10 science fiction films that were successful despite being derivatives

It's no easy task to create a completely original science fiction story. After all, the genre has been around for years, probably since British author Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818. Many great science fiction films, books and TV shows released since then have left their mark, so much so that their echoes can be found in every corner of this particular genre to this day.

Still, the fact that a science fiction TV show or movie isn't exactly as original as it could be doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't high quality or that it doesn't have anything to add to the broader science fiction scene. . There have been many great stories that took inspiration from pre-existing properties and added their own spin, garnering praise and dedicated fans in the process.

10

Pacific Rim (2013)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Pacific Rim and a love letter to a specific subgenre of the broader sci-fi scene, and that's the Kaijuniche -e-mecha. The story takes place in a not-so-distant future, where humanity is under attack from gigantic Kaiju rising from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. To combat them, humanity created jaegers—huge mechs that are driven by two pilots connected by a neural link known as “the Drift”.

Pacific Rim owes much to the staples of its subgenre, such as Godzilla and Neon Genesis: Evangelionand yet it doesn't feel like an uninspired carbon copy. His returns to previous works come from director Del Toro deep love for this particular current of science fiction. Building from this scaffolding, Pacific Rim manages to deliver an engaging and yet unique story that has become a niche classic in its own right.

9

Avatar (2009)

Directed by James Cameron

avatar possibly falls under the textbook definition of “derivative.” In essence, avatarThe plot of is nothing new – a (white) man arrives in a strange, supposedly “wild” place and slowly blends in with the local culture, saving the community he has been accepted into and, at the same time, possibly falling in love with the woman who introduced him to that culture in the first place.

avatarHis appeal, however, was never his story. The world it is set in and the special effects needed to bring it to life are what made it the highest-grossing film of all time. The moon Pandora, its people, and its creatures are what sets Cameron's passion project apart from all the similar stories that have come before it, since Dances with Wolves to Lawrence of Arabia to FernGully.

8

Prometheus (2012)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Prometheus and inserted in the same universe as the Foreigner franchisea true landmark of the science fiction genre, but not exactly connected to it. It's a prequel that branches off in its own direction, though it's still, of course, inspired by Foreigner and other pillars of science fiction such as Kubrick 2001: A Space Odyssey. Prometheus it also looks back to literature and myth to create its plot, from the eponymous Greek titan who defies his gods for the good of humanity to John Milton's novel. Paradise Lost.

All these different inspirations make Prometheus an undoubtedly derivative work that still manages to carve out its own space and become unique even when placed within a franchise as popular as Foreigner. Its themes of humanity and divinity, hubris and creation are what sets it apart from the rest.

7

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Directed by George Miller

Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth installment of Miller Mad Max franchise, which came out thirty years after its predecessor with a complete cast change. Although Tom Hardy has taken over the mantle of Max Rockatansky from Mel Gibson, the film still echoes the themes of folk heroes and the collapse of civilization that have been the basis of the film. Mad Max saga since its beginning in 1979.

What defines Fury Road broke away and ensured it became one of the best and most successful films of its year of release, however, it was the change it made when it came to its protagonist. Although Hardy's Max is a key part of the film, the story revolves around Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa, a character so iconic it spawned its own prequel and guaranteed Fury Road a place of honor within your franchise.

6

The Wandering Land (2019)

Directed by Frant Gwo

The Wandering Land is a Chinese film loosely based on Liu Cixin's short story of the same name, which he published about fifteen years before his Hugo Award-winning novel. The three-body problem. All about The Wandering Land is as science fiction as it sounds – a cataclysmic astronomical event threatens to destroy the Earth, and humanity strives to save it, as it has in so many films before, from Armageddon to Independence Day.

This is because director Frant Gwo was a science fiction lover before he started directing science fiction films, and his genuine enthusiasm for this genre shines through in every frame of the film. This is something that can make or break a film's reception, regardless of originality, and it certainly paid off in the case of The Wandering Land. The film is to date the fifth highest-grossing non-English film of all time..

5

The Hunger Games (2012)

Directed by Gary Ross

It's not just the fact that The Hunger Games franchise is the film adaptation of the incredibly fortunate – and rightly so – book saga by Suzanne Collins. It's tThe fact that the book saga itself is based on existing workslike Shakespeare's ancient Roman tragedies, like Julius Caesar and Coriolanus but especially like other dystopian novels like Koushun Takami's Battle royale and William Golding Lord of the Flies.

At the same time, The Hunger Games gave a particular twist to the tropes in these works and created a lasting story whose themes of rebellion, sacrifice, dictatorship and the power of propaganda remain incredibly poignant to this day. Curiously, The Hunger Games also inspired its own deluge of derivative works, though none came close to its level of complexity and relevance and focused simply on the romantic aspects of The Hunger Games' history.

4

Us (2019)

Directed by Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele's second film Usreleased two years later To go outIt plays with the line between science fiction and psychological horror. Peele mentioned several horror classics as inspiration for this filmby Hitchcock The birds for Kubrick Shining for Romero Night of the Living Dead. Us' biggest inspiration, however, comes from the 1960 episode of The Twilight Zone “Mirror Image”, which features döppelgangers just like the film.

Yet, Us can be something uniquecreating the menacing group of döppelgangers known as the “Tethered” and being generally chilling and terrifying. Its great performances – first and foremost that of Lupita Nyong'o – and the haunting soundtrack contributed to making Us one of the most watched and talked about films of 2019, as well as one of the best horrors of the 21st century.

3

Ex Máquina (2014)

Directed by Alex Garland

Mixing science fiction and suspense, Ex-machine is the story of a programmer and CEO of the company he works for, who spends a week at the latter's mansion to administer the Turing test on his humanoid robot named Ava. It has all the features of other Android-centric filmsof Blade runner to I, robotas well as the inevitable 2001: A Space Odyssey and William Shakespeare The Storm.

Building on these well-known themes that most audiences are familiar with when it comes to stories about robots developing human-like consciousness, Ex-machine tells its own story of humanity, manipulation and the search for freedom. The entire plot taking place within a single house also helps to create a feeling of anxiety and dread, which grows more and more until it explodes in the film's final scene.

2

Space Sweepers (2021)

Directed by Jo Sung-hee

Space Sweepers and considered the first South Korean space blockbusterand reached number one in several countries as soon as it was released worldwide by Netflix. Its ragtag group of protagonists – the titular crew of space sweepers who work around a space station created after Earth becomes habitable in the not-so-distant future – is what makes the film enjoyable, and also what ties it to several of its predecessors. within the genre.

The gang of likable scoundrels who are more than happy to live on the fringes of society, but who instead find themselves thrown into the center of much larger machinations, has been a surefire way to the public's hearts. Cowboy Bebop to Guardians of the Galaxypassing The Expansion. In that regard, Space Sweepers may not be incredibly original, but it remains very fun.

1

The Last Jedi (2017)

Directed byRian Johnson

The Last Jedi caused quite a stir in the Star Wars fandom when it was released in 2017, and although opinions on the film are still as polarized as ever it has become increasingly clear that it is one of the best products in the new era Disney franchise. Johnson himself revealed the influences that influenced his writing process for The Last Jediwhich include Twelve o'clock high, Three Outlaw Samuraiand The bridge over the River Kwai.

The Last Jedi It's also where Rey and Kylo Ren's characters begin to grow closer and explore their connection in the Force, so there are also glimpses of some gothic romance that can be found in the film, from Jane Eyre to Wuthering Heights. Yet The Last Jedi remains a quintessence Star Wars film until the last scenethat promised great things ahead for the franchise – promises that were somehow let down by The Rise of Skywalker.