After a few COVID-induced delays and one incredibly boring teaser trailer, it’s looking like Amazon Prime Video might be onto something with their next sci-fi original, The Tomorrow War. Lead by Chris Pratt, with support from J.K. Simmons and Yvonne Strahovski, the film will follow high school teacher and military vet Dan Forester (Pratt) who is recruited by a team of time-warping warriors in a bid to save earth 30 years in the future.
Chris McKay is on-board as the film’s director, pivoting to something completely different from his two previously best known works – those being The Lego Batman and Dolittle.
In the trailer we see that an alien species has threatened life on Earth in the year 2051. Through the usual nonsensical time travelling tropes, it appears that soldiers from this ominous future have travelled back to the present to recruit any present-day fighters willing to tip the tides back to humanity’s favour.
“In 11 months’ time, all human beings in the future will be wiped from the face of the Earth, unless you help us,” says a lieutenant, played by Jasmine Matthews, after the time-travelling soldiers interrupt a televised soccer match.
And while that isn’t the worst piece of dialogue in the trailer, it’s looking like the mix of visual effects, action, and Pratt’s general likeability as an actor will carry this film to success for the streaming service. And you’d hope so – the streaming service has been pumping out solid originals lately like Without Remorse and Sound of Metal.
Chris Pratt’s character, Dan, seems to be on-board to help Earth win simply because he wants his daughter to have a better future. According to the synopsis, The Tomorrow War will have him team up with Simmons, who plays Dan’s estranged father, and Strahovski, a scientist, to try rewrite to fate of mankind.
Reportedly, Amazon has spent $200 million on the distribution rights for The Tomorrow War, which was developed and produced by Skydance Media. With that kind of investment, it’s looking like Amazon will be pushing The Tomorrow War pretty hard ahead of its mid-year release date.
The Tomorrow War will stream via Amazon Prime Video starting from July 2nd – watch the first full-length trailer above.
