Movies

5 Most Anticipated Sci-Fi Movies of 2017

Which sci-fi films should you be keeping an eye out for in 2017?

Published

8 years ago

November 16, 2016

2017 is lining up to be a massive year for film. Big-name sequels, blockbuster reboots, and some interesting new film projects are in the works, and among them are some exciting sci-fi movies we can’t wait to lay our eyes on. So, looking ahead to what’s on the cinematic horizon, here are our 5 most anticipated sci-fi films for 2017:

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Release date: July 2017

The upcoming movie based on the Valerian and Laureline graphic novel series is being helmed by The Fifth Element director Luc Besson, and it stars Dane DeHaan, Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, and some other notable names. Besson will take the iconic source material into a unique and epic science fiction saga with a contemporary makeover. The story follows Valerian and Laureline who embark on a mission to the intergalactic city of Alpha, a metropolis comprised of thousands of different species from all over the universe. It looks to be a spectacular visual onslaught mixed up with some interesting characters.

Ghost in the Shell

Release date: March 2017

Whether you’re a fan of 90s anime and manga, or you simply love futuristic Japanese cityscapes and high-octane fight scenes, Ghost in the Shell, is certainly worth a look. Ghost in the Shell follows Scarlett Johansson as The Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out advancements in cyber technology. Loaded with an all-star international cast, Ghost in the Shell looks to be set to deliver a true-to-form representation of the beloved anime, while also introducing new fans to the futuristic Japanese cyberpunk world of the franchise.

Alien: Covenant

Release date: August 2017

The anticipated follow-up to Prometheus arrives next year, with Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace reprising their roles from the first film, while director Ridley Scott once again steps behind the camera. Alien: Covenant tells the story of the crew of the colony ship Covenant that lands on a remote planet where an android named David David (Fassbender) is the sole inhabitant. Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride, Jussie Smollett, Demian Bichir, Callie Hernandez, Alexander England also star. The film is being touted as far scarier than Prometheus, harking back to the original high-tension Alien trilogy, and of course, given the name, the sequel will tie up with the original Alien films in a much more cohesive way.

Prometheus

Transformers: The Last Knight

Release date: June 2017

It’s easy to hate on the Transformers movies. They’re big, loud, and relatively dumb, but let’s be honest, they’re awesome. The intergalactic robot war is getting another cinematic instalment in 2017 with The Last Knight, marking Michael Bay’s final entry into the series. Mark Wahlberg will reprise his role as Cade Yeager from Transformers: Age of Extinction. Anthony Hopkins also joins the cast, and after skipping the last instalment, Josh Duhamel will return as William Lennox, who appeared in the first three films. Like previous Transformers movies, we do know that the sequel will play on historical events, and The Last Knight makes reference to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – but we’re yet to see how exactly this all ties together.

Transformers the Last Knight

Star Wars: Episode VIII

Release date: December 2017

Following the colossal success of The Force Awakens, the next chapter of the Star Wars franchise arrives in December 2017 to take the saga forward. Taking over the directing duties of JJ Abrams is Rian Johnson, who helmed the brilliant sci-fi flick, Looper. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac will all be returning, with some new and familiar character also set to play a bigger role in the sequel. Being the second film in the new trilogy, expectations are high for this one.