It’s hard to tell quite what to make of “Tomorrowland,” Disney’s upcoming family film. Directed by Brad Bird, the two-time Oscar winner best known for his work on such animated hits as “The Incredibles” and "Ratatouille” (though with a “Mission: Impossible” under his belt, he’s no stranger to big live action adeventures). The film stars George Clooney as a former child genius (he’s probably still pretty smart) and Britt Robertson as a scientifically inclined teen. Together, they go on a dangerous adventure to an ambiguously placed and timed city known as Tomorrowland.
That’s about it, in a nutshell. It’s hard to really explain what the movie is about, even after watching the trailers. A handful of new clips will hopefully elucidate things a bit more. If anything, there’s a 61-second jetpack ride scene (which looks pretty darn cool) and a 62-second clip of a robot attack on Clooney’s character’s house, so it’s got that going for it.
All clips and exclusives aside, why shouldn’t mystery surround the film’s plot? After all, it’s co-written by Damon Lindelof, the creative mind behind such enigmatic series as “Lost” and “The Leftovers.” Lindelof’s screenplay credits also include “World War Z,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” and “Prometheus” (among others). Venturing into PG territory is relatively new for him, but given the sci-fi nature of the film, it hardly seems like a difficult transition. Heck, maybe he’ll bring a level of maturity and complexity to “Tomorrowland” that doesn’t always find its way into more family oriented material. In a chat with Cineplex, Lindelof hints at what the film is about. He claims it’s not so much sci-fi (a genre he clearly loves), as it is a film of discovery. He doesn’t offer too much more insight beyond that, however, and in all fairness to Lindelof (whose authority we must defer to), the minute and a half of footage from the film makes it look pretty science fictiony.
“Tomorrowland” hits theaters May 22nd. Check out the clips, the quick chat with Lindelof, a new featurette, and b-roll footage below.
