In case you were busy doing something else, the MTV Movie Awards took place this past weekend, and while it’s not necessarily our thing, there’s no denying the awards show does boast some serious talent and gets some solid exclusives. On top of premiering the first clip from “Captain America: Civil War,” the new “Suicide Squad” trailer, the new “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them” trailer and the first behind-the-scenes footage of “King Kong: Skull Island,” there’s more. The Movie Awards also scored the first behind-the-scenes footage of Luc Besson’s epic and ambitious sci-fi film, “Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets”
Based on a French graphic novel, Besson, the director of “The Fifth Element” and “Leon: The Professional,” is pulling a James Cameron with this one. It’s said to be the most expensive film to ever be made and shot in Europe and through his EuropaCorp company, Besson is hoping to spawn a gigantic franchise. Starring Cara Delevingne and Dane DeHaan, it’s a risky endeavor. Neither are huge global stars, let alone North American ones, but Besson is a titan in France and can do as he pleases. Whether it translates worldwide, where it will need to connect if it hopes to be successful, remains to be seen.
The film centers on a time-traveling agent (DeHaan) who is sent to investigate a galactic empire, along with his partner (Delevingne). Here’s the official synopsis:
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.
Co-starring Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock, and Kris Wu, “Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets” arrives in theaters on July, 21, 2017. Watch the first footage and behind-the-scenes action below.
