Science fiction is a mixed bag at the box office. “Soft” sci-fi franchises like Marvel and Star Wars help make the numbers look good overall, but original sci-fi is a tough sell — far more so than original horror movies, which are generally a pretty safe bet. One of the challenges is obviously the higher budget demands when it comes to bringing sci-fi concepts to life on the screen. “The Creator” director Gareth Edwards worked hard to keep the budget to a relatively conservative $80 million, but it was still a box office bomb, grossing just $104.2 million worldwide.
Even getting an original sci-fi movie to the big screen is an achievement. One of the best films of last year, Brian Duffield’s alien invasion thriller “No One Will Save You,” was released straight to Hulu. Unfortunately, when an original sci-fi film does make it to the big screen, the results often show why the genre is such a gamble for studios. “I.S.S.” may have been hurt (though to a lesser extent) by the same Bad Title Syndrome that doomed last year’s Adam Driver-led dinosaur time travel movie “65.” (Hell, just calling it “Adam Driver Dinosaur Time Travel Movie” would have sold more tickets.)
“I.S.S.” has received middling reviews from critics, and a C+ CinemaScore from audience exit polling, neither of which bode well for its chances for a long life at the box office. Still, like a lot of movies that don’t break out theatrically, it might eventually get discovered by a broader audience via streaming.