Typically, the best sci-fi movies are those not just filled with dazzling special effects and alien worlds, but those with a psychological element where characters are forced to make tough decisions and deal with their consequences. Such will be the case with Foe, Garth Davis’ upcoming thriller starring Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan as a married couple whose world is turned upside down when one of them is being sent to space.
One of the more intriguing movies based on books to come out this year, the unique and interesting picture could very well end up being one of the best films of 2023, as well as one of the most interesting sci-fi thrillers in recent memory. Below is a breakdown of everything we know about Foe, from its release date to cast and trailer to what its director has said about it. Let’s take a look…
What Is The Foe Release Date?
There isn’t that much time to wait, as Foe is set to open in theaters on October 6, 2023. Though Amazon Studios has announced a release date, it hasn’t been disclosed if this will be a limited rollout in select markets for a short period of time or a wide release hitting most cities and towns throughout the United States.
Like other Amazon Studios original films, Foe will land on Prime Video at some point in the near future, but an exact date has not yet been announced for the streaming debut. However, when it does arrive on the service, it will be available for anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription. In the meantime, there are still plenty of great Amazon movies worth checking out while you wait for this sci-fi thriller to show up.
The Foe Cast Includes Paul Mescal, Saoirse Ronan, And Aaron Pierre
The upcoming movie is anchored by three incredibly talented actors. Though more actors will surely be announced as we get closer to the fall release date, right now Foe will see Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan take on the roles of Junior and Henrietta, respectively: a couple in a near-future society on a dying Earth. Aaron Pierre shows up in the movie as a mysterious stranger who appears at the couple’s door with an ambitious and troubling proposition.
At one point in time, LaKeith Stanfield was attached to take on the role of the stranger but was later replaced by Pierre, as Deadline reported back in 2021. Pierre, who made a name for himself on shows like Krypton and The Underground Railroad before finding success on the big screen, is also set to portray Mufasa in the upcoming Disney live-action remake, Mufasa: The Lion King.
The Foe Trailer Teases A Startling Proposal, Space Travel, And Intense Drama
A little less than two months before Foe was set to make its theatrical debut, Amazon Studios gave the world its first proper look at the movie in the form of two-minute trailer full of intense drama, talk of space travel, and a startling proposal that could change not only the world of the couple at the center of its story, but also the entire planet. Check it out below:
The Foe trailer – which feels like a series of scenes weaved together in such a way that gives you a basic understanding of the film you’re about to watch but not enough to give everything away – does a wonderful job of hyping up the drama and tension. By slowly peeling back the layers of Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan’s characters and their motivations, we become just as interested in what brought them to this point as we are about what the future holds if the stranger’s proposal is accepted.
The Movie Follows A Couple Whose Marriage Is Tested When The Husband Is Sent To Space And A Robot Is Sent In His Place
The basic gist of Foe goes something like this: Junior and Henrietta live a relatively quiet life on a piece of land that has been in Junior’s family for generations. Their idyllic homestead, however, is disturbed upon the arrival of a stranger who shows up with a proposal for Junior to embark upon a years-long mission in outer space, one that means his wife will have to stay back on Earth. If the couple goes through with the plan, a robot will be sent to take Junior’s place at home so that Henrietta won’t be left alone in her uncertainty.
Foe Is Based On Iain Reid’s 2018 Novel Of The Same Name
A little more than five years before making its theatrical debut, Foe started out as Iain Reid’s novel of the same name. Published by Simon & Schuster in August 2018, the book is set in a world that has been turned into a charred wasteland due to the effects of severe climate change, and it explores various themes like solitude, relationships, memory, and alienation with its story about about a couple on the verge of being pulled apart.
If Reid’s name sounds familiar, it could have something to do with the fact that his debut novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, was adapted into Charlie Kaufman’s 2020 Netflix movie of the same name. There were some key differences in that adaptation, but we’ll have to wait and see if that’s the case with Foe.
Director Garth Davis Has Said Foe Asks People To Be ‘Awake’ And ‘Alive’
Garth Davis, who wanted to turn Foe from a book into a movie shortly after reading Iain Reid’s novel, sat down for a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair around the time the movie’s trailer debuted online. During the chat, which covered pretty much everything to do with the upcoming feature, he explains that he views Foe as a wake-up call, both in terms of our relationships with people around us as well as the planet we call home. Said Davis,
What I find really powerful about the movie is it asks us to be awake and to be alive. A lot of the problems we face in relationships and with the environment and with all sorts of things coming our way is that we’re asleep at the wheel. This movie is really saying, ‘Wake up. Your life is precious, and if you take it for granted, you’re going to lose it.’
Davis, whose other notable works include the 2016 biographical drama Lion starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman (both were nominated for Oscars for their roles) and the TV drama series Top of the Lake, also opened up about how the movie will explore topics like artificial intelligence, massive fires and floods, and how corporations control us.
Now all there is to do is wait until Foe opens in theaters and eventually makes its streaming debut on Prime Video at some point in the near future. While we wait, now would be a good time to take a look at our updated 2023 movie schedule so you don’t miss out on any of the big theatrical (and streaming) release dates.
