Sony Pictures will help kickstart the summer season at the end of May 2017 with the sci-fi film Life. Daniel Espinosa (Child 44, Safe House) is behind the camera, directing a script from Deadpool writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese. Given the writing duo’s recent efforts, the project was able to attract some big name talent from the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Deadpool himself Ryan Reynolds, and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation breakout star Rebecca Ferguson as the film’s female lead.
Despite a late May release date, the film and its production have not been a priority for many. However, given the timing of its release, its a good bet Sony is angling for this to be a solid science fiction followup to the studio’s upcoming space drama, Passengers. With the release of the first trailer, audiences can now decide if this outer-space thriller looks like it will have what it takes to be a summer blockbuster.
The trailer premiered during the second episode of The Walking Dead season 7, giving a good idea as to what Sony Pictures’ target demographic is. The short preview sets up the story of a group of astronauts studying the first signs of life not from Earth, but the exploration inevitably takes a turn for the worse. The life form the astronauts discover quickly grabs on to one of them, and whatever comes next does not seem to be good for anyone onboard the ship, or for the future of mankind.
As the first piece of marketing, the trailer for Life should get sci-fi fans interested in the upcoming space thriller. The trailer does a good job at building towards the potential horror/thriller elements that it will have. Prior to this tonal shift, the trailer spends time briefly setting up the space station and the crew, even giving a brief moment for Reynolds’ charm and humor to shine through. This is the only moment of levity provided in the trailer, which gives the film a tone more in the vein of Alien.
This will be Sony’s second space adventure/thriller in the next six months but Life has already differentiated itself from Passengers. Both films have recognizable names at the top of the cast, but the love story between Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence appears to be the driving force behind Passengers, while Life will depend on the mystery of the new life form and its impact on the crew.
Despite Sony potentially having great faith in the film, it has to go toe-to-toe with Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales while also being in theaters at the same time as fellow space adventure Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Still, Life would seem to meet a slighltly different (and potentially older) demographic than its competition. Outside of its own interests, it will join the ranks of intriguing space films from the third Cloverfield movie known as God Particle, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and Alien: Covenant to come out next year. Should Life be well-received, it should not only bode well for itself, but also for the other upcoming films.
Life will hit U.S. theaters on May 27, 20176
