Support NeoGAF

[UnemployedVillain]

Looks interesting. Not a fan of Natalie Portman aiming guns though, doesn't seem to suit her.

It fits the character

 

[MBison]

It doesn't really fit the character she plays either (who does have a gun in the book), so hopefully it works in that regard.

Fairly certain that's intentional and not weird editing.

 

[Schwowsers]

I want to like this but the (first) book was SO awful, like couldn't form sentences awful. It is a trilogy so when I finished the first book, I knew I couldn't read the 2nd one so I googled the ending and

Spoiler

they don't answer a thing. There is no answers, like Lindeloff level of nothing.

I am pretty sure that is spoilers so I'll tag it anyways.

I just am not sure why this is being made into a movie outside of young adult. Is it because it is supposed to be an all female cast?

Before I decided to read the books I saw some interview with Vandermeer where he says something along the lines of him believing the books contain all the answers, but that they're hidden. What a lying piece of shit. I'm definitely going to hate watch this movie, though.

 

[Haly]

I just am not sure why this is being made into a movie outside of young adult. Is it because it is supposed to be an all female cast?

Vandarmeer on fucking BLAST.

 

[TTG]

Crossposting from our reading thread:

I don't know what's up with the... colors? I don't have the vernacular for it, but there's just a lot of bloom and sunbeams all over the screen and lens flares. The palate is so vibrant it makes it seem like they're in a jungle half the time. My impression was a realistic, STALKER/Roadside Picnic like nature with decay to inorganic materials "sped up." I remember the flora is supposed to be weird, but I pictured it much more grounded.

The trailer is obviously a very limited look, but it's almost like the intent is to pass all light through that border membrane and it comes out all supernatural and busy

Spoiler

like a bad Crysis mod

.

EDIT: Thinking back, the book was going for an ordinary nature, ordinary nature, whoa look at that shit! So different, but somehow obviously organic and made out of the familiar effect often. That's not where Natalie Portman has ended up at all from the look of things, everything is made strange.

On the subject of how the image the books conjured, for me anyway, are different from the movie.

 

[Dead Man]

is it the make up or does natalie portman look really old now? wtf? is she alright?

Looks like a 36 year old woman with low body fat to me.

 

[Haly]

I'd say they took a different approach for her makeup than they usually do, playing down the pixie looking Portman for someone more disheveled.

 

[Staccat0]

Looks like Alien by way of Tarkovsky. Very intriguing.

The plot summary does not make this sound interesting at all.

Stoooooop

 

[besada]

Really excellent book and the movie looks like it's shaping up to be good. There's not really enough in the trailer to say much more about it.

 

[wandering]

Always awesome to see Benedict Wong, dude needs to get his due.

 

[fanboi]

Natalie seem to be a good choice for the role.

Wasn’t the biologists

Spoiler

more or less clinical depressed almost bipolar?

got a strong feeling about that when reading.

 

[Haly]

Natalie seem to be a good choice for the role.

Wasn’t the biologists

Spoiler

more or less clinical depressed almost bipolar?

got a strong feeling about that when reading.

Yes.

 

[Gattsu25]

No idea what this is but it looks FANTASTIC.

Definitely on my radar. Downloading the kindle book as I type this

 

[Aselith]

It looks like an interesting movie but it also looks a little SyFy movie-ish in some spots. I'm ok with that though since I'd rather have cool scifi at a low budget rather than only getting an occasional blockbuster.

 

[PnCIa]

I am getting major STALKER vibes here. Looks cool.

 

[RuinerPrime]

I was just about to start annihilation. Didn’t know a movie was being made.

 

[Aselith]

I am getting mayor STALKER vibes here. Looks cool.

I've only read a little bit of the book but that's kinda what it is. It's about people going into a depeopled zone as part of an investigation.

 

[Messofanego]

Looks interesting. Not a fan of Natalie Portman aiming guns though, doesn't seem to suit her.

 

[PnCIa]

I've only read a little bit of the book but that's kinda what it is. It's about people going into a depeopled zone as part of an investigation.

Sounds awesome. I am in, maybe i will read the book first.

 

[MrDoctor]

looks weird, so it's caught my interest

It's nothing like that film. It's more Lovecraftian (or Roadside Picnic-ish) in that we're dealing with something that's completely beyond human understanding.

yeah, was feeling a Stalker vibe. if that's what this is then i'm definitely in

 

[jetsetrez]

Trailer looks great. I loved Ex Machina, so I'm really hoping this is of similar quality.

 

[Ratrat]

As someone who loves first contact stories, and truly alien aliens, those opening questions are like music to my ears

Lol.

People are going to be so disappointed with this movie. Its Prometheus all over again.

IIRC, Annihilation is weird fiction and Lovecraftian in both good and negative ways.

I dont think its high concept SF at all.

 

[overcast]

I want to read the book but also want to see this blind 🤔

 

[Haly]

Lol.

People are going to be so disappointed with this movie. Its Prometheus all over again.

IIRC, Annihilation is weird fiction and Lovecraftian in both good and negative ways.

I dont think its high concept SF at all.

Wouldn't be surprised if they let Garland provide his own resolution.

 

[fanboi]

The book is about MASSIVE SPOILERS

Spoiler

cosmic horror that isn’t explainable or understandable, well I guess that it is somewhat explainable, but not plainly laid out. Like the zone is returning the earth to a pristine ecological state and is mimicing life. Also is the new animals humans? Aka turned? I think they hinted that with the dolphins but not sure. You also have the husband copy which indicates that the zone is sending out recons?

 

[More_Badass]

Lol.

People are going to be so disappointed with this movie. Its Prometheus all over again.

IIRC, Annihilation is weird fiction and Lovecraftian in both good and negative ways.

I dont think its high concept SF at all.

I know what Annihilation is; just saying that framing it as a first contact kind of set-up for the audience to ease them in might be pretty smart

 

[SArcher]

I read the plot summary of the first novel on wikipedia and I stll have no idea what the story is about lol.

 

[fanboi]

I also wonder how they will portray the

Spoiler

jailar dude in the tower... he was creepy

 

[Z3M0G]

Yougotmyattention.gif

 

[RS4-]

That's a pretty good trailer. I should really finish the books, I think I'm close to halfway through the first. Probably gonna start over since it's been like 2 years lol.

 

[Noisepurge]

yeah media blackout on this one for sure, don't need to see any more trailers explaining shit

love me some mystic and (hopefully) smart scifi!

 

[Shadowhelper]

Lol.

People are going to be so disappointed with this movie. Its Prometheus all over again.

IIRC, Annihilation is weird fiction and Lovecraftian in both good and negative ways.

I dont think its high concept SF at all.

How is it not high concept SF? Pretty much the definition of it.

Prometheus failed at want it wanted to be, had weak characters, and hanged its hat on a storyline that seemed like it was confused about. The movie was structurally confused and never knew how to handle its narrative.

Just because Annihilation also doesn't explain a lot of stuff, doesn't really make it similar to Prometheus. The approach to the book is brilliant and correct.

 

[wesleyshark]

I own the books, but haven't gotten to reading them yet. I should probably do that asap.

 

[Captain Skeleton]

Do we know if Benedict Wong playing

Spoiler

Control

?

 

[ronaldthump]

Did this use to be god particle??

 

[HStallion]

Lol.

People are going to be so disappointed with this movie. Its Prometheus all over again.

IIRC, Annihilation is weird fiction and Lovecraftian in both good and negative ways.

I dont think its high concept SF at all.

I actually think it could get a response like Mother! did from the general audiences expecting something a bit more straight forward and "normal". The movie isn't going to make a mass audience pleaser at all for a variety of reasons if they stick at all close to the book. The teaser trailer seems a bit disingenuous in what they're selling it as compared to what it most likely will be.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

I actually think it could get a response like Mother! did from the general audiences expecting something a bit more straight forward and "normal". The movie isn't going to make a mass audience pleaser at all for a variety of reasons if they stick at all close to the book. The teaser trailer seems a bit disingenuous in what they're selling it as compared to what it most likely will be.

The teaser seemed about what I'd expect from reading a summary/synopsis for the book. It doesn't promise 100% of the answers, but it does promise the weird and bizarre

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Did this use to be god particle??

Different movie. But that's also coming out in February. They're on different ends of the month to stay away from Black Panther & Fifty Shades, but I'm wondering how the marketing for Annihilation and God Particle will stay out of each other's lane.

Edit: Like HStallion said, I could totally see this being another Mother! situation if they try to market this as actioney. This is exactly the type of film that gets an F Cinemascore because the studio trys to broaden the appeal in the marketing

 

[vio]

Zone you saying? That reminds me of S.T.A.L.K.E.R... damn it. Time to reinstall again.

 

[Blader]

Trailer looks great and I loved Ex Machina. One of my most anticipated for next year.

 

[FTF]

Gonnat go to this one totally blind. I'm on board due to Garland alone, much less the cast.

Yup, same. Looks really good and can't wait.

 

[schwabdizzle]

I feel like I should read the book series. I am curious on this now.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Looks fucking spectacular. Blade Runner 2049, then The Last Jedi, then this? I'm in Heaven.

Seeing Portman with a gun is super weird.

lolwut

I see someone already took care of this with The Professional pics tho

 

[ashecitism]

Did this use to be god particle??

Different movie. But that's also coming out in February. They're on different ends of the month to stay away from Black Panther & Fifty Shades, but I'm wondering how the marketing for Annihilation and God Particle will stay out of each other's lane.

That's the next Cloverfield movie, right?

 

[Grizzlyjin]

That's the next Cloverfield movie, right?

Yep.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Am I the only one getting some Neill Blomkamp/Oats Studios vibes from this?

 

[John Rabbit]

Do we know if Benedict Wong playing

Spoiler

Control

?

That's what I'm guessing from that scene and the dialogue. Makes me think

Spoiler

the entire film is told in flashback

.

I also wonder how they will portray the

Spoiler

jailar dude in the tower... he was creepy

I feel like the shot with

Spoiler

all the sparkling light particles

is that scene.

 

[Haly]

Finally watched the trailer. Looks good. Still don't like Portman but I can buy it. Unlike duckroll, it's pretty much how I imagine it except without the oil spill rainbow effects.

 

[Messofanego]

Am I the only one getting some Neill Blomkamp/Oats Studios vibes from this?

It doesn't look that bad.

 

[ArjanN]

It's nothing like that film. It's more Lovecraftian (or Roadside Picnic-ish) in that we're dealing with something that's completely beyond human understanding.

Reading a discription of the book it seems almost identical to the setup in Roadside Picnic/Stalker.