Renowned director Doug Liman returned to the Venice Film Festival, nearly three decades after the premiere of his breakout film Swingers, to showcase his latest project, the XR thriller Asteroid. This immersive experience is part of the festival’s Immersive Competition, where it competes against 29 other innovative works.
Starring a talented cast including Hailee Steinfeld, Rhenzy Feliz, DK Metcalf, Ron Perlman, and Frieda Pinto, Asteroid tells the gripping story of a group of strangers embarking on a perilous mission to mine an asteroid aboard an outdated Russian Soyuz rocket. Only one of them is destined to return to Earth, setting the stage for a dramatic exploration of human ambition and survival.
Liman’s production company, 30 Ninjas, produced Asteroid in collaboration with Google’s 100 Zeros. The film is poised to launch alongside Android XR, a new operating system that merges artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality technology. Liman expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “At 30 Ninjas, our mission has been to embrace new technology and storytelling. I have always been interested in movies that reflect the moment they’re made.”
He drew parallels between his early work and today’s technological advancements, noting, “I’m sitting here in Venice, not far from where I first premiered Swingers, which I was also able to make because of new technology.” Liman’s debut feature was shot over 18 days on a modest budget of $250,000, ultimately grossing $4.6 million at the U.S. box office.
The immersive experience of Asteroid includes a pre-chat with Metcalf, generated by Google’s AI assistant, Gemini. Viewers engage with a 180-degree live-action short that thrusts them into chaotic scenes aboard the Soyuz rocket, as Metcalf’s character grapples with second thoughts before the launch. The narrative unfolds on the asteroid’s icy terrain and culminates in an interrogation room where one crew member faces scrutiny over the mission’s outcomes.
Liman emphasized the importance of character development in his storytelling. He stated, “In my movies, I pride myself on my world building… it’s also about the characters.” The film presents a group of individuals who seek fortune on the asteroid, with Perlman’s character representing the greed that drives them.
The technical challenges involved in producing Asteroid were significant. Liman explained, “The moment you say you’re going to cram people in a teeny space and shoot that for a VR headset you’re in for a world of hurt.” He highlighted the complexities of filming in confined spaces while maintaining an immersive experience for the audience.
To achieve the desired results, the production team utilized performance capture technology within the Unreal game engine, ensuring a high level of fidelity from the actors. Jed Weintrob, a co-partner at 30 Ninjas, noted that the team focused on delivering an authentic performance experience, stating, “None of it’s generated. It’s all live performance capture.”
As for the future of Asteroid, Liman and his team have yet to determine whether further installments or a feature film will follow this immersive experience. He reflected on the project’s evolution, saying, “There is a full story I want to tell that is feature length or longer… My goal is to create movies and experiences that people want more of.”
Looking ahead, Liman remains enthusiastic about his ambitions to explore space-themed narratives. He mentioned a potential project involving Tom Cruise, first revealed in 2020, but provided no updates. He stated, “I know I want to do more in space… I’m more excited about this idea of characters who have no business of going into space after making this.”
With Asteroid, Liman continues to push the boundaries of storytelling through innovative technology, aiming to create experiences that resonate with audiences both now and in the future. As he noted, “If I ever shoot a movie in outer space, the question will be what could I do that you couldn’t do on earth that makes for a great piece of entertainment.”
