Visionary writer and director Luc Besson (The Professional, The Fifth Element) brings the classic French graphic novels to the screen with the epic science fiction saga Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. A new still image from the movie adaptation was released this week at San Diego Comic-Con. Besson tells EW his ultimate goal was to create a sci-fi fantasia that will also appeal to non-devotees of the genre, “Like a cocktail where you don’t even taste the alcohol”.
American actor Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, Kill Your Darlings) plays Valerian, a time-traveling special operative who knows more than just how to wield a sword. When asked what DeHaan thought about working with Besson, he mused: “Luc knew exactly what he wanted and got it. You can’t believe the stuff that he has in his head. It’s gonna be crazy. It’s gonna be epic for sure.”
Valerian and his tough-as-nails partner Laureline (played by English actress/model Cara Delevingne) work for the government of the human territories and are charged with maintaining order throughout the universe. Under directions from their Commander, 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 these same objectives; in fact, unseen forces are at work, placing the human race in great danger.
Here is the new image from Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets released for SDCC.
Check out more images from the film:
Adapted for the screen and directed by Besson, the sci-fi epic is the most expensive film produced and distributed by Besson’s EuropaCorp studio to date. It is based on the French comic series Valerian and Laureline written by Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières. First published in 1967, the comic has since sold over 10 million copies in 21 languages.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, which also stars Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, and Kris Wu opens in theaters July 21, 2017.