Valerian and the city of a thousand planets has largely fallen on the edge of the eight years after the release. However, Luc Besson’s science fiction space opera is a distinction: being the most expensive independent film ever made. Everyone knows that movies and television programs are not cheap, but some may not make all the complex aspects and jobs that are all linked to the budget of a project. From cultivation of realistic special effects and CGI to food players after a hard day of work, each dollar in the budget of a film and television counts for a specific and important objective. Of course, a large part of the cinema budgets are not content to go to production, but also the payroll checks of the actors: the bigger the names, the greater the pay check.
Stacked with other science fiction films and other films in general, the budget for Valerian and the city of a thousand planets does not seem to be such an amazing number. Considering that the most expensive film ever made, Jurassic World Dominion (2022) costs $ 465 million to produce, the adaptation of Besson of the beloved Valerian The series turns in comparison. The Space Opera is not the work of a large studio or a production company, but an independent version is mainly built on passion, hard work and teamwork. Although the final result was not sold to the masses as planned, there is no doubt that Valerian and the city of a thousand planets should receive an A for effort.
Luc Besson knew the Valerian comics
Luc Besson first planned to adapt the Valerian during the fifth element
Valerian And Laureline (largely shortened Valerian) is a series of comics written and illustrated by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières, respectively. Released in 1967 until his last series in 2010, The famous French science fiction comics follow Valerian and Laureline, agents of the space-time service, while they explore the vast universe through time. Located mainly in the 28th century, Valérian and Laureline (the latter of which France of the 11th century) are found in a plethora of conflicts while they sail in the universe. After enormous planning for four decades, an lively television adaptation, Time Jam: Valerian and Laurelinewas released in 2007.
Besson, who was born in 1959 and grew up reading the series of science fiction comics from Christin and Mézières, first has adaptation visions Valerian In the mid -1990s. At the time, production had started The fifth element. Mézières was integrated on board to work on the film, but collaboration did not last long. In 2017, Besson said Deadline that the mezières were less than impressive by The fifth elementAnd he clearly asked him, “Why are you doing this S ***** film?” Why don’t you do Valerian? “”
While Mézières had a point that Valerian would be a good science fiction project to approach, Besson was not sold on the idea until James Cameron Avatar Was released in 2009. AvatarA film that has become a franchise that follows the attempt for humanity to colonize a future planet called Pandora, rocked the entertainment industry with its breathtaking visuals, its revolutionary CGI and its advanced movement capture techniques. Until then, Besson did not think he could adapt correctly Valerian Due to all the fantastic aspects of the comic book series. Once Avatar was released, Besson worked vigorously to produce a Valerian scenario that deserves to be adapted.
Valerian and the City of the Thousand Planets Budget
Luc Besson’s space opera cost 180 million euros to do to do
Valerian and the city of a thousand planets was unveiled for the first time in the media in 2012, but the film took five more years to produce because of its extreme costs. In August 2025, Valerian and the city of a thousand planets There remains the most expensive independent film ever made. Besson received money for its amazing budget of 180 million euros (around $ 209 million) thanks to various efforts. To arouse interest in the science fiction film, Besson presented the finished script and a variety of sketches to several international distributors before production; These efforts have collected around $ 80 million to Valerian and the city of a thousand planets Alone. In addition to using its own personal funds, Besson’s film was also offered $ 50 million in fundamental films, a Chinese production company.
ValerianThe adaptation of the film ended up becoming the most expensive independent film quickly, but not intentionally. As Besson initially expressed his apprehension, in the late 1990s, An extraordinary quantity of special effects and CGI had to present Valerian and the city of a thousand planets at a level deemed acceptable to the Liberation. Between the vast tale Valerian It was not only difficult to condense from the point of view of the intrigue, but required a complex quantity of details and precision to make the human federation united, the planet Mül and the alpha of the city space comes to life.
Furthermore, Valerian and the city of a thousand planets had an exaggerated budget because Besson had trouble receiving tax advantages for the film. Besson’s space opera was shot in all of Paris (as well as all subtitled films), but the Valerian The adaptation was filmed in English; Because the film was not shot in French and rather used a foreign language, Besson was initially granted any of the tax advantages he supposed. The director put pressure on the French government for an exemption from the tax services rules, which were finally granted. The laws on the tax credit in question were then modified by the French government.
Analysis of Valerian and the city of a thousand planets
While the visual effects are superb, some performances fall flat
In Valerian and the city of a thousand planetsRihanna portrays Bubbles, a hole of shape that uses his powers to entertain the public in Cabaret. Valerian meets bubbles after his spacecraft crashes and convinces her to accompany him in enemy territory with freedom as a reward. Interestingly, Rihanna gave one of the best performances in the film, despite the stacked cast.
Although Dane Dehaan (Valerian) and Cara Delevingne (Laureline) had the most screen time, the duo was slowly lacking in chemistry. The clumsiness has not only affected the individual characters of Valerian and Laureline, but also their romantic relationship. The film also included Clive Owen (Arün Filitt), Ethan Hawke (Jolly The Pimp) and John Goodman (Igon Siruss), but many performances fell on the edge of the path without remarkable.
Although the game throughout Valerian and the city of a thousand planets is questionable, Besson’s space opera is still like a fun watch. The visual effects and the CGI were well done, and the film does an excellent job to introduce and then immerse viewers in the futuristic 28th century. The film’s cinematography is also high level and incredibly pleasant aesthetics from start to finish: the planets are beautifully presented in catchy colors, the musical partition corresponds to the story and the work of camera is inviting. There are a lot in the story of Valerian and Laureline, and although it does not make the most sense, it is entertaining to look to unfold.
While Besson was courageous enough to adapt a series of successful (long) comics, potential viewers must be aware that Valerian and the city of a thousand planets is more a loose interpretation than a right bridge. Dehaan physically resembles the description of Valérian’s comic strip, for example, but Delevingne
Don’t do it. The real intrigue of the film is not directly removed in any of the comics. While many characters in Valerian The comics are introduced, their characterizations and motivations are extremely rationalized and consciously cut over time.
A Valerian suite is always possible (but unlikely)
Valerian and the city of a thousand planets were a flop at the box office
From Valerian and the city of a thousand planets Released in 2017, Besson worked on several films, with the most recent, Dracula: A love storyreleased in July 2025. Despite the time, effort and money it took to bring the Valerian Series of comics in life, Besson has remained optimistic about a potential suite. In fact, Besson noticed that he had not only plans for a suite, but that he would even have finished a script.
Unfortunately, a series of Valerian and the city of a thousand planets is unlikely, but not impossible. Although the space opera has brought in $ 229 million in box office sales, the film’s theatrical race finally ended as a flop due to the high budget. When box office sales are thrown into the Dehaan and Delevingne lead lead mixture, another Valerian The film is not something that criticisms or studio leaders seem interested.
That said, there are fans of Valerian and the city of a thousand planets. Although a suite can be the best borrowing route Valerian The comics could always find another adaptation (and perhaps better) in a live television series.