If you’re going to set a sci-fi movie on an alien planet, it’s a nice bonus if that planet actually exists. Or, at least, is inspired by one that actually exists. In the new film Ash, director Flying Lotus weaves a big sci-fi mystery as an astronaut (Eiza González) wakes up on an alien world with her whole crew dead. A fellow astronaut who claims to know her (Aaron Paul) then arrives but it’s unclear if he’s friend or foe.
The planet in Ash, referred to Ash, is based on Kepler-442b, a rocky exo-planet about 1,200 light years from Earth. According to Flying Lotus, the connection goes deeper than that. “The planet KOI-442 AKA Ash sparked the curiosity of humanity from the farthest reaches of the cosmos because the air is almost breathable and could soon be a place for humanity to thrive,” Flying Lotus said in a statement. “I wanted the planet itself to be a character and add to the sense of dread but at the same time it also had to inspire wonder and be a place that you would be willing to leave Earth for.”
Exclusive to io9, we’re delighted to present to you this gallery of never-before-seen images of the planet in Ash.
As much work was surely put into every aspect of making this film, you can clearly tell that the design of the planet and its surrounding galaxy were just as important as costumes, hair, and other elements. The colors, the angles, the landscapes, all of it just pops.
Ash, which co-stars Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah Koale, and even Flying Lotus himself, will have its world premiere at South by Southwest on Tuesday. It opens in theaters March 21.
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