Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a 2017 space opera film directed by Luc Besson, based on the French comic series Valérian and Laureline. It is renowned for its visual spectacle and holds the record for the most expensive European and independent film ever made.
The story follows two spatio-temporal agents, Valerian and Laureline, who are tasked with maintaining order throughout the universe. They are sent on a mission to the intergalactic city of Alpha, a massive space station known as the "City of a Thousand Planets."
Key Story Beats:
In the landscape of modern science fiction cinema, few films arrive with as much visual ambition and narrative stumble as Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Yet, before the wooden dialogue and the miscast chemistry of its leads take center stage, the film offers a masterpiece of silent storytelling: the opening montage, set to David Bowie’s "Space Oddity."
This sequence—sometimes referred to by fans as the "E" for "Evolution" or "Exploration"—is a dazzling, nearly wordless ten minutes that accomplishes what the rest of the film struggles to achieve: it makes you fall in love with an idea.
The Handshake in the Void The sequence begins in 1975, with an American astronaut and a Soviet cosmonaut meeting aboard a primitive space station. The Cold War is still tangible, yet the act of docking their capsules is a gesture of fragile hope. When an alien species—resembling luminous, ethereal seals—arrives and offers a glowing pearl of energy, the humans hesitate, then accept. This handshake is the seed from which the City of a Thousand Planets (Alpha) will grow.
Time-Lapse of Utopia What follows is a breathtaking time-lapse of architectural and cultural accumulation. We watch as modules from every nation, then every species, latch onto the original station. Besson uses no exposition; we simply see the station bulge, morph, and bloom like a coral reef in zero gravity. By 2040, it’s a sprawling metropolis. By 2150, it houses reptilian warriors, aquatic farmers, and cybernetic merchants. The sequence visually answers the question: How do you build a city for a thousand species? You let them arrive, one by one, and give them a dock.
Bowie’s Elegy David Bowie’s haunting, melancholic track is not an arbitrary choice. "Space Oddity" is a song about isolation ("Can you hear me, Major Tom?"), yet Besson repurposes it as an anthem of connection. As the station grows, Major Tom’s lonely fate contrasts with Alpha’s crowded harmony. It suggests that the tragedy of our early space age was isolation, and the triumph of the future is symbiosis.
The Tragedy of What Follows The brilliance of the "E" sequence is also its curse. It sets an emotional and conceptual bar that the actual plot—a generic rescue mission involving stolen converters and a rogue commander—cannot reach. The opening promises a documentary of a living ecosystem; the film delivers a buddy-cop actioner.
In the end, the opening of Valerian remains one of the most hopeful and beautifully executed montages in 21st-century sci-fi. It reminds us that Besson is a master of world-building, even when he forgets how to populate that world with characters we care about. The "E" stands for Evolution, but also for Elegy—a mourning for the great film that could have been, hiding inside the mediocre one we received.
If you meant a different section (e.g., the "E" as in the movie's subtitle on a specific streaming platform, or the planet "E" from the comics), please clarify and I can adjust the text.
In an era dominated by superhero formulas and legacy sequels, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets stands out as a flawed but fearless work of passion. It is a film that shouldn’t exist: a $180 million European art film disguised as a space opera. Besson bet everything on the idea that beauty and imagination could overcome narrative deficiencies.
He was half-right. The narrative is a mess, the romance is flat, and the pacing sags in the middle. But the world—Alpha, the Big Market, the Pearls, the converter—is as rich and immersive as anything in modern cinema.
For every viewer who watches it for the first time, the reaction is usually the same: confusion followed by awe. You don’t watch Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets for the characters; you watch it to live inside a Mézières painting. And in that regard, it is an unqualified masterpiece.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is ambitious, occasionally clumsy, and often sublime. It’s a film best experienced with cinematic surrender: let the visuals wash over you, embrace the pulp heart of the story, and forgive the narrative creaks. For viewers craving a vivid, restless, and unabashedly imaginative sci-fi playground, Valerian is one of the most exhilarating failures — or the most exhilarating successes — of the 2010s. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets - E...
If you’re after further angles, I can write a scene-by-scene breakdown, analyze visual motifs, or compare Valerian’s worldbuilding to classics like Blade Runner, Fifth Element, and The Fifth Element’s spiritual heirs. Which would you prefer?
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a 2017 space opera film written and directed by Luc Besson. Based on the influential French comic series Valérian and Laureline, the film is recognized as the most expensive independent and European film ever produced, with a budget of approximately $180–210 million. Plot & Setting
Set in the 28th century, the story follows special government operatives Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) as they maintain order throughout human territories. Their primary mission takes them to Alpha, the "City of a Thousand Planets"—a gargantuan, ever-expanding space station where thousands of species from across the universe share knowledge and culture.
The duo must investigate a mysterious "dark force" or "radioactive zone" at the center of Alpha that threatens the station’s peaceful existence. As they delve deeper, they uncover a massive cover-up involving a forgotten genocide of the peaceful Pearl inhabitants of the planet Mül. Production & Vision
Director Luc Besson, a lifelong fan of the source material, spent decades waiting for technology to catch up to his vision, citing James Cameron's Avatar as proof that such a complex world could be realized.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: A Maximalist Sci-Fi Odyssey
When Luc Besson released Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in 2017, it wasn't just another summer blockbuster; it was the culmination of a lifelong dream. Based on the influential French comic series Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières—the same source material that inspired Star Wars—the film is a breathtaking, messy, and utterly unique piece of cinema. The Visual Spectacle of Alpha
The heart of the film is "Alpha," the titular City of a Thousand Planets. The opening sequence, set to David Bowie’s "Space Oddity," elegantly charts the history of the International Space Station as it grows over centuries, welcoming alien species until it becomes too massive for Earth's orbit and is pushed into deep space.
Visually, the film is a triumph. From the "Big Market"—a multi-dimensional bazaar that requires special goggles to see—to the bioluminescent paradise of the Mül planet, Besson pushes digital effects to their absolute limit. Every frame is packed with imaginative creature designs and vibrant color palettes that stand in stark contrast to the gritty, "lived-in" aesthetic popularized by other sci-fi franchises. The Protagonists: Valerian and Laureline
The film follows Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne), two United City of Earth government agents tasked with maintaining order throughout the universe.
While the chemistry between the leads was a point of contention for critics, their dynamic captures the "bickering professional" energy of the original comics. Valerian is the arrogant, rule-following ace pilot, while Laureline is the grounded, highly capable heart of the operation. Their mission to retrieve a "converter"—the last of its kind from a destroyed civilization—unravels a massive intergalactic conspiracy. Why It Became a Cult Classic
Despite its staggering $200 million budget, the film struggled at the domestic box office. However, in the years since its release, it has found a dedicated following. Fans point to several standout elements:
The Rihanna Cameo: Her performance as Bubble, a shape-shifting "glamopod," features a dazzling dance sequence that remains one of the most creative uses of VFX in modern film.
World-Building: Unlike cinematic universes that feel manufactured for sequels, Valerian feels like a snapshot of a vast, existing world. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Pure Imagination: It eschews the safe, formulaic structures of many superhero movies in favor of weird, whimsical, and often risky storytelling choices. A Legacy of Ambition
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a reminder of what happens when a director is given total creative freedom. It is a sensory-overload experience that prioritizes wonder over tight plotting. For those tired of the "dark and gritty" sci-fi trope, Alpha offers a neon-soaked alternative that celebrates the diversity of the cosmos.
Whether you're a fan of the original 1960s comics or a newcomer to the world of space operas, Valerian is a journey worth taking—if only to see the universe through Luc Besson’s kaleidoscopic lens.
If you are a fan of practical-effects-heavy sci-fi (like The Fifth Element, also by Besson), or if you love the aesthetic of Guardians of the Galaxy but wish it were stranger, then yes.
Searching for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets – E likely means you are a curious viewer looking for escapism. You will find it here. Skip the romantic subplot, mute the occasional groan-worthy line of dialogue, and let your eyes feast on one of the most expensive and beautiful dreams ever committed to celluloid.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5 – A visual masterpiece hampered by its leads, but essential viewing for hardcore sci-fi fans.)
Have you seen Valerian? Do you think it deserves a sequel? Share your thoughts below, or check out our deep dive into the art of Jean-Claude Mézières.
Valerian: City of Alpha , the official mobile game prequel to the 2017 film, you serve as the architect responsible for transforming a small space station into the sprawling intergalactic metropolis known as the "City of a Thousand Planets." Core Gameplay Mechanics City Building
: You manage Alpha by constructing and upgrading habitats in hexagonal districts to house diverse alien species. Resource Management
: Collect resources to fund station expansions, build advanced spaceships, and craft equipment for your crew. Exploration & Scanning
: Dispatch ships to various galaxies and scan them to uncover missions and encounter new alien lifeforms. Diplomacy & Missions
: Complete "choose-your-own-adventure" style narrative missions where your choices determine rewards like reputation points or rare technologies. Essential Strategy & Tips Optimize Energy Recovery
: Every mission consumes ship energy. While ships slowly recover energy in space, flying them back to Alpha's docking bays significantly speeds up the recharge process. Match Crew Skills
: Assign crew members with specific special abilities that match the mission's requirements to increase your success rate and reduce risk. Build Reputation If you meant a different section (e
: Focus on courting specific alien races; higher reputation unlocks advanced technologies and unique production capabilities. Check Power Ratings
: Always compare your combined ship and crew power rating against the recommended level for a galaxy before launching a mission to avoid failure. Factory Upgrades
: Regularly use your factory to craft upgrades from found schematics. Improving your gear is the primary way to survive more difficult missions in deep space. Key Game Features Stunning Visuals
: The game features high-quality artwork inspired by Luc Besson's film and the original comics. Prequel Storyline
: Set 590 years before the events of the movie, allowing you to discover the origins of major alien species. Elite Teams
: Recruit and train agents to form specialized squads for dangerous deep-space exploration. you can unlock or the best ways to earn premium currency for upgrades?
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a 2017 space opera written and directed by Luc Besson, based on the French comic series Valérian and Laureline. The film is celebrated for its stunning visual spectacle and ambitious world-building but received mixed reviews regarding its script and chemistry between the leads. Core Premise & Plot
Set in the 28th century, the story follows Major Valerian and Sergeant Laureline, two special operatives who maintain order in human territories.
The Setting: Much of the action takes place on Alpha, a massive, ever-expanding space station where thousands of species from across the universe live together and share knowledge.
The Mission: The duo is tasked with retrieving a rare creature called a "Mül converter"—a small animal capable of replicating powerful pearls.
The Mystery: During their mission, they uncover a dark secret involving the destruction of the planet Mül and a government cover-up led by Commander Arun Filitt. Valerian must eventually choose between following orders and doing what is morally right for a displaced alien race. Cast & Key Characters
The film features an international cast with several high-profile cameos:
The film ends with Valerian and Laureline defying orders. They return the stolen converter to the Pearls, which regenerates their home planet’s core. Instead of punishing them, the Federation Commander thanks them, and the two agents request to be stationed on Alpha permanently. The final shot is the two of them walking into the depths of the city, ready for new adventures—a perfect setup for a sequel that will likely never happen.