This decade seems to be starting the return of smart science fiction movies. The sci-fi genre has brought up society and technology's impact on it, artificial intelligence, as well as space exploration. The genre isn't scared of bringing into question how much humans truly understand the inner workings of the universe.
People have told many stories involving the topics above along with many others through the visage of modern culture. Recent years haven't been an exception to these stories. There have been shows that have aired over the past few years like Devs, Westworld, and Star Trek: Picard, which has used tropes of the sci-fi genre to look into everything from philosophical questions to political ideologies of today.
Are Smart Sci-Fi Movies Coming Back To Modern Cinema?
But it's an entirely different beast when it comes to big-screen films. Sci-fi that provokes the watcher's thoughts has always been out of reach to American cinemas, with a recent example being High Life. But over recent years, there have been more releases popping up that revolve around grand sci-fi ideas without focusing on looking pretty.
Mostly, though, recent movies that are different from that have either been lacking budget or they were failures at the box office. Here are some examples:
Denis Villeneuve's Dune
Before the year is over, Dune is returning to cinemas. The book it's based off is notorious for how complex and expansive it is. But here is a quick summary of its plot.
In the not so far future, Paul Atreides is the leader of nomadic tribes and he leads them in battle to fight for control of Arrakis, their planet. and Leto Atreides has the stewardship of the planet.
Miguel Sapochnik's Bios
In the upcoming movie Bios, it'll be starring Tom Hanks as the lead role. He will play as the last man on earth on a post-apocalyptic journey. He will construct an android that will keep him company alongside his dog. They will travel throughout the world.
Christopher Nolan's Tenet
In Christopher Nolan's new movie, it will revolve around a secret agent that seemingly uses time travel to prevent World War 3 from starting. Time travel is an interesting topic, so it's exciting to see how they'll handle it.
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How To Keep Smart Sci-Fi Movies Alive
Achieving success in Hollywood has no definite method. So you can't always create a smart science fiction movie that makes people love it. But there are many ways to improve the chances that it sticks to people.
One method is to appeal to a broad audience. Nolan's Tenet premiered a trailer in the video game Fortnite, which left people confused and surprised. However, it's a smart way to get younger people interested in the movie, since they aren't the audience Nolan usually aims for with his sci-fi films.
This method is difficult for a movie like Dune, this movie will most likely be getting an R rating, akin to the other films from Villeneuve. Also, the source material seems to be a story that would fit being rated R.
This is where another method can help save the day. Dune's cast is filled with so many prominent names that numerous people will recognize at least one of the cast members. A marketing campaign that focuses on using the big names in the film will help increase interest in the film from people who might not normally watch a space opera revolving around planetary politics.
The critical point to keep in mind about keeping smart science fiction movies alive in general is simple. Regular people, young and old, have to know that science fiction can be meaningful and entertaining. They don't need to pick a movie that's only entertaining or meaningful.
If people keep this in mind, smart sci-fi movies will stay strong and grow significantly.
