Science fiction is one of the most enduring and popular genres in the entertainment industry. Ever since the release of George Méliès’ Le Voyage dans la Lune in 1902, space and physics-related themes have been prevalent in cinema. In more recent times, these ideas have spilled over into games as well. There are plenty of new sci-fi offerings for silver-screen fanatics to get excited about in 2023.
The Enduring Appeal of Sci-Fi
Some of the top commercially and critically successful films of all time fit into the sci-fi category, highlighting the genre’s universal appeal. James Cameron’s Avatar in 2009 and Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park in 1993 are two of the highest-grossing sci-fi films ever. There have been plenty of others that are considered highly influential as well, such as Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968 and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner in 1982.
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Developers in the world of gaming expanded on many of the ideas conceived in sci-fi movies, and this helped the genre to balloon. One of the most-hyped sci-fi games in recent times was Cyberpunk 2077 from CD Projekt Red on consoles. The genre has also spilled out onto other platforms to reach as many players as possible. For example, there’s Galaxy on Fire for mobile and Spaceman in the slots market. The latter is just one of many online UK slot games to use sci-fi themes. Some of the other top games include Solar Nova and Star Clusters. It’s clear that these titles are a huge draw for players among bustling lists of reel-spinning games that span a range of themes.
The Movies Set to Expand the Genre This Year
The great thing about sci-fi is it is constantly evolving as new ideas come to the table. Every year, fresh entries in the genre change the way people think about these films, and directors often expand upon the work that has come before. There are a few pictures that people are already getting hyped for in 2023.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to be one of the biggest releases of the year. The Marvel offering will introduce the new major antagonist of the franchise, Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors. Quantum physics is a complicated brand of science that hasn’t been depicted too frequently on screen, but the MCU is doing a pretty good job of giving people a crash course on it in the Ant-Man movies.
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Another eagerly anticipated offering is 65 from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Adam Driver stars as a pilot who crashes on an unknown planet, soon to discover that it was Earth 65 million years ago. The team behind this also made A Quiet Place, so there are high hopes that it will be similarly original.
There’s also Dune: Part Two to get excited about. Denis Villeneuve’s picture will continue the epic science fiction story that began with Dune in 2021. There’s a lot riding on this one, as its success will determine whether the director decides to make a third offering based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah.
2023 is bound to be a thrilling year in film, and there’s a good chance that sci-fi could be the highest-earning genre at the box office. These upcoming pictures are likely to inspire other filmmakers to build upon their ideas in future movies. They could also lead to related sci-fi options across the wider entertainment industry.
