, Seth Grahame-Smith (of Dark Shadows, Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) was rewriting the script.
James Cameron’s Avatar 2 and 3
Expected in 2015 (+2016)
“Return to Pandora.” How much more needs to be said? Almost everyone on this world went to see James Cameron’s Avatar in 2009/2010, we all know how it ended, how it looked, and how it set the standard for 3D. Now we’re patiently waiting for him to make the sequels. James Cameron has confirmed they’ll be shooting both Avatar 2 and 3 back-to-back, featuring storylines that connect but still conclude individually. Early buzz from the release a few years back indicated that Cameron might explore other areas of the planet Pandora, including the underwater world, which is exactly what we expect. Beyond that, I believe Cameron will optimize these sequels to show how much HFR (at 60FPS) can make a difference when used correctly.
Colin Trevorrow’s Flight of the Navigator
Expected in ??
Before he got the job to direct Jurassic Park 4, Safety Not Guaranteed director Colin Trevorrow was first uncovered to be Disney’s top choice for the new Flight of the Navigator remake. Flight of the Navigator (from 1986) was one of my personal favorite films growing up, I have a huge soft spot for it in my heart (I’ve seen it so many times), and Disney is remaking it as it nears its 30th anniversary. Trevorrow got the job to develop with his writer from Safety Not Guaranteed, Derek Connolly, as a “potential directing vehicle.” It sounds like Disney just wants a fresh take on this, and it might still be a few years away from getting made.
Kyle Newman’s Chewie
Expected in ??
Chewie! As in Chewbacca, the lovable Wookie from Star Wars. After making a movie about a group of kids busting into the Episode I premiere (Fanboys), self-proclaimed Star Wars geek Kyle Newman decided to take on another Star Wars-related story. He’s set to direct the script Chewie, written by Van Robichaux & Evan Susser (The Jetsons), which landed on the Black List in 2011 and is a satirical behind the scenes look at the making of Star Wars through the eyes of Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca. According to news in 2012, Mayhew sold his life rights to Newman so he could make this. Hot damn, it’s going to be so good!
Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One
Expected in ??
An adaptation of a great book that’s soon to be a modern classic – Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One is a world as extraordinary as Neuromancer based on all the pop culture, sci-fi geek excellence of today. There’s no director attached yet, just Cline and Eric Eason (A Better Life) working on the screenplay, and Donald De Line (Pain & Gain, Green Lantern, Observe and Report) producing. Ernest Cline wrote the script for Kyle Newman’s Fanboys, an excellent nod to Star Wars, but this time he’s written a story set in the future about a young trailer park gamer who attempts to find a creator’s fortune in a complex digital treasure hunt. I’m sure it will take them a few years until this ready for the big screen; it’s going to be a challenge to adapt.
Edgar Wright’s Collider
Expected in ??
Not to be confused with the low budget Collider from CR Entertainment, this Collider is a sci-fi set to be directed by Edgar Wright (of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim, The World’s End), at some point in the near future. The project was uncovered in 2012 when it was announced that Bad Robot was teaming up with Edgar Wright and his production partner Big Talk Productions for a sci-fi movie. Wright is attached to direct Collider, and is co-writing the script with I Am Legend’s Mark Protosevich. The plot is being kept under wraps, so we don’t know what exactly it will be about or why it’s called Collider, but I’m hoping (like the low budget Collider) it still involves CERN’s hadron collider and wormholes (to follow Interstellar).
David Fincher’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Expected in ??
If this ever gets made, it will be awesome. I’ve been waiting for David Fincher (Alien 3, Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) to venture back into science fiction, and while this isn’t exactly Rendezvous with Rama or Heavy Metal, this is close enough for now. Seeing Fincher take on a story like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea would be spectacular, as he gets better at integrating visual effects every movie, and with technology being so powerful today he could possibly make this as much of a feat with effects now as Richard Fleischer’s version was in 1954. I’d really love to see Fincher’s version.
Robert Zemeckis’ Major Matt Mason
Expected in ??
Not exactly a project we’re enthusiastic about, but it counts as sci-fi nonetheless. One of the other projects Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Flight) lined up for his live-action return is Major Matt Mason, a movie based on the action figure from the 1960s. Universal picked this up in their idiotic wildfire purchase of board game and arcade game rights (resulting in Battleship). Somehow they lured Tom Hanks to star as “Major Matt Mason”, playing an astronaut living on a base at the south pole of the moon. As of late last year, Zemeckis was trying to get independent financing set to move forward on shooting this.
Vincenzo Natali’s Neuromancer
Expected in ??
William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer is considered a seminal sci-fi story, and has been long-awaiting its chance to be turned into a seminal sci-fi movie. The project has had its share of ups and downs, but director Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Cypher, Splice, Haunter) has been attached since 2010, and seems committed to making this happen at some point in the near future. It’ll be very tricky to tell this futuristic cyberpunk story of a washed-up computer hacker named Case hired by a mysterious employer to work on the ultimate hack, but an ambitious filmmaker like Vincenzo Natali might be able to pull it off. We’ll be keeping a close watch.
Steven Spielberg’s Robopocalypse
Expected in ??
While this adaptation is currently “indefinitely postponed”, it’s still on our science fiction radar. Steven Spielberg’s (Jaws, Jurassic Park, E.T., Minority Report, War of the Worlds) adaptation of the futuristic robot uprising story Robopocalypse, based on the book by Daniel H. Wilson set in the aftermath of a robot uprising, was supposed to be shooting this year. Despite news that production was shutting down, Spielberg confirmed that he’s delaying it to rethink the movie. “I’m starting on a new script and we’ll have this movie back on its feet soon,” he said in January. I’m anxious for Spielberg to get back to epic, futuristic sci-fi and while that may not be what this will turn out like in the end, I’m still curious to see him finish it.
Relativity Media’s Voltron
Expected in ??
This adaptation of another goofy intergalactic kids’ series has been in development ever since Michael Bay said he was going to make a Transformers movie. In 2011, it was Relativity Media who won the rights to make a live-action Voltron movie (while DreamWorks Animation later scored the animated rights) but they haven’t made any progress. Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer (Conan the Barbarian, Marvel’s Dr. Strange) are credited for the latest draft of the script, but it still seems like we’re years away from anyone bringing the robot lions to life on the big screen. At least the early concept art looked very cool.
Annapurna Pictures’ Terminator 5
Expected in ??
At the moment, there is really no need for another Terminator movie to come in and ruin the sci-fi party we’re having, but if new owners Annapurna Pictures think they can get this franchise back on the right track (especially with Arnold Schwarzenegger), maybe we should reserve judgement. As of this January, they had Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island, Battle Angel) and Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry) working on the screenplay for Terminator 5, but exact plot details were being kept a secret besides that Schwarzenegger as the Cyberdyne cyborg might be back again. We’ll be watching development closely to see where this goes.
Universal Pictures’ Asteroids
Expected in ??
While there’s no need for them to make this movie, it’s inevitable, especially with the sci-fi trend taking off. In 2009, Universal announced they were making a movie based on the classic 1979 arcade game Asteroids, which doesn’t really provide much of a story. The project has three different writers (so far): Matt Lopez, Jez Butterworth and Evan Spiliotopoulos, with Roland Emmerich originally attached to direct. However, not much progress has been made recently so we assume this is shelved until they figure out what to do with it.
Roland Emmerich’s Singularity + Independence Day 2 + Foundation
Expected in ??
Speaking of Roland Emmerich (Stargate, Godzilla, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012), he has plenty of other sci-fi projects on his plate. One of them, Singularity, was almost cast and ready to shoot until Sony Pictures pulled the plug on it last minute for a script overhaul. Singularity is described as a “sci-fi extravaganza” about a boy named Adam, whose body is made up a swarm of nanobots, “giving him all sorts of power.” Beside that, Emmerich has also been attached to an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s legendary Foundation Series, which will be an epic undertaking if/when they ever make that. Plus he’s still working on Independence Day 2 and 3, if they can ever get Will Smith and everyone to agree on a story. It sounds like Emmerich is planning to spend plenty of time in the sci-fi genre after taking the “White House Down”. A recent reveal from Roland gave this Independence Day 2 plot tease: “It’s a changed world. It’s like parallel history. [Humans] have harnessed all this alien technology… we know how to take an antigravity device.”
Stephan Zloetescu’s True Skin
Expected in ??
One of the most buzzed about shorts from the internet last year, True Skin, was acquired by Warner Bros to be adapted into a full-length feature. Director Stephan Zloetescu, also known as “N1ON”, landed the gig last year after debuting his six minute sci-fi short online. The film brilliantly uses CGI enhancement to envision a futuristic world where technology augmentation and implants are the new fashion statement. The world he created is one of the most unique I’ve seen, and I’m looking forward to Zloetescu’s full-length film.
Alex Garland’s Ex Machina
Expected in ??
This indie film was just announced recently but should be shooting by the end of the year. Alex Garland, screenwriter of 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go, Dredd, will be making his directing debut with Ex Machina, from a script he also wrote. The story involves a billionaire programmer who handpicks a young employee to spend a week at his remote estate and participate in a test involving his latest invention: an artificially intelligent female robot. Garland is one of the people pushing sci-fi, and I’m very anxious to see what he’ll do sitting in the director’s chair telling a story about a “female” robot. This will be interesting.
Appian Way & Warner Bros’ The Twilight Zone
Expected in ??
When this was first announced back in 2008, all we knew was that Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way was producing an adaptation of the classic Rod Serling TV show. It ended up bouncing around with writers for a few years before landing Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In) as director, who developed throughout 2011 until he ended up taking the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (also mentioned above) job instead. Warner Bros and Appian Way are still looking for a new director, and are probably reworking the screenplay too, but at least a The Twilight Zone movie is still in development and will likely be made one day in the near future.
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner Sequel
Expected in ??
When and if this movie ever gets made, with Ridley Scott apparently directing, it may mark the very next phase of this new sci-fi era. We don’t know too much about what they’re planning besides that it is a sequel set “some years after the first film” ends. Other than that we’re expecting them to handle this one with care. They brought back screenwriter Hampton Fancher, from the original, to write a current draft and are probably working with other writers that can breath new life into this dark, futuristic world run by the Tyrell Corporation. I doubt we’ll see it happen, but maybe this will crossover into the Alien/Prometheus universe?
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus 2 and 3
Expected in ??
At least as of February, star Noomi Rapace confirmed that Ridley was still working on developing ideas and a script for the Prometheus sequel. A year before anyone had seen footage from Prometheus, Ridley explained that the idea Damon Lindelof and him had evolved from the initial “Alien prequel” into “a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place.” While Damon won’t be back, I am curious if that grand mythology and trilogy idea that Prometheus originated from is still around, or if they’re trying to take things in a whole new direction after the negative response to Prometheus last summer. In a tell-all update, Damon Lindelof did say “Ridley [would] occasionally riff on what he felt might happen next.”
That’s it for now! Beyond these projects listed above, there are many other spec scripts and sci-fi films in the works that we just don’t know about yet, or are quietly developing and will take years to see the light of day. Not only could we include the Halo movie and Warcraft movie, but tons of other in-development scripts, like Rendezvous with Rama and Marvel’s Doctor Strange, or Doug Trumbull’s 120FPS 3D space adventure or James Cameron’s Battle Angel, although we’re more likely to see to Avatar 2 and 3 before he makes that movie. Everything else beyond most of these projects listed above will evolve after this new era, and change depending on how things turn out over the next few years. I’m very excited, to say the least.
Between the revival of Star Wars and Star Trek, as well as filmmakers like Neill Blomkamp and Christopher Nolan and Alfonso Cuarón, the science fiction genre hasn’t been this compelling in a long time. Not only do we have a plentiful selection of fantastic sci-fi arriving in 2013, but 2014 is already getting filled, and there’s so many other projects gestating that we certainly don’t have to worry about any shortage. In addition, every one of these movies will inspire more ideas and more stories that have yet to even be imagined. It’s those endlessly possibilities, and storytelling without limitations, that makes me continue to love the sci-fi genre.
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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An amusing and sarcastic voice over of a Microsoft’s vision of the future from 2009. :-)
“It looks pretty F*@#^n good!”
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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The day before something is truly a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea!
Peter H. Diamandis – Author ‘Abundance’
I have been a designer, animator, web developer, photographer and marketer for over 20 years now. Loving the evolution of it and the future it holds.
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