Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
Two operatives of the United Human Federation must uncover a dangerous force threatening the entire universe within a massive space-traveling city.
The story
In the 28th century, the former International Space Station has been transformed into Alpha, a massive space-traveling city housing thousands of species from across the galaxy. Valerian and Laureline, partners in the United Human Federation police, are assigned to a critical mission. They must investigate a mysterious, destructive force lurking beneath the sprawling city. As they navigate the diverse environments of Alpha, they realize the threat is not localized; it poses a catastrophic danger to the entire universe. The duo must navigate the complexities of the city's inhabitants and the escalating crisis to stop the force before it can cause irreparable damage.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the 28th century, the space-traveling city Alpha houses thousands of species. Valerian and Laureline, United Human Federation officers, are tasked with investigating a destructive force beneath the city. During their investigation, they encounter a variety of alien cultures and a mysterious energy source. They eventually discover that the 'threat' is actually a group of survivors from the planet Mül, whose world was destroyed by a human-led military action. The survivors, known as Pearls, are trying to find a new home using a specialized converter and a stolen energy pearl. The plot culminates in a confrontation with a human commander who attempted to cover up the genocide of the Mül people. After a series of skirmishes and negotiations, Valerian and Laureline help the Pearls escape in their spacecraft, while the commander is arrested for his actions. The film ends with Valerian and Laureline left together in space, awaiting rescue.
- Original title
- Valérian et la Cité des mille planètes
- First release year
- 2017
- Runtime (minutes)
- 137
- Production countries
- France; United States; China; Germany; Belgium; United Arab Emirates
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Luc Besson
- Writers
- Luc Besson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Dane DeHaan · Valerian; Cara Delevingne · Laureline; Clive Owen · Arün Filitt; Rihanna; Ethan Hawke; Herbie Hancock; Kris Wu; Rutger Hauer
- Genres
- space opera; science fiction
- Themes
- consequences of war; collaboration
- Tone and mood
- surreal; extravagant
- Setting
- The 28th century in the space-traveling city Alpha and various other planets.
- Premise and plot tags
- space opera; multicultural; exploration
- Source material / true-story basis
- Valérian and Laureline
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the visuals but criticized the plot and casting. It was considered a box-office bomb in the United States due to high production costs.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 48% · scale: percentage · review count: 300; Metacritic · score: 51 · scale: 100 · review count: 45; AlloCiné · score: 3.0 · scale: 5 · review count: 31
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Awards · Best Science Fiction Film · 2017 · lost; Saturn Awards · Best Production Design · 2017 · lost; Saturn Awards · Best Costume Design · 2017 · lost
- Production trivia
- The film is the most expensive European and the most expensive independent film ever made.; The soundtrack's duration is exactly 137 minutes, matching the film's length.; The trailer featured the first time a Beatles master recording was used in a film advertisement.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…