Passengers (2016 film)

Passengers

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2016 (2016)
Founder	Morten Tyldum (director), Jon Spaihts (screenwriter)
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Products	Science fiction romance film
Parent	Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Start Motion Pictures, Original Film, LStar Capital, Wanda Pictures, Company Films

Passengers is a 2016 American science fiction romance movie directed by Morten Tyldum, with a screenplay by Jon Spaihts, featuring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt in the lead roles. The film also stars Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne, and Andy García in supporting parts. The narrative centers on two individuals aboard an interstellar spaceship destined for a colony 120 years away, who awaken prematurely from suspended animation by 90 years.

The screenplay, penned by Spaihts in 2007, experienced prolonged development with various actors attached and detached until Sony Pictures Entertainment secured the rights in late 2014. Shortly thereafter, Lawrence, Pratt, and Tyldum became involved, and principal photography occurred between September 2015 and February 2016 in Atlanta. Production companies included Village Roadshow Pictures, Start Motion Pictures, Original Film, LStar Capital, Wanda Pictures, and Company Films. This project marked the final Columbia Pictures release co-produced with Village Roadshow Pictures.

Passengers debuted at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles on December 14, 2016, followed by its U.S. theatrical release on December 21, 2016. Critical reception was mixed; while performances by Pratt and Lawrence, Thomas Newman's musical score, and the film’s visual effects and production design received commendation, its storyline and character development faced critique. The movie earned $304 million globally and garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score and Best Production Design at the 89th Academy Awards.

Plot

The Avalon is a sleeper ship carrying 5,000 colonists along with 258 crew members in suspended animation pods on a century-plus voyage from Earth to Homestead II—a new colony established due to ecological disaster and environmental collapse.

Thirty years into the journey, an asteroid strike causes damage that prematurely awakens Jim Preston, a mechanical engineer passenger, who finds himself conscious 90 years ahead of schedule. Unable to return to hibernation or communicate with Earth because of signal delays, he attempts but fails to access the crew's hibernation quarters.

The ship’s AI cannot resolve the pod malfunction issue, leaving Jim isolated in recreational areas. After spending a year alone except for Arthur, an android bartender, he contemplates ending his life until he notices Aurora Lane still in hibernation. Wrestling with moral dilemmas, Jim eventually decides to wake her for companionship. Aurora is devastated by the loss of her planned future as a writer and tries to re-enter hibernation but ultimately begins chronicling her experiences.

Over the following year, Jim and Aurora develop a romantic relationship. Just as Jim is about to propose marriage, Arthur reveals that Jim was responsible for awakening Aurora. Feeling deceived, she rejects him and becomes hostile.

Subsequently, another pod malfunction awakens Gus Mancuso, a deck chief officer. Using Gus’s employee credentials, Jim and Aurora gain access to the bridge where they discover multiple system failures that jeopardize the ship’s integrity.

Gus succumbs to pansystemic necrosis linked to the pod malfunctions and dies after entrusting his ID badge to Jim and Aurora for restricted crew areas.

They identify hull breaches caused by the asteroid impact along with damage to the fusion reactor’s control module leading to system failures. After replacing this module, a reactor vent malfunctions during a plasma surge. Jim undertakes a risky spacewalk to manually release pressure but is thrown into space when his tether breaks. Aurora rescues him using the Autodoc medical device.

With repairs completed, the Avalon stabilizes and resumes normal function. After conducting a space burial for Gus, Jim discovers that the Autodoc can be used as a hibernation pod for one individual and encourages Aurora to use it; she opts instead to stay awake alongside him.

Nearly nine decades later, as the crew awakens near Homestead II, they find an onboard environment transformed into a vibrant ecosystem—with trees entwined by vines, birds flying freely, and a cabin—symbolizing Aurora’s account of their shared life aboard the Avalon.

Cast

• Chris Pratt portrays Jim Preston, a specialist in mechanical engineering
• Jennifer Lawrence plays Aurora Lane, a writer and journalist
• Michael Sheen appears as Arthur, an android bartender aboard the Avalon
• Laurence Fishburne takes on the role of Gus Mancuso, the chief deck officer
• Andy García (silent role) depicts Captain Norris, the Avalon's commanding officer
• Julee Cerda and Nazanin Boniadi feature as holographic instructors
• Aurora Perrineau acts as Celeste, Aurora's closest friend shown through a video message

Voices for the Avalon, InfoMat, video game, observatory, and Autodoc were provided by Emma Clarke, Chris Edgerly, Matt Corboy, Fred Melamed, and screenwriter Jon Spaihts, respectively.

Production

Development

Jon Spaihts originally wrote the script in 2007, initially naming Aurora's character with the surname Dunn. Early casting plans included Keanu Reeves and Emily Blunt, with other potential stars such as Reese Witherspoon and Rachel McAdams. Initially, Brian Kirk was set to direct with Reeves starring. On December 5, 2014, the rights were secured by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and by early 2015, director Morten Tyldum was officially attached. Tyldum highlighted his focus on deep character exploration rather than relying heavily on visual effects for this ambitious sci-fi film.

From February 2015 to January 2016, the final cast lineup was unveiled. Jennifer Lawrence earned $20 million plus 30% of profits post-breakeven, while Chris Pratt received $12 million.

Filming

Principal photography commenced on September 15, 2015, at Pinewood Atlanta Studios located in Fayette County, Georgia, concentrating mainly on scenes involving the two main actors. Rodrigo Prieto was the cinematographer, and editing was handled by Maryann Brandon. Filming wrapped up on February 12, 2016.

Music

The score for Passengers was composed by Thomas Newman. While developing the script, Spaihts drew inspiration from Newman's earlier musical works. The soundtrack includes "Levitate" by Imagine Dragons, which was released on November 29, 2016. The Chinese theme song "Light Years Away" by G.E.M. became notable as the first Chinese music video to exceed 200 million views by September 2019. For the Japanese market, "Because of You" performed by Juju served as the theme track.

Marketing

During the 2016 CinemaCon, Sony Pictures chairman Thomas Rothman presented Passengers, with appearances from Lawrence and Pratt. An incomplete teaser trailer was shown at this event. The first official images from the film were made public on August 12, 2016.

Release

Theatrical

The movie had its premiere at the Regency Village Theater on December 14, 2016, followed by its U.S. release through Sony Pictures Entertainment on December 21, 2016.

Home media

Passengers became available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray formats on March 14, 2017. Digital HD versions were accessible via Amazon Video and iTunes starting March 7, 2017. Coinciding with the physical release date, Passengers: Awakening, a virtual-reality experience inspired by the film, launched for platforms including Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

Reception

Box office

Passengers generated $100 million domestically across the United States and Canada, with an additional $203.1 million earned internationally, culminating in a global total of $303.1 million against its $110 million production cost. It secured the position of the second highest-grossing original live-action Hollywood film released in 2016, trailing only behind La La Land.

Debuting alongside Sing and Assassin's Creed, initial forecasts predicted approximately $50 million in revenue over six days from 3,478 theaters; however, the studio anticipated a more modest opening of about $35 million. Following $1.2 million earned during Tuesday previews and $4.1 million on opening day, projections were revised downward to $27 million for the six-day period. Ultimately, the film made $15.1 million in its opening weekend, reaching a six-day total of $30 million, placing third behind Rogue One and Sing. This performance ranked it as the third most successful original live-action domestic release in 2016, following La La Land ($149 million) and Central Intelligence ($126 million).

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, Passengers holds an approval rating of 30% based on 287 reviews, with an average rating of 5 out of 10. The critical consensus reads: "While Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence demonstrate strong chemistry, it is insufficient to overcome a fundamentally flawed narrative." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100 from 48 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audience polling by CinemaScore assigned it a grade of "B," while PostTrak reported a 77% positive overall response.

Mick LaSalle from The San Francisco Chronicle awarded the film 3 out of 4 stars, acknowledging moments of intense drama despite its limited setting. James Dyer of Empire rated it 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as "both surprisingly conventional and undeniably effective," comparing it to "a space-bound Titanic" and a heartfelt story for fans of Gravity. Peter Keough at The Boston Globe gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars, labeling it "merely an average thrill ride." Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian found the movie to be an "engaging sci-fi romance" but criticized its underwhelming conclusion, granting it 3 out of 5 stars. Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter commended its visual style and costume design but felt that the blend of drama and uplifting elements was somewhat heavy-handed.

In contrast, Rebecca Hawkes from The Telegraph described the film as a "disturbing tribute to manipulation," emphasizing a key act of violence that is downplayed and rationalized. Andrew Pulver of The Guardian characterized it as an "interstellar take on social-media stalking," noting its "eerily unsettling opening" and portraying stalking behaviors as inherently disturbing. Alissa Wilkinson from Vox referred to the story as "a fantasy centered on Stockholm syndrome," condemning it as a troubling form of wish-fulfillment.

Jennifer Lawrence initially expressed pride regarding her involvement but later acknowledged that the film might have improved with different editing choices, particularly by beginning with her character’s awakening. She eventually regretted participating in the project, revealing that singer Adele had advised her against accepting the role, likening space-themed movies to the then-overdone vampire genre. Producer Neal H. Moritz defended the production, praising the screenplay as one of the finest he had encountered and highlighting positive audience feedback during test screenings. He criticized media emphasis on unfavorable reviews prior to release as unjust and expressed satisfaction with the final outcome.

Accolades

Compilation of honors and nominations

Award	Ceremony Date	Category	Nominees	Outcome
Academy Awards	February 26, 2017	Best Original Score	Thomas Newman	rowspan="2" Template:Nom
		Best Production Design	Guy Hendrix Dyas and Gene Serdena
Art Directors Guild Awards	February 11, 2017	Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film	Guy Hendrix Dyas	Template:Won
Golden Trailer Awards	June 6, 2017	Best Action	Sony Pictures Entertainment	rowspan="2" Template:Nom
		Best Motion Poster
Saturn Awards	June 28, 2017	Best Science Fiction Film	Passengers	rowspan="5" Template:Nom
		Best Actor	Chris Pratt
		Best Actress	Jennifer Lawrence
		Best Music	Thomas Newman
		Best Production Design	Guy Hendrix Dyas

External links

• Official website