12 Science Fiction Movies: First Half 2018

Astronaut, Moon, science fiction moviesIt’s January and time, once again, for my list of science fiction movies scheduled to be released in the first half of 2018. I sorted out all the upcoming titles according to The Rules below.

If you want news about the stupendous shark, gigantic gorilla and awesome alligator, you will have to look elsewhere. Ditto for a nest of vampires and a few assorted superheroes.

I take my science fiction seriously, preferring dramas set in outer space to anything else. If it makes me feel like I’m Out There, I want to see it. But other tropes fit the genre, too, and are included here.

The Rules:

  1. Astronauts on MarsThe 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.
  2. This list focuses on movies appearing in theaters. It does not include video-on-demand, or straight-to-video movies. I included one original made-for-cable movie just because it takes place Out There.

Science Fiction Movies: First Half of 2018

Here, in chronological order, are a dozen science fiction movies scheduled to appear in the first half of 2018. Release dates sometimes change as movies get moved up or (more often) pushed back. Given that three of these movies are set to debut on the same weekend (February 23), I’ll bet that the studios will reschedule one or more.

The Beyond

  • The Beyond Movie, Amazon PrimeRelease Date: January 9, 2018 – Amazon Prime
  • Director: Hasraf Dulull
  • Synopsis: “Set in 2019, The Beyond chronicles the groundbreaking mission which sent astronauts – modified with advanced robotics, through a newly discovered wormhole known as the Void. When the mission returns unexpectedly, the space agency races to discover what the astronauts encountered on their first of its kind interstellar space journey.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: Yeah, baby. Space ships, astrophysics, and interstellar space. For those of us who have always wanted to go Out There, what could be bad? Well, the director started as a Special Effects Supervisor so he could put all his attention into SPFX instead of story, characterization and science that makes sense. But the trailer looks promising.

Sorry to Bother You

  • Release Date: January 20, 2018
  • Director: Boots Riley
  • Synopsis: “In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe.”
  • Trailer: NA

My Take: It came out this past weekend and I don’t see it playing anywhere.

I Think We’re Alone Now

  • Release Date: January 21, 2018
  • Director: Reed Morano
  • Synopsis: “The apocalypse proves a blessing in disguise for one lucky recluse — until a second survivor arrives with the threat of companionship.”
  • Trailer: NA

My Take: The world ends and the only person left is Tyrion Lannister. Actually, it’s a two-person show: Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning. They may be the only two people who get to see it, though, as distribution seems limited.

The Maze Runner: The Death Cure

  • The Maze Runner, Death CureRelease Date: January 26, 2018
  • Director: Wes Ball
  • Synopsis: “In the finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: We have enjoyed the previous movies in this series and will probably take in this one as well.

Annihilation

  • Release date: February 23, 2018
  • Director: Alex Garland
  • Synopsis: “A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: We have seen two different versions of the trailer and I can’t decide if this is real science fiction or science fiction/monster/horror. If the science fiction predominates, we’ll probably see it. If not, not.

Curvature

  • Release Date: February 23, 2018
  • Director: Diego Hallivis
  • Synopsis: “A scientist must break into a top-secret facility in order to travel back in time and prevent a murder after receiving a mysterious phone call from herself.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: It’s a tossup. Don’t know this director and his filmography isn’t encouraging. I’ll watch the Tomatometer scores.

Pacific Rim Uprising

  • Release Date: February 23, 2018
  • Director: Steven S. DeKnight
  • Synopsis: “Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: The first Pacific Rim movie was good fun, if not great science fiction. The question here is whether the sequel improves on the first movie or falls into the trap of more special effects, More Action, MORE Noise and MORE VIOLENCE. I could not tell from the trailer.

A Wrinkle in Time

  • A Wrinkle in Time, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Madeleine L'EngleRelease Date: March 9, 2018
  • Director: Ava DuVernay
  • Synopsis: “After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: Based on the beloved children’s book of the same name, this movie has mega star power behind it in the form of Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and a huge cast of Big Names. Author Madeline L’Engle is one of the screenwriters. If your kids are readers, you will probably be seeing this film.

The God Particle

  • Release Date: April 20, 2018
  • Director: Julius Onah
  • Synopsis: “After a scientific experiment aboard the space station involving a particle accelerator has unexpected results, the astronauts find themselves isolated. Following their horrible discovery, the space station crew must fight for survival.”
  • Trailer: NA

My Take: This movie was originally scheduled for release last year. It may not appear in the first half of 2018 and even the title seems malleable. Big delays don’t usually augur well for the quality of any movie — even in the Cloverfield franchise.

Ready Player One

  • Release Date: March 30, 2018
  • Director: Steven Spielberg
  • Synopsis: “When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Wade Watts finds the first clue and starts a race for the Egg.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here 

My Take: The trailer looks interesting and Spielberg rarely disappoints so this movie seems promising

Solo: A Star Wars Movie

  • Release Date: May 25, 2018
  • Director: Ron Howard
  • Solo-A Star Wars Story, Han Solo, Star Wars, Millenium FalconSynopsis: “Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here

My Take: It’s an origin movie without a superhero. Will it be interesting or cheesy? Ron Howard usually delivers the goods so my hopes are up. The trailer is dark, as in you can’t see much. Based on what you can see, though, I think the fan boys will drop their Doritos over this one.

Replicas

  • Release Date: June 15
  • Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
  • Synopsis: “A daring synthetic biologist who, after a car accident kills his family, will stop at nothing to bring them back, even if it means pitting himself against a government-controlled laboratory, a police task force and the physical laws of science.”
  • Trailer: Watch Here

My Take: This could be good or it could be more of Hollywood’s muddy vision of the afterlife, from which comes not God but monsters, ghosts, demons and other bad things. The trailer looks more like clones than zombies, though. Fingers crossed.

And there you have it. Twelve science fiction movies for the first half of 2018. Check out the trailers, the Tomatometer scores and figure out what you want to see. I’ll meet you at the concession stand next to the event horizon for the black hole.