10 Sci-Fi Films To Be Genuinely Excited About In 2016
7. The Circle
Release Date: Unknown Month, 2016 After Ex Machina and Danish Girl star Alicia Vikander pulled out of the project due to scheduling conflicts, Emma Watson was handed the lead role in upcoming sci-fi thriller The Circle, an adaptation of Dave Eggers 2013 novel of the same name. The British actress will play Mae Holland, a young woman who lands a job at powerful tech giant The Circle and soon becomes ensnared by the companys founders, despite the many question marks their work raises about privacy in the digital age. Watson will appear alongside the immortal Tom Hanks and Star Wars new-boy John Boyega with directing duties being undertaken by Spectacular Now helmer James Ponsoldt, who also wrote the screenplay. While the source material received mixed reviews (some praised Eggers for pulling the curtain back on the dangers of social media whereas others saw his imagined company as a cheap rehash of IngSoc from George Orwells 1984) it is the cast that makes this an exciting film in prospect. We all know what Tom Hanks can do, and his recent turn as lawyer turned international negotiator James B. Donovon in Bridge of Spies proved that he remains very much at the top of his game. John Boyega was just nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star award, and for good reason. Add English rose Emma Watson to the mix (who stole the show from Russell Crowe in 2014's Noah) and you've got a mix of talent that, if utilised correctly, could turn The Circle into a modern sci-fi classic.
