Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E... !exclusive! Jun 2026

Valerian is not a subtle film. Critics often point to its flaws: the mismatched chemistry between leads Dane DeHaan (Valerian) and Cara Delevingne (Laureline), and a plot that pauses dead for a five-minute Rihanna burlesque hologram show (the character "Bubble"). However, this "Excess" is also its greatest strength. In an era of desaturated, "gritty" reboots, Besson throws pure, unfiltered color and absurdity at the screen. The costumes, designed by Olivier Bériot, look like they walked off a Paris fashion week runway set in a gamma-ray burst.

The opening sequence of the film masterfully tracks the historical evolution of Alpha. It begins with the 1975 Apollo–Soyuz testimonial handshake and progresses through centuries of docking alien vessels. This sequence establishes Alpha not just as a location, but as a living, breathing symbol of universal cooperation and peace. Diverse Alien Ecosystems

The duo must identify a mysterious dark force at the center of Alpha that threatens the city's peaceful existence and the future of the universe. This journey uncovers a deep-seated conspiracy involving the destruction of the peaceful planet and its inhabitants, the Key Characters & Cast

This paper explores the visual storytelling, world-building, and cultural reception of Luc Besson’s 2017 space opera, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets . Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...

The undisputed star of Valerian is its world-building. Besson creates a universe that is dense, colorful, and teeming with life.

Characterization and Performance Valerian and Laureline are written as a classic odd-couple pairing: Valerian is impulsive and romantically fixated, Laureline is pragmatic and morally grounded. DeHaan’s performance leans into Valerian’s vanity and insecurity, while Delevingne brings a laconic cool to Laureline. Their chemistry has moments of genuine spark, but the screenplay’s heavy reliance on quips and action beats constrains deeper emotional engagement. Secondary characters—comic-relief sidekicks, bureaucratic villains, and tragic natives—are vividly designed but frequently feel like set dressing rather than fully realized agents within the story.

The full title refers to — the eponymous city of a thousand planets. What Besson achieves here is staggering. The film opens with a montage set to David Bowie’s "Space Oddity" showing the International Space Station gradually absorbing more and more international, then alien, docking ports over centuries. By the 28th century, Alpha is a teeming, bio-diverse metropolis the size of a moon. Valerian is not a subtle film

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At the heart of the film is , an ever-expanding space station where thousands of different species from all corners of the universe live together, pooling their knowledge, intelligence, and cultures. A Marvel of World-Building

Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - Everything You Need to Know In an era of desaturated, "gritty" reboots, Besson

Audiences on platforms like the Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets IMDb page praise the film's dazzling action sequences, humor, and creative character design. Conversely, traditional critics frequently pointed to a lack of romantic chemistry between DeHaan and Delevingne as a narrative stumbling block. Furthermore, parental resources like the Raising Children Network note that the film's mature thematic elements and action make it less suitable for children under 12. Connections to The Fifth Element

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Critically panned; many felt Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne lacked romantic spark and a commanding screen presence.