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Science fiction

Science fiction
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Science fiction. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A poster for open-source time-travel novel The Morning Star of Linggao which has been continuously added to by often anonymous contributors for nearly 20 years. Photo: Handout
Germany

Open-source sci-fi beloved in China tech circles sends geeks to ‘fix’ late Ming

The Morning Star of Linggao has attracted attention in the US but has remained outside the Chinese mainstream.

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China's military weapons

Everything we know about China’s mysterious, futuristic Nantianmen Project

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UFOs and Extraterrestrial Life

Are aliens real? Obama says yes but rules out long-running conspiracy

Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | All You Need Is Kill: Japanese novel behind Edge of Tomorrow gets animated

A young recruit is stuck in a time loop amid an alien invasion in All You Need Is Kill, an animated sci-fi thriller based on a light novel.

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A still from All You Need Is Kill (category IIA, Japanese), directed by Kenichiro Akimoto. The film delivers dazzling anime sci-fi thrills. Photo: Hiroshi Sakurazaka/Shueisha
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Wicked City and 2000 AD rewrote the rules of Hong Kong cinema

Tsui Hark-produced alien flick Wicked City and Gordon Chan’s 2000 AD were ambitious projects that tried things new to the Hong Kong industry.

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Science

Letters | Moving to Mars? First, bring the human ego under control

Readers discuss why humanity needs to manage the forces within rather than change planets, and the problem with delegating work to machines.

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American cinema

Review | Mercy: Chris Pratt battles a virtual judge in flawed AI courtroom thriller

Chris Pratt plays a detective accused of murder who has 90 minutes to clear his name in this ‘screenlife’ thriller that fluffs its third act.

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Chris Pratt as Detective Chris Raven in a still from Mercy (category IIA), directed by Timur Bekmambetov. Rebecca Ferguson co-stars.
Asian cinema

Loved Back to the Past? 10 Asian time travel gems you may also enjoy

After the success of Louis Koo’s Back to the Past, here are 10 other Asian time-travelling movies that are well worth checking out.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Back to the Past: Louis Koo, Raymond Lam lead nostalgic film sequel

This big-budget sci-fi fantasy may be an emotional watch for fans of the 2001 Hong Kong show A Step into the Past, even if it falls short.

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United States

Director convicted of scamming millions from Netflix for unfinished sci-fi show

Carl Erik Rinsch, best known for ‘47 Ronin’, was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering and other charges.

Netflix studios in Los Angeles, California. Photo: AFP
Open Questions series

Open Questions | Why sci-fi’s Liu Cixin hopes AI surpasses humanity

The Three-Body Problem author on technology’s remorseless progress, why superintelligence isn’t a given and the decline of science fiction literature.

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Illustration: Davies Christian
Science

Opinion | Simulation hypothesis is really a proof for the existence of God

While science still disagrees on whether humanity lives in a simulation, philosophy has yet to rule out a ‘cosmic host’.

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TV shows and streaming video

AppleTV+ sci-fi Pluribus makes the end of the world look happier than ever

The new show from Breaking Bad’s creator about a cheery hivemind virus that infects humanity flips the script on the post-apocalyptic genre.

American cinema

Michael J. Fox looks back on Back to the Future as the sci-fi turns 40

Fox talks about the DeLorean, being suddenly thrown into the lead role of the 1985 film, and how it has become ‘more accessible’ with age.

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Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in a still from Back to the Future (1985). Fox reflects on the landmark sci-fi film as it turns 40 years old. Photo: Universal Pictures via AP
American cinema

Why Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days, 30 this month, was ahead of its time

It bombed upon release, but this 1995 sci-fi with Ralph Fiennes offers a vivid portrait of contemporary society, and some prescient warnings.

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Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett in a still from Strange Days. Kathryn Bigelow’s flawed thriller gave a powerful portrait of Los Angeles on the brink of implosion, and prophetic warnings about the expansion of the internet, when it was released in 1995.
American cinema

Review | Tron: Ares – third time’s almost a charm for sci-fi film series

Starring Jared Leto and Greta Lee, Joachim Ronning’s Tron Ares is at times thrilling but features an overly familiar plot focusing on AI.

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US-China relations

China stakes a claim on the future with sci-fi and speculative fiction

Liu Cixin’s Three-Body trilogy and other Chinese works may challenge the West’s projection of capitalist society in fiction, experts say.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Measure in Love: Angela Yuen and Greg Hsu in baffling fantasy romance

Benny Kung’s dystopian fairy tale in which humanity is separated across two sides of the ocean looks good but leaves basic logic far behind.

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Greg Hsu (left) and Angela Yuen in a still from Measure in Love (category IIA, Cantonese and Mandarin versions available), directed by Benny Kung.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | The Great Flood: Kim Da-mi can’t save bewildering Netflix sci-fi fantasy

Kim Da-mi stars in what begins as a disaster movie then spins off into science fiction, a move that will surely leave viewers floundering.

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Asean

Opinion | AI won’t provide the answer to today’s geoeconomic puzzles

No algorithm can predict how the clash of civilisations and economies on a global scale will unfold.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy – Korean fantasy is glossy but uninspired

Featuring Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Min-ho, Chae Soo-bin and K-pop’s Nana and Jisoo, this Korean sci-fi fantasy fails to live up to its ambitions.

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Nana (left) as feisty fighter Hui-won and Ahn Hyo-seop as recently fired office worker Dok-ja in a still from Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy.
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon – sci-fi anime film is for diehard fans only

Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon offers a big-screen compilation of the anime, but character development and emotional nuance are stripped away.

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A still from Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon (category IIA, Japanese), directed by Tomomi Kamiya and Shigeyuki Miya. Masaya Fukunishi and Asami Seto provide voices.
China consumption

China’s sci-fi industry shoots for stars as Beijing pushes ‘quality’ growth

With successes like The Three-Body Problem, the genre has never been more popular – and authorities have taken note.

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Fashion

Style shoot: Prada plays with punk and sci-fi vibes for spring/summer 2025

Metallic fabrics, ‘alien’ accessories and hole-punched garments mix with sturdier woollens and distressed leather, alongside floral prints and feminine silhouettes.

Korean drama reviews

Review | Sci-fi K-drama When the Stars Gossip goes from lame to ludicrous

Finale of When the Stars Gossip takes show from bad to worse, as its formerly professional female lead makes a series of bad decisions.

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Gong Hyo-jin as astronaut Eve Kim and Lee Min-ho as obstetrician-gynaecologist Gong Ryong in a still from K-drama series When the Stars Gossip.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Mickey 17, wild sci-fi satire from Parasite’s Bong Joon-ho

Robert Pattinson plays the titular Mickey, a loser sent into space, where he is cloned with hilarious results in this cult-novel adaptation.

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Robert Pattinson as Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 in a still from Bong Jooh-ho’s sci-fi comedy Mickey 17, screened at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. Naomi Ackie and Mark Ruffalo co-star. Photo: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Korean drama reviews

When the Stars Gossip midseason recap: giant leap back for Korean sci-fi

This Netflix series, like many sci-fi Korean dramas, doesn’t have the science or the fiction to be anything more than a formulaic romcom.

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American cinema

Michelle Yeoh on her ‘liberating’ role in Star Trek: Section 31

Star Trek: Discovery spin-off film sees Oscar winner reprise her dual role as the virtuous Captain Georgiou and ruthless Empress Georgiou.

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