The Natalie Portman Sci-Fi Movie That Will Leave Your Jaw On The Floor

By Britta DeVore
| Updated 13 seconds ago

When it comes to Natalie Portman and sci-fi, most people’s minds gravitate toward her role as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel films, but it’s her role in Alex Garland’s 2018 film, Annihilation, that the Garden State actress is seeing the most critical acclaim.

Mixing your typical sci-fi standard with a horror twist, Annihilation follows the story of a team of explorers who have set out to learn more about a sealed-off zone known only as “The Shimmer.” From what they understand, the quarantined area hosts an array of ever-changing plants and animals, something that’s been said to be caused by aliens.

When they enter for themselves, they find more questions than answers. Along with Natalie Portman, the film also stars Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Gina Rodriguez.

Annihilation was based on a novel that was penned by Jeff VanderMeer in 2014. One of the production team’s first goals was to ensure that Natalie Portman would sign on for the leading role, something that the Black Swan star gladly did under her own filming terms.

Backlash Over Natalie Portman’s Casting

Ultimately, both Portman and Leigh’s castings would face backlash with the fandom as their characters in the books were depicted as Asian and mixed-race and half-indigenous, respectively, with many calling for those fitting that background to be recast in their places.

As we know, both Jennifer Jason Leigh and Natalie Portman would keep their jobs on the project, which went into production in 2016. While the title wasn’t a straight-to-digital release, first celebrating a theatrical drop, it only played in cinemas for a month before it was made available for home-viewing audiences.

Whether audiences just weren’t hyped on the production, or if they knew they could soon watch it from home, the global box office numbers didn’t hit the markers they were hoping for, bringing in only $43.1 million against the film’s $40-55 million production budget.

Despite its financial shortcomings, Annihilation was a hit among fans and critics alike and currently holds a well-earned score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. As one could expect, the performances by the stacked leading cast, including Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac are cited as being a major draw for the film, while the VFX are also given their fair share of praise.

Known for his incredible VFX work on the 2015 psychological thriller Ex Machina, it came as no surprise to anyone that Garland’s follow-up feature would be packed to the brim with the same amount of impressive effects.

Even though the box office numbers didn’t quite hit the level the team behind Annihilation was hoping for, the film has managed to gain a cult following over the last few years and is even one of Natalie Portman’s highest-ranking films on Rotten Tomatoes. It finds itself alongside the likes of Black Swan, both Thor and Thor: The Dark World, Jackie, and V for Vendetta just to name a few. 

What’s Next for Natalie Portman?

While she may have taken her final bow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Jane Foster in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, Natalie Portman isn’t showing any signs of taking a break from the bright lights of Hollywood.

The critically acclaimed actress most recently appeared in the dark comedy thriller, The Gallerist, a project that she was also attached to as a producer.

TV audiences can also see Natalie Portman on the small screen in a series titled Lady in the Lake. Based on Laura Lippman’s novel of the same name, the show follows a journalist who becomes obsessed with unraveling the truth behind two seemingly unrelated murders. Lady in the Lake streams exclusively on Apple TV+.

Annihilation is currently streaming on Paramount+.