It’s been a pretty great week for sci-fi fans so far, with multiple franchises seeing renewals for future seasons, promises of even more from others that are still just getting started, and a quietly impressive YouTube series you should really take a look at.
This week is shaping up to be a fantastic follow-up to last week’s debut of Amazon’s Fallout series. While we haven’t got any further news on the future of the retailer’s post-apocalyptic cinematic universe, the future looks bright for many other franchises. It’s also a pretty good day to be a fan of 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as a sci-fi trailblazer returns to the scene to rock our concept of the world once again.
Peacemaker Season 2 filming begins
James Gunn confirmed this week that Season 2 of Peacemaker is now well underway. This second season and the Superman movie he’s working on are being filmed simultaneously, which sounds like a minefield to keep straight in your head. For those who aren’t aware, Peacemaker is a spin-off of the Suicide Squad movies starring John Cena’s titular character in one of his most enjoyable performances.
A Thousands Suns sci-fi short series delights viewers
A Thousand Suns is a series of six short sci-fi movies. Each one is roughly 5 minutes long and paints a picture of humanity’s far future across various worlds, circumstances, and beliefs. It was created by Blackmilk Studios and released yesterday to a decent reception from fans on the main sci-fi subreddit. I’ve watched the first two episodes so far, and while they’re not as incredible as I’m sure a full-length movie in the same universe would be, they’re well worth a watch for the way they explore this vision for our progression in thousands of years.
Rebel Moon‘s third part is already plotted, should it get the all clear
I opened Netflix this morning in the UK and was surprised to see Rebel Moon: Part 2 being advertised, with Part 1 having only been released in late 2023. However, it’s real and will be released this week on April 19, but the story beyond it has already been planned out. In a recent issue of SFX, as reported by Collider, director Zack Snyder already knows where the franchise is heading in a wider story arc.
This could include a Part 3 Netflix release as well as books, comics, and spin-offs. Snyder adds that after a certain point, he’d be fine handing Rebel Moon off to someone else so the massive universe can be explored. It feels a lot like the start of something much bigger, provided it can maintain its momentum.
Spielberg directing a new UFO movie
As reported by Variety, director Steven Spielberg is turning his attention to a new UFO movie based on his own idea. David Koepp is allegedly writing the script, though this isn’t confirmed. As someone who watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind a ridiculous number of times as a child because he adores UFOs, this is very exciting news. If you’re struggling to wait, I can’t recommend that movie enough.
Apple renews For All Mankind for its fifth season, plus a spin-off
Finally, Apple has renewed its For All Mankind alternate history space race show for a fifth season as well as a spin-off. Its creators have an ambitious seven-season plan that they seem to be getting close to, which is impressive in a day and age when any streaming series can get shut down once it hits this point. Just look at The Expanse.
The spin-off here is going to be another series called Star City, which will tell the story of this alternative history space race as a paranoid thriller from behind the Iron Curtain. This ticks all the boxes for me right now, but more than anything, I want the main series to reach the planned endpoint, so I hope this spin-off doesn’t risk that.
