First trailer for outer space saga 'Valerian' finds Luc Besson back in his element

Two decades after filmmaker Luc Besson gave audiences the surreal sci-fi adventure The Fifth Element, the director is again tapping into his unique vision for outer space action with the upcoming film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, which now has its first official trailer.

Set to the tune of The Beatles’ “Because,” the trailer for Valerian features Dane DeHaan (The Amazing Spider-Man, Chronicle) and Cara Delevingne (Suicide Squad) as a pair of agents charged with maintaining order in a colorful universe filled with all manner of fascinating aliens and amazing sights.

Besson’s film — which he wrote and directed — is based on the French sci-fi comics series Valérian and Laureline, written by Pierre Christin and illustrated by Jean-Claude Mézières. The film follows two operatives for the government of the human territories, Valerian (DeHaan) and Laureline (Delevingne), who find themselves caught up in a dangerous conspiracy when they’re sent to the intergalactic metropolis Alpha, a city where thousands of species from all over the universe have converged.

Along with DeHaan and Delevingne, the film’s cast includes Clive Owen as the pair’s commanding officer, as well as Ethan Hawke (Training Day), John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane), Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner), and Kris Wu (Mr. Six). Musicians Rihanna and Herbie Hancock also play supporting roles in the film.

The big-budget film cost approximately $180 million to make, and was filmed predominantly in Besson’s home country of France. The movie trailer for Valerian is particularly notable for being the first for which The Beatles have licensed one of their songs.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is scheduled to hit theaters July 21, 2017.