The Martian is the latest sci-fi film from British director Ridley Scott (of Alien and Blade Runner fame), and is based on the the bestselling novel from by Andy Weir about a NASA astronaut (played in the film by Matt Damon) who becomes stranded on Mars when a dust storm separates him from the rest of his crew. Based on what we’ve already heard from Damon and co-star Jessica Chastain, in addition to what we’ve seen from the first trailer, Scott’s latest could prove to be not only a thrilling space adventure but a captivating tale of survival.
We’ve already seen some pictures from the set, and more images are emerging in preparation for the film’s October 2015 release, with Total Film magazine being the latest publication to feature a look at the latest genre blockbuster hopeful.
Courtesy of Games Radar, the latest images from Scott’s outer space drama feature Damon alone on the orange sands of Mars (above), hopelessly alone amid an arid landscape, and trapped in the dust storm with two members of his team in tow (below). Additionally, subscribers to Total Film magazine will have access to exclusive concept art from Scott himself, both of which feature actor Damon in character as NASA astronaut Mark Watney (below).
The Martian co-stars Chastain, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, and Aksel Hennie as Damon’s fellow interstellar cosmonauts, with actors Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean making up the Houston ground team tasked with establishing a rescue operation in order to retrieve the stranded Mark Watney. Following the example set by Weir, the film is determined to use only real science, with zero room for movie cheats, making for a veritable Robinson Crusoe-like adventure in space with plenty of Scott’s established eye for cinematic grandiosity.
The new images are decidedly impressive, and look to convey more of what we’ve already seen so far, while highlighting the visual aspects of the story that Scott wants to tell. Coming after the critically divisive Prometheus, The Martian looks to be a breath of fresh air after what many felt was an unsuccessful attempt to return to the film genre that made Scott famous in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Damon will need more than some pretty set pieces and stunning cinematography to get his character out of the bind he finds himself in, but until Scott’s film is finally released we’ll just have to wait and see how this latest sci-fi drama holds up under critical and viewer reception later this fall.
NEXT: The Martian Official Trailer
The Martian opens in U.S. theaters on October 2nd, 2015.
