Space: 96

Moon 44 (1990), a film from Centropolis Film Productions and directed by Roland Emmerich, takes place in the year 2038. At this point in time, Earth’s natural resources have run dry and major corporations now control the galaxy. These companies constantly battle for rights to mining planets, with the most notable conflict taking place on Moon 44. This particular installation is currently under the control of Galactic Mining Corporation, as other nearby moons have been overtaken by rival Pyrite Defense Company’s battle robots. Due to numerous casualties during training, Galactic Mining cancelled its defense ...

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) is an American science fiction film directed by William Shatner and based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry. Following their ship’s shakedown cruise, the crew of the newly commissioned USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A), including Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, are taking advantage of shore leave at Yosemite National Park. However, their break is cut short as Starfleet Command orders them to rescue a human, a Klingon, and a Romulan who have been taken hostage on Nimbus III – a planet designated for diplomatic ...

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. Spanning 178 episodes over seven seasons, it originally aired in syndication from September 28, 1987 to May 23, 1994. The third installment in the Star Trek franchise, TNG draws inspiration from its predecessor, Star Trek: The Original Series. It is set in the late 24th century when Earth is a member of the United Federation of Planets and follows the journey of the Starfleet starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) as it explores the Alpha and Beta quadrants of the Milky Way galaxy. The ...

Aliens (1986), a science fiction action film, was written and directed by James Cameron. As the second film in the Alien franchise, it serves as a sequel to the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien. After destroying her ship, the Nostromo, to escape an alien creature that massacred her crew, Ellen Ripley enters a state of stasis for 57 years aboard an escape shuttle. Upon being rescued and debriefed by her employers at Weyland-Yutani Corporation, they express doubt about her claims of alien eggs on exomoon LV-426. This is due to the fact that a terraforming colony now occupies the area. When ...

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), an American science fiction film, is the fourth installment in the Star Trek franchise based on the TV series. In 2286, a massive cylindrical probe moves through space and emits an indecipherable signal that disables all passing ships. Upon reaching Earth, it manipulates the power grid and creates catastrophic planetary storms that block out the sun. As a result, Starfleet Command issues a distress call and advises against approaching Earth. Meanwhile, on Vulcan, the former officers of USS Enterprise are living in exile with Spock, who is still recovering from his resurrection. To face trial for their actions, they use a ...

2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984) is a United States-produced science fiction film written, shot and directed by Peter Hyams. Acting as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s famous 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey and based on Arthur C. Clarke’s novel 2010: Odyssey Two (published in 1982), the movie follows a joint American-Soviet team sent to Jupiter to uncover the reason for the failure of the previous Discovery One mission. In this timeline, nine years have passed since the five crew members, ...

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) is a sci-fi film written and produced by Harve Bennett and directed by Leonard Nimoy. It is based on the popular TV show of the same name. After a fierce battle with the powerful Khan Noonien Singh, the Enterprise returns to Earth in a damaged state. Khan had attempted to obliterate the Enterprise using an experimental terraforming tool called Genesis. Among the casualties is Spock, a close Vulcan friend of Admiral James T. Kirk. His remains are launched into space around the newly formed planet created by Genesis. Upon docking ...

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) is an American space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay was written by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas based on a story by Lucas, who also served as the executive producer. One year after Han Solo’s capture, C-3PO and R2-D2 are sent by Luke Skywalker to rescue him from Jabba the Hutt’s palace on Tatooine in exchange for a trade. Disguised as a male bounty hunter, Princess Leia joins in ...

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) is a renowned American sci-fi movie directed by Nicholas Meyer and based on the popular TV series. In the year 2285, Admiral James T. Kirk presides over a trainee simulation supervised by Captain Spock. In this simulation, Lieutenant Saavik leads the USS Enterprise on a rescue mission to save the crew of Kobayashi Maru, a damaged ship. However, they are unexpectedly attacked by Klingon cruisers and suffer severe damage. This simulation is known as a no-win scenario, specifically designed to test the mettle of Starfleet officers. Later, on his birthday, Dr. McCoy visits Kirk and ...

The American epic space opera film, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), was directed by Irvin Kershner and written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas.Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader and the Imperial fleet send out probe droids to find the Rebel Alliance. The probe locates their base on Hoth, an ice planet. Luke Skywalker falls into the clutches of a wampa, but he uses the Force to ...

Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon, is a science fiction horror film. The story was co-authored by Ronald Shusett. The seven-member crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo, including Captain Dallas, Executive Officer Kane, Warrant Officer Ripley, Navigator Lambert, Science Officer Ash, and engineers Parker and Brett, are in stasis as they return to Earth. Upon receiving a transmission from a nearby moon, Mother awakens the crew. In accordance with protocol to investigate any potential ...

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) is a science fiction movie based on the popular TV series of the same name. Directed by Robert Wise and produced by Gene Roddenberry, it follows the story of a monitoring station called Epsilon Nine in the 23rd century that discovers a powerful alien entity making its way towards Earth. The entity easily destroys three Klingon warships and Epsilon Nine before continuing on its course. Meanwhile, the starship Enterprise, commanded by former captain James T. Kirk who has been promoted to Admiral, is undergoing a major refit on Earth. As ...

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) is an American epic space opera film directed and written by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Twentieth Century-Fox. Serving as the first installment in the Star Wars series, it is the fourth chapter in the Skywalker Saga. The story takes place during a galactic civil war, where the Rebel Alliance has obtained plans to the Death Star from Imperial spies. This massive space station has been constructed by the tyrannical Galactic Empire and has the capability to annihilate entire planets. Among those involved in retrieving these ...

2001: A Space Odyssey (1984) is a groundbreaking science fiction film, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick. The screenplay, co-written by Kubrick and renowned science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, draws inspiration from Clarke’s 1951 short story The Sentinel as well as other works. The story begins in a prehistoric veld where a tribe of hominins is forced to leave their water source by a rival tribe. The following day, they discover the presence of an alien monolith amongst them. Through this ...

Gene Roddenberry’s American science fiction TV series, Star Trek (1966–1969), chronicles the voyages of USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. This show, which started an entire media franchise, later became known as Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS). Set in the 23rd century, it follows the exploits of the Enterprise crew on a five-year mission to discover new worlds, life forms, and civilizations; all while venturing into uncharted territory. The ship is under the command of handsome and daring Captain James Tiberius ‘Jim’ Kirk. His two closest confidants are Commander Spock, a ...

The British science fiction film First Men in the Moon (1964), directed by Nathan Juran, was distributed by Columbia Pictures and adapted from H. G. Wells’ 1901 novel of the same name by screenwriter Nigel Kneale. Set in 1964, the United Nations launches a rocket flight to the Moon with a multi-national group of astronauts who believe they will be the first explorers on the lunar surface. However, upon their debut moonwalk, they come across a battered Union Jack flag and a handwritten note dated 65 years prior, ...