Now that I have reported on the 12 science fiction movies released in the first half of 2018, it’s time to deliver the list for 2H 2018 — the rest of the year. The good news is that the quality of the upcoming films appears to be better. The bad news is that several fewer science fiction movies are in the queue to be released before January 1. Given a choice, though, I’ll take quality over quantity any day.
The Rules:
- The following list does not include superhero or comic book movies, anime, animated children’s movies, movies based on video games, horror (including poltergeists, haunted mirrors, creepy children, etc.), fairy tales, Bible movies, paranormal romance and (with a few notable exceptions) monster movies. They are not science fiction.
- This list focuses on movies appearing in theaters. It includes a few premium channel movies, which may be straight-to-video films.
- To be included, the movie must have a definite release date. This may change and the movie may even slip into the following year. But if it has no announced release date, it does not make the list.
Without further countdown or technicalities, here is the list of the scheduled science fiction movies 2H 2018.
JULY
How It Ends
- Release Date: July 13, 2018
- Director: David M. Rosenthal
- Synopsis: “When a mysterious disaster turns the country into a war zone, a young lawyer heads west with his future father-in-law to find his pregnant fiancée.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: Dark, dystopian and dangerous. Like the origin story for The Road. I always love a good dystopian story. Forest Whitaker is the only A-list actor in the cast but that’s okay. Mad Max did not have any big stars at the time, either.
Extinction
- Release Date: July 27, 2018 – On Netflix
- Director: Ben Young
- Synopsis: “A father has a recurring dream of losing his family. His nightmare turns into reality when the planet is invaded by a force bent on destruction. Fighting for their lives, he comes to realize an unknown strength to keep them safe from harm.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: Looks like an intelligent and competently done alien-invasion movie. Could be fun in the summertime.
AUGUST
The Darkest Minds
- Release Date: August 3, 2018
- Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
- Based On: The novel by Alexandra Bracken
- Synopsis: “Imprisoned by an adult world that now fears everyone under 18, a group of teens form a resistance group to fight back and reclaim control of their future.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: Teen rebellion a la Maze Runner and Hunger Games. But it has roots in Stranger Things and Arrival, so that could make a big difference.
SEPTEMBER
Replicas
- Release Date: September 13, 2018
- Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Synopsis: “A scientist becomes obsessed with bringing back his family members who died in a traffic accident.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: It falls into the category of be careful what you wish for. This does not appear to be a horror story in which souls dragged back from the dead bring baggage along with them. Instead it appears to deal with unexpected consequences. Could be intriguing.
The Predator
- Release Date: September 14, 2018
- Director: Shane Black
- Synopsis: “When a young boy accidentally triggers the universe’s most lethal hunters’ return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the human race.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: I enjoyed the original for a lot of reasons, including that the woman is the only who makes it out of the jungle alive. This one looks like it could be equally gripping.
OCTOBER
First Man
- Release Date: October 12, 2018
- Director: Damian Chazelle
- Based On: The book by James R. Hansen
- Synopsis: “A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: More biopic than science fiction but with outer space and the moon. Still, the thought of Damian Chazelle and Ryan Gosling teaming up again brings unwelcome thoughts of La La Land. I hope none of the astronauts breaks out in song.
DECEMBER
Mortal Engines
- Release Date: December 14, 2018
- Director: Christian Rivers
- Based On: The book by Philip Reeve
- Synopsis: “Many years after the “Sixty Minute War,” cities survive a now desolate Earth by moving around on giant wheels attacking and devouring smaller towns to replenish their resources.”
- Trailer: Watch Here
My Take: It’s different, which I always welcome. The trailer seems like Fury Road on steroids and with better special effects. From Peter Jackson, though, which is a good thing. If this one works, it will start a whole new franchise. Just saying.
Alita: Battle Angel
- Release Date: December 21, 2018
- Director: Robert Rodriguez
- Based On: The graphic novel series “Gunnm” by Yukito Kishiro
- Synopsis: “An action-packed story of one young woman’s journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world.”
- Trailer: Not Available
My Take: The synopsis sounds ho-hum, to me. It’s been done before. Many times. Without a trailer, I can’t really form an opinion.
Bumblebee
- Release Date: December 21, 2018
- Director: Travis Knight
- Synopsis: “On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.”
- Trailer: Not Available
My Take: The Iron Giant meets Real Steel in a Transformers spin-off without Michael Bay and written by a woman, Christina Hodson. It’s a toss-up without a trailer.
Wrapping Up 2H 2018
That wraps up 2018, although some of the movies floating out there without release dates might actually land in theaters before the end of the year.
Look out for changes to the schedule. And I’ll see you in the theater.