Multiverse (film)

Multiverse is a 2001 American epic science fiction film directed by Danny Villeneuve, written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser, and starring Johnny Strong, Tom Barry, Ja Rule, Sean Bean and Kate Beckinsale. The film tells the story of a group of scientists who want to destroy the myth of the infinity of the universe and go beyond its limits.
Filming, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, began in Vancouver in early August 1999 and wrapped in mid-October 2000. This was followed by a lengthy advertising campaign, which included the creation of a website for the film and each character separately.
Multiverse was released in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing on May 7, 2001, and was a commercial success, grossing over $426 million worldwide against a production budget of $102 million. The film received generally positive reviews from critics. It was nominated for Best Action, Adventure or Thriller and Best Special Effects at the Saturn Awards. Based on its success, an entire franchise was created with three sequels, the first of which, Multiverse 2, was released in 2004.
== Plot ==
A group of scientists from different countries joined forces to create a unique project - a ship capable of crossing the border of the universe. They worked on this project for 25 years - from 1999 to 2024, putting all their knowledge, passion and energy into it.
Finally, the day of departure arrived - August 2, 2025. The ship was ready for a journey into the unknown, and the team of scientists boarded with anxiety and excitement. The launch was successful, and the ship left our planet, heading to the unknown corners of space.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Scientists never tired of exploring the surrounding space, studying new planets and star systems. But as the ship approached the target, the crew began to feel strange changes in the surrounding space.
Finally, the ship reached its first goal - the Sun. Having crossed the border of the solar system, scientists found themselves inside a huge cosmic fog. Blinded by the sparkling brightness, they stopped to absorb all the beauty and magic of this moment.
It was at this moment that the scientists realized that they had not arrived in this fog by accident. They realized that their journey was less about scientific discovery and more about spiritual insight and an understanding of the pettiness of our planet compared to the cosmos. And then, filled with awe, they vowed to fly from the next goal - the exit from the Milky Way.
== Cast ==
* Johnny Strong as Noah
* Tom Barry as Adrian
* Ja Rule as Jackson
* Sean Bean as Carl
* Kate Beckinsale as Laura
* Tom McCarthy as Thomas
* Danny Glover as Tony
* Liam James as Curtis
* Alexandre Haussmann as Oleg
* Stephen McHattie as Captain
* Henry O as Lama Rinpoche
* Karin Konoval as Sally
* Agam Darshi as Aparna
* Zinaid Memišević as Sergey
* Merrilyn Gann as the Michael
* Lyndall Grant as Arnold
* Elizabeth Richard as Mikky
* Frank C. Turner as Ryan
== Release ==
=== Theatrical ===
Multiverse was released on May 7, 2001 in Indonesia, Mexico, Sweden, Canada, Denmark, China, India, Italy, Philippines, Turkey, United States, Russia and Japan. According to Sony Pictures, the film could have been ready for release as early as 2000, but the delay allowed more time for production.
=== Home media ===
The DVD versions were released on July 2, 2001. The two-disc edition features over 90 minutes of footage, including a video clip and a digital copy for PS2. PC, Mac and iPod. The 3D version was re-released in Cinemax theaters in Mexico in February 2010. It was later released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on January 19, 2020.
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
Multiverse grossed $166.1 million in North America and over $300 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $426 million against a production budget of $102 million.
Multiverse took first place on its opening weekend, grossing $59 million in its opening weekend.
In 2020, the film saw renewed interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the second most watched film and the seventh most watched film on Netflix in March 2020.
=== Critical response ===
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 76% based on 247 reviews and an average rating of 6.20/10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 69 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Roger Ebert praised the film, giving it 3 out of 4 stars and said that it "delivers what it promises, and since no living creature would buy a ticket expecting something different, audiences will find it one of the most satisfying films of the year." Linda Barnard of the Toronto Star gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4, writing: "A clunky script and a clumsy approach to Villeneuve's tale of a global mission make the film dull on several fronts."
== Other Media ==
=== Sequel ===
A sequel, Multiverse 2, was released in 2004.
=== Games ===
In 2003, the game was released on PS2, Multiverse: The Game, and was received positively by critics. In 2004, the game Multiverse 3D was released for Jawa and N-Gage, which was also warmly received.