Known for playing men who are always left stranded, Matt Damon seems to be the source for pretty unfortunate characters. From the time he was left for dead on Mars to his mysterious solo trip in his latest release, the actor is always in trouble. However, nothing compares to the time he made everyone believe rescuing him was worth it, when in reality something else was at play. It was in his hard sci-fi masterpiece that’s currently one of the biggest movies on streaming at the moment.
‘Interstellar’ Is a Masterclass in Realistic Hard Sci-Fi
Interstellar is set in the near future, where humanity is forced to seek another home due to Earth’s deterioration. Scientists have traveled to outer space seeking habitable planets, but NASA believes another trip is necessary. For this, they recruit Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former pilot who is forced to leave behind his children.
Alongside other astronauts and robots, the mission begins, but the journey takes them to another galaxy. The previous travelers have reported their planets are habitable, with Dr. Mann (Damon) claiming to have discovered the most promising of all. The problem is that Mann has other plans, and Cooper falls right into a trap. Meanwhile, back on Earth, hope has vanished, and Cooper’s daughter (Jessica Chastain) just wishes for her father to come back, so they can spend their last days together.
The film was famously produced under the premise of realistic science fiction, with physicist Kip Thorne providing the initial idea for the story. Steven Spielberg was at some point attached to direct, but it eventually landed in Jonathan Nolan’s hands, who recommended his brother Christopher as director when it moved to Paramount Pictures. Thorne remained involved, and even set two ground rules in order to provide his expertise: 1) nothing portrayed in the film would violate the laws of physics, and 2) all speculations would come from science and not from the mind of a writer.
Interstellar was a hit for Nolan and everyone involved. It grossed more than $681 million against a $165 million production budget, although with the various re-releases over the years, its total gross amounts to nearly $775 million. The critical reception was equally strong, and today it sits at 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The legacy of Interstellar is unquestionable, with many calling it one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. The beloved film has seen a resurgence in recent days, as it sits at the No. 3 spot on Hulu‘s list of most popular titles, according to FlixPatrol. This could be a case of people rewatching it, or maybe, the Damon/Nolan duo is back into the spotlight because of something else.
Should Christopher Nolan Return to the Sci-Fi Genre?
After triumphantly winning an Oscar for his 2023 biopic Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan is back with his latest project. His fantasy epic The Odyssey has just arrived in theaters, with none other than Matt Damon leading. He’s joined by giants like Anne Hathaway, Elliot Page, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Jon Bernthal, among others. The $250-million epic had its theatrical premiere on July 17, 2026, and it’s already smashing box office records. It will surely be one of the most discussed films of the year.
With The Odyssey, Nolan appears to be drifting away from sci‑fi, the genre that established him as one of modern Hollywood’s boldest visionaries. 2020’s Tenet is more of an action movie than a sci-fi piece, making Interstellar the last feature where he stuck closely to the conventions of a cinematic spectacle that makes viewers experience the impossible. Before the 2014 hard sci-fi masterpiece, Nolan touched on sci-fi tropes with the wildly imaginative Inception and the thriller The Prestige.
It is still uncertain what movie Nolan will pursue next. It probably won’t be known until after the hype for The Odyssey wanes and next year’s awards season ends. Going through his interviews, one could assume that his next project may revolve around action or horror, but strangely, he hasn’t mentioned sci-fi as a potential genre to revisit. It seems that he may have had enough of it after sending viewers down a black hole.
Release Date
November 5, 2014
Runtime
169 minutes