Collaborations between car manufacturers and movie studios are nothing new, but it's usually the brand's current lineup - or one particular model - that gets featured in the film or TV production.
However, when the action of that movie takes place in the 28th Century, using models that are 700 years old would be ridiculous. And yet that doesn't mean that certain manufacturers wouldn't still want to make sure their name and logo appear on the screen.
That's the case of Lexus who just couldn't stay away from Luc Besson's "Valerian and the City with a Thousand Planets." The Sci-Fi movie is based on the graphic novel series "Valerian and Laureline" and will get its premiere next year, in July.
Without too many big names in its cast - it does have Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, and Rihanna -, the fact it is directed by Luc Besson, famous for titles such as "The Fifth Element" and "Leon" should be enough to give "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" all the credentials needed to attract a large audience. And just in case you're not yet sold, EuropaCorp has just released the first trailer (outisde link).
Among the action scenes there, you will get to see a small killer whale-like spaceship making its way through the narrow corridors of a futuristic city called Alpha. It's a "blink, and you'll miss it" kind of moment, but expect to see more of it in the full movie. This is the SKYJET, a vehicle Lexus developed together with the Valerian creative team specifically for this occasion.
Takeaki Kato, the Chief Engineer of Lexus and the Japanese company's design team met with the artists tasked with imagining this 28th Century's universe and created a single-seat pursuit craft befitting of the times, but also reminiscent of today's Lexus cars.
That last part is mostly down to the SKYJET's spindle grille, which is also where you'll find the Lexus logo. There is also a pair of headlights, even though considering the fact these vehicles fly and they do it at a very high rate of speed, those would be quite useless in reality. They are very helpful with further establishing the brand association, though.
“For this partnership, we were looking for a brand that’s pioneering in innovation and technology, who is focused on the future more than the past,” said Luc Besson, the movie's director. Well, we're not so sure about the technology, but as far as design goes, Lexus is definitely at the front of the avantgarde.
As we've said, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Plantes" comes out next July, but until then, Lexus will provide "unique fan experiences" meant to bring enthusiasts closer to the action of what will be Europe's largest budget motion picture ever produced.
That's the case of Lexus who just couldn't stay away from Luc Besson's "Valerian and the City with a Thousand Planets." The Sci-Fi movie is based on the graphic novel series "Valerian and Laureline" and will get its premiere next year, in July.
Without too many big names in its cast - it does have Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, and Rihanna -, the fact it is directed by Luc Besson, famous for titles such as "The Fifth Element" and "Leon" should be enough to give "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" all the credentials needed to attract a large audience. And just in case you're not yet sold, EuropaCorp has just released the first trailer (outisde link).
Among the action scenes there, you will get to see a small killer whale-like spaceship making its way through the narrow corridors of a futuristic city called Alpha. It's a "blink, and you'll miss it" kind of moment, but expect to see more of it in the full movie. This is the SKYJET, a vehicle Lexus developed together with the Valerian creative team specifically for this occasion.
Takeaki Kato, the Chief Engineer of Lexus and the Japanese company's design team met with the artists tasked with imagining this 28th Century's universe and created a single-seat pursuit craft befitting of the times, but also reminiscent of today's Lexus cars.
That last part is mostly down to the SKYJET's spindle grille, which is also where you'll find the Lexus logo. There is also a pair of headlights, even though considering the fact these vehicles fly and they do it at a very high rate of speed, those would be quite useless in reality. They are very helpful with further establishing the brand association, though.
“For this partnership, we were looking for a brand that’s pioneering in innovation and technology, who is focused on the future more than the past,” said Luc Besson, the movie's director. Well, we're not so sure about the technology, but as far as design goes, Lexus is definitely at the front of the avantgarde.
As we've said, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Plantes" comes out next July, but until then, Lexus will provide "unique fan experiences" meant to bring enthusiasts closer to the action of what will be Europe's largest budget motion picture ever produced.