Valerian Scene to Screen with Spider-Man

Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets will debut its own opening sequence in theaters with Spider-Man: Homecoming. With the summer season approaching the midway point, the amount of blockbusters releasing will rise in the coming weeks. Homecoming is projected to be one of the summer's biggest films and has raving reviews to attract more interest in the film. As it is the next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Homecoming was always going to get a lot of attention. While that is great for the film and the MCU, other studios will try to capitalize on its possible success, too.

In a summer that still has Homecoming, War for the Planet of the Apes, and Dunkirk coming out in consecutive weeks, it is very easy for other films to get lost in the shuffle. Valerian could've been one of these movies, but got a boost recently thanks to great early reactions. And it looks like Homecoming audiences will get a special look at the movie.

STX Entertainment has announced that the complete unedited opening sequence for Valerian will be attached to Homecoming. The footage will only be shown in 3D and Premium Large Formats. Here is the complete press release from the studio:

LEGENDARY DIRECTOR LUC BESSON OFFERS MOVIEGOERS AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT THE OPENING SEQUENCE OF EUROPACORP’S SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER “VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS”

Opening Scene to be Presented in its entirety in Select U.S. Theaters showing “Spider-Man: Homecoming” beginning Thursday, July 6

June 30, 2017 – Los Angeles, CA – Moviegoers will get an early look at the complete and unedited opening sequence of Luc Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” in select theaters showing “Spider-Man: Homecoming” beginning with its first showtimes on Thursday, July 6. STX films will distribute the epic adventure in the United States beginning on July 21, 2017.

The never-before-seen opening sequence of “Valerian,” which details the creation of the film’s Space Station Alpha, will appear during the trailer section and Besson’s spectacular vision of the future will be presented exclusively in 3D and Premium Large Format.

Participating exhibitors to feature the exclusive “Valerian” sequence include select screens at AMC (in Dolby Cinema), B&B Theaters (in Grand Screen Large Format), Cinemark (in Cinemark XD and RealD 3D), Emagine Entertainment (EMAX Large Format), Harkins Theaters (Ciné Capri Large Format and Ciné 1 Large Format), along with select regional circuits nationwide.

Even though the early reactions have been very positive, Valerian still could use an extra boost, and one that it should surely get if the opening sequence is any indicator to the quality of the movie. With it going up against Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk the same weekend, it will be a fight to see who comes out on top at the box office. Both films have very different tones, looks, and target audiences, but this special showing of the opening could further sway people towards Valerian's side.

This is why attaching its opening to Homecoming makes good sense. Valerian hits theaters two weeks after Homecoming opens in theaters. With the final Valerian trailer having already been released, this will be the final big marketing push the film gets and the timing/pairing should be perfect. With Homecoming being described as a big, fun summer movie, Valerian could prove to be in the same vein, making those that come out of Homecoming with positive feelings have a stronger interest in seeing a similar film, as opposed to a war film a la Dunkirk.

Bottom line, Valerian could use the extra push. It is the most expensive French film ever made, with Besson reportedly spending much of his own money to finance production. Good reviews, strong word of mouth, and a possible need to see it on the big screen could all help make the film profitable in the end. How close it comes to accomplishing that goal could very well be determined by the reactions to this sneak peek.