Production is underway on the set of Luc Besson’s ambitious sci-fi adaptation Valerian, and Cara Delevingne has taken to Instagram to share the first photos from the set.
Headlining the sprawling space opera as Laureline, Delevingne will star alongside Chronicle breakout Dane DeHaan, as they “help defend a utopian 28th century Earth and its neighboring planets from bad guys, with the pair’s adventures rooted in space opera and time travel themes.” Syrte is the planetary crux of Besson’s sci-fi tale, who is returning to his roots following the relative success of Scarlett Johansson-fronted thriller, Lucy.
That said, on paper, Valerian is more in line with The Fifth Element for its cerebral concept only on a much grander scale. Caught between the ancient Syrtians and earthlings, Laureline (Delevingne) and Valerian (DeHann) are forced to pick a side when a revolution sparks on the streets of Syrtian. Lifted from Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières’ acclaimed comic series, there’s certainly franchise potential simmering beneath the surface of Besson’s feature, though big-budget sci-fi filmmaking continues to be an exercise in risk-taking following the misfire that was Jupiter Ascending.
Nonetheless, Valerian is now officially on course for its 2017 release, with a cast in tow that includes Clive Owen, Good Kill alum Ethan Hawke, Rihanna and, more recently, John Goodman as a mysterious extra-terrestrial.
Officially titled Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Luc Besson’s genre piece has set its sights on a July 21, 2017, and you can check out Delevingne’s most recent post that showcases the comic book origins of her character.
