A French Comic-Book Legacy
The film adapts Valérian and Laureline, the science-fiction comic series created by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières in 1967.
Movie
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
A universe without boundaries needs heroes without limits.
In the 28th century, Valerian and Laureline are special operatives charged with keeping order throughout the human territories. On assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two undertake a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where species from across the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence, and cultures. At the center of Alpha is a mysterious dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.
Why it's in the Vault
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is an ambitious science-fiction adventure whose visual imagination deserves more attention than its troubled reputation might suggest. Luc Besson fills the screen with extraordinary alien civilizations, extravagant environments and inventive technology, creating a colorful space opera that feels distinctly different from many contemporary blockbusters. The city of Alpha and the extraordinary Big Market sequence are particularly compelling examples of the film's world-building. The central romance and some of the storytelling choices are less convincing, preventing the adventure from achieving the emotional impact of its finest images. Yet there is genuine pleasure in exploring this imaginative universe, with its playful creatures, elaborate production design and unmistakable enthusiasm for science fiction. Despite its imperfections, Valerian remains an entertaining and visually generous discovery, and a reminder of the creative risks that large-scale European genre cinema can take.
— Matty, Curator of the Vault
Atmosphere
Colorful, futuristic, extravagant, playful, otherworldly
Visual wonder
Science fiction imagination
Action adventure
Emotional depth
Contains science-fiction violence, gunfights, explosions, alien creatures, scenes of peril, suggestive costumes and brief disturbing imagery.
Dans les coulisses
Ce qu'on ne voit pas à l'écran
A Long-Standing Dream
Luc Besson had wanted to adapt the comics for years, after previously collaborating with Mézières on The Fifth Element.
An Extraordinary Opening
David Bowie's Space Oddity accompanies the montage showing humanity's first contacts with extraterrestrial civilizations.
Thousands of Visual Effects
The production involved more than 2,700 visual-effects shots created with contributions from major international studios.
An Unusual Cast
Rihanna plays the shapeshifting entertainer Bubble, while musician Herbie Hancock appears as a government official.
A French Studio Epic
Much of the production was filmed on elaborate sets at the Cité du Cinéma in Saint-Denis, near Paris.
Aux origines
Adapted from the French comic-book series Valérian et Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières, first published in 1967
Palette
Les couleurs du film
Alpha Nebula Blue#286B91
Pearl Opal#D7DDD1
Cosmic Violet#7656A0
Big Market Amber#E4A653
Alien Coral#E66F67
Deep Space Navy#202B49
Images
