Apple Original Films has landed ‘Liminal’, a new sci-fi thriller from director Louis Leterrier, with Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Wonder Man, Watchmen) set to lead the cast.
The film is based on the AWA graphic novel Telepaths, created by J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5), Steve Epting and Brian Reber, which gives the project a strong bit of built-in genre pedigree before you even get to the cast and director. While Straczynski isn’t writing the film itself, the source material connection will definitely be of interest to sci-fi fans, particularly those who know his work from Babylon 5 and beyond.
Apple’s official announcement is fairly light on plot specifics, describing ‘Liminal’ as a sci-fi action-thriller, but there’s already plenty here to make it stand out. Kirby and Abdul-Mateen II are both terrific actors with strong genre credentials, and pairing them together in a high-concept thriller immediately makes this one worth watching. Add in Leterrier, who has a solid track record handling large-scale action and slick, fast-moving storytelling, and it starts to look like a pretty interesting addition to Apple’s growing film slate.
Kirby continues to build one of the more interesting careers around at the moment, moving easily between prestige drama, blockbuster fare and more emotionally intense roles. Abdul-Mateen II has been just as impressive, bouncing between comic book projects, smart genre work and heavier dramatic performances. Between the two of them, ‘Liminal’ has a really strong pair of leads at its centre, which is often half the battle with this sort of material.
The screenplay comes from Justin Rhodes (Terminator: Dark Fate), with Louis Leterrier directing for Apple Studios. Zach Studin produces for AWA Studios, while Kevin Walsh produces for The Walsh Company under his overall deal with Apple Studios. Ray Angelic executive produces alongside Straczynski, Epting and Reber, while Patrick McNamara for The Walsh Company and Juliet Kirby serve as co-producers.
It is also another sign that Apple is continuing to invest heavily in original films with recognisable names both in front of and behind the camera. The streamer has been building a slate that mixes awards contenders, commercial crowd-pleasers and genre projects, and ‘Liminal’ looks like it could land nicely in that latter space. There’s not enough story detail yet to know exactly what shape this one will take, but the package alone makes it notable.
For sci-fi fans, the Telepaths connection is probably the hook here. Straczynski’s involvement is on the source material side rather than the screenplay, but it still adds a layer of interest, especially given his long history with ambitious, idea-driven genre storytelling. That does not guarantee anything, obviously, but it certainly helps ‘Liminal’ feel like more than just another generic thriller announcement.
‘Liminal’ does not yet have a premiere date but will air on Apple TV.
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