Awesome Science Fiction

Geek kings Penny-Arcade adapted their side webcomic Automata into a episodic series. It’s a sci-fi noir set in an alternate reality 1930’s United States, where advanced robots used to be made. The series is about one such being, a detective, and his partner.

A spectacularly fun book for any Star Wars fan, graphic designer Tim Leong’s lighthearted paperback is packed with infographics, facts, and figures from what each lightsaber color means, to the heights of popular characters, to the Jedi High Council seating chart.

“I refuse to answer a literal call to adventure, Morty. Let it go to voicemail.” The new season brings us Pickle Rick, Morty’s giant arm, some creepy dude smashing heads with a giant piano, and gooey mutants galore in “the darkest year” of their adventures. Episodes kick off 7/30/17.

(Gore, PG-13: Language) The latest short film from director Neill Blomkamp’s Oats Studios is set in an alternate past, in which the CIA and a soldier are trying to hunt down a powerful being called the river god in the midst of the Vietnam War. What a thrill ride.

This featurette for Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 features interviews with the cast and crew about creating a new universe while being faithful to Ridley Scott’s original vision, while also giving us a peak at some of the film’s fantastic scenery and cinematography.

(SPOILERS) “Using an exploration of where we might be, to explore where it seems like we’re heading, in order to reveal exactly where we are.” CineFix compiles their favorite sci-fi films. They chose lots of obvious classics, but they also tipped their hat to many modern films.

(Gore) Sigourney Weaver stars in the first short film from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp’s Oats Studios. Set in 2020, Rakka presents the invasion of Earth by a brutal alien race through different perspectives. You can support Oats by buying their films’ assets on Steam.

Adam Westbrook’s ongoing web series is a faux documentary based on a sci-fi staple called Encyclopedia Galactica. In particular, Parallax. focuses on an advanced extraterrestrial civilization’s analysis of life on Earth. We hope Netflix picks this up.

Science fiction movies, books, and TV shows have certain consistent elements, like humanoid aliens, spaceships, and radio-based communications. Aeon Video reminds us that the reason for this is that extraterrestrials in fiction are often just reflections of ourselves.

Sonequa Martin-Green, Michelle Yeoh, Jason Isaacs, and Doug Jones star in the first new Trek series in over a decade. It takes place in the pre-Kirk era, and is being told from the perspective of the ship’s first officer. The pilot hits CBS, followed by a full season on CBS All Access.

30 years after the events of the original film, an LAPD cop (Ryan Gosling) discovers a dark secret – presumably about the replicants – which sends him on the hunt for Rick Deckard, who may be the only one who can help him prevent the impending doom.

Who knows if it’ll translate to the big screen, but we’re excited to see Idris Elba as The Last Gunslinger, and Matthew McConaughey as the Man in Black in this adaptation of Stephen King’s classic series of science fiction novels. Oh please, oh please let this be good.

“What if they’re not better than us?” “So long as they’re no worse.” Set immediately after the events of Prometheus, this short film sums up Dr. Shaw and the android David’s journey to the homeworld of our creators, the Engineers.

During Star Wars Celebration, a veritable army of robot builders got together in one room to let their R2-D2s, BB-8s, and other assorted droids meet each other. It’s like a dog park for droids, and it should be open every day of the year. Kudos to Michael McMaster for the video.

The protagonist in Nick Black’s darkly comic claymation short sets out to answer the divisive question: “Which came first – the chicken or the egg?” Unfortunately, his proposed experiment to solve the perplexing riddle has unintended consequences.

To celebrate the relaunch of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Jonah, Crow, and Tom Servo riffed on another Netflix hit. It’s weird to see them making fun of something good, but that just gives them plenty of new opportunities if they ever, god forbid, run out of bad movies.

Woody Harrelson leads an army of humans hellbent on wiping out the apes, and Caesar must stand up and lead apekind into an epic battle for survival in Matt Reeves’ follow up to his excellent Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Opens 7/14/17. APES! TOGETHER! STRONG!

(PG-13: Language) A man travels back in time to prevent a King from being assassinated, thus altering the course of time. Unfortunately, there’s a bit too much exposition standing between our time traveler and a successful mission in TomSka’s silly sketch.

In case you were wondering why Prometheus‘ android butler David is back and in great shape in Alien: Covenant, he’s not. Meet Walter. He’s one of Westworld’s Weyland-Yutani’s latest synthetic humanoids.

“All you do is yell at each other. You’re not friends.” Groot says hi, Gamora channels Marvel vs. Capcom, Drax kills a spaceship, Rocket laughs maniacally, and Peter meets someone special in the first full trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Get ready to have your pants scared off with Ridley Scott’s follow up to Prometheus, in which pairs of happy couples head off Noah’s Ark style to colonize what they think is a remote paradise, but is actually home to a bunch of nasty xenomorphs.

We have a while to wait for Blade Runner 2049, so in the meantime, sit back and drink in Christopher Grant Harvey’s outstanding fan film that does a great job capturing the tone of its source material, and is at once familiar and fresh. Amazing that they shot this for just $1500.

The 60-second extended ad spot for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 gives us more Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Yondu, Rocket, and Baby Groot, along with a little facetime with Mantis, and more than an inkling that Fleetwood Mac will make the soundtrack this time.