2024 is the Year for Sci-Fi Adventure: Apple TV+ Jumps on Board with

Adam Sandler's big-budget movie Spaceman arrived on Netflix at the beginning of 2024, kicking off a year of science-fiction action-adventure on both the small and big screens.

Netflix followed up Spaceman with a new adaptation of Nickelodeon's fantasy animation Avatar: The Last Airbender, while Amazon Prime tasked Westworld creators Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan to bring the post-apocalyptic Fallout to its streaming platform. There's also the second season of The Rings of Power. Max has The Penguin, HBO has Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon season 2, and Disney+ will unveil Star Wars: The Acolyte before the end of the year.

In cinemas, Dune: Part Two has already wowed audiences and critics. 2024 will see the Denis Villeneuve film joined on the big screen by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Mad Max spinoff Furiosa. Kirsten Dunst leads the cast of Ex Machina writer-director Alex Garland's latest film, Civil War. And Alien fans get to enjoy the latest franchise instalment when Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus hits theatres in summer.

Apple TV+ is also on-trend. Constellation, an edge-of-your-seat space adventure, stars Noomi Rapace as an astronaut who, after returning to Earth following an aborted mission, finds crucial elements of her life are mysteriously absent. As she delves deeper into the truth behind her missing memories, the series ventures into the darker realms of human psychology, portraying one woman's relentless quest to uncover the hidden truths of space exploration and reclaim what she has lost.

Science fiction is a big hit with audiences

Science fiction remains a big draw for audiences. Understandably, its presence in pop culture and entertainment can be found everywhere. Last year, of the top 10 highest-grossing films in North America, 7 were science-fiction or fantasy movies including Barbie, The Super Mario Bros., and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Similarly, some of the biggest TV hits were sci-fi. The Last of Us, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Silo, The Foundation, The Walking Dead: Dead City and The Mandalorian drew some of the biggest audiences.

It's not just on the screen where sci-fi is pulling in fans. The Breach, a fun Net Crawler-style board game was one of the best-reviewed of 2023. 60Out, an escape room specialist, launched sci-fi-inspired experiences like its Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle escape room. Elsewhere, the popularity of slot games at online casinos like Megaways, including Invaders, Stargate, and Starz, show just how much space adventure, fantasy, and science-fiction are enjoyed across different mediums.

Is Constellation worth watching?

Directed by Emmy Award winner Michelle MacLaren, along with Oscar nominees Oliver Hirschbiegel and Joseph Cedar, Constellation is an action-packed adventure story intertwined with psychological intrigue. The eight-episode series, which features a great premise and strong performances, also boasts spectacular visuals having been given a hefty budget by Apple.

Following a harrowing ordeal at the International Space Station, where a lone astronaut (Rapace) narrowly evades disaster, she finds herself plunged into a series of surreal and reality-bending experiences upon her return to Earth.

Constellation launches with gripping suspense, immersing viewers in intricate detail and a thoroughly absorbing story that remains suitably enigmatic. However, it takes some time to get going, and some viewers will lose patience with its slow pacing. There are enough revelations to reward those who stick with it, and Constellation manages to open itself up to a second series without leaving audiences short-changed.

Adding to the host of science-fiction adventure stories on the big and small screens in 2024, Constellation has a job on its hands to stand out. But it has plenty of style and intrigue to make it a memorable addition to the genre, and it will undoubtedly win fans who hope for a second series.