The Mothership - What We Know So Far
In February 2021, just a few months after Halle Berry's directorial debut "Bruised" premiered on Netflix, the streaming giant announced that their collaboration with Berry would continue with "The Mothership." Though Berry would not be directing, she was announced as executive producer by Deadline. Another big difference would be the film's genre. Whereas "Bruised" was a sports-drama, "The Mothership" was to be a science-fiction film.
Netflix had good reason to continue its collaboration with Berry. Though "Bruised" received mixed reviews from audiences and critics alike, Berry received praise for both her acting and her first time directing (via Rotten Tomatoes). Berry's directorial drama dethroned "Red Notice" from the top of Netflix's rankings, which is a huge feat considering that "Red Notice" was, at the time, the most expensive production Netflix had yet undertaken.
Meanwhile, filming for "The Mothership" took place during the summer of 2021 in the Boston area (via The Boston Globe). Since then, there have been various flurries of additional details and information to come out. No trailer or teaser has been released, and apart from a couple of cryptic stills, there's not much to go on in terms of the film's look and feel. Here's what we know so far.
When will The Mothership be released?
At this time, there is no precise official release date for "The Mothership." Original plans were for it to be released as part of the Fall 2022 lineup, but in August, What's On Netflix confirmed that "The Mothership" would be pushed to an undetermined date in 2023. Several other movies originally speculated to be among Netflix's Fall 2022 lineup were pushed back around that same time. These included "Rustin" –- the biopic of civil rights organizer Bayard Rustin produced by the Obamas –- and "The Inheritance" — the latest from horror director Alejandro Brugués.
Not to be confused with "The Mothership," but also included in the group of Netflix films pushed to 2023, is "The Mother." The title is just about the only similarity shared by these two movies, as "The Mother" stars Jennifer Lopez and is an action-thriller focused on an assassin coming out of retirement to protect her estranged daughter.
What is the plot of The Mothership?
Details of the film have been scant thus far, but promotional materials make it clear that "The Mothership" will be another entry into the storied lineage of rural science-fiction. According to the logline on What's On Netflix, "The sci-fi adventure follows Sara Morse (Halle Berry) one year since her husband mysteriously vanished from their rural farm. When she discovers a strange, extraterrestrial object underneath their home, Sara and her kids embark on a race to find their husband, father, and most importantly –- the truth."
Multiple films and shows prove rural farms are an oddly effective setting for alien or UFO-centric sci-fi stories. Perhaps it has to do with the contrast between futuristic technology and rural isolation, or maybe it's just how many reported UFO sightings seem to happen in relatively isolated areas (via Arcgis.com).
Whatever it is, from the success of 2002's "Signs" to 1993's underrated "Fire In the Sky," to the recent phenomenon of Jordan Peele's "Nope," UFOs in rural America make for some fine entertainment. If "The Mothership" follows in their footsteps, it may be a fun ride.
Who is starring in The Mothership?
The marquee star of "The Mothership" is Halle Berry. All publicity revolves around the Oscar-winning actor's presence, but the rest of the cast is strong too. In the role of Sara's disappearing husband is Omari Hardwick, known for his work in Starz's crime drama "Power," as well as a notable turn as Mr. _____ in "Sorry to Bother You." As far as Sara's children go, they will be played by young, relative newcomers Quinn McPherson and Jaiden J. Smith.
Also appearing in "The Mothership" will be Molly Parker ("House of Cards," "Lost in Space"), and Paul Guilfoyle, best known for playing Captain Jim Brass in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." Once again, details about these roles are vague. Parker's role is not named on the IMDb page of "The Mothership," while Guilfoyle is listed as Dr. Francis Singer. Whether Singer is a medical doctor or some kind of shady government scientist is unclear, though the listing of two cast members playing Navy Seals does lead some to believe the government will be involved in some way.
Who is directing The Mothership?
British screenwriter and producer Matthew Charman has written the screenplay for "The Mothership," and he's directing it too. Charman's script for "Bridge of Spies" -– co-written with Joel and Ethan Cohen –- gained an Oscar nomination in 2015. He also wrote for a handful of British TV series, including "Our Zoo" and "Black Work."
"The Mothership" will be his first time in the director's chair (via IMDb). Not only that, but it appears to be a change of pace for Charman in terms of content. Whereas "The Mothership" sounds about as quintessentially sci-fi as one can get, most of Charman's own scripts have been historically based. How Charman ends up handling these differences is still to be seen.
As already mentioned, Deadline also lists Halle Berry as executive producer for the film. She is doing so next to Danny Stillman, whose own past EP credits include "Krampus" and "American Assassin" (via IMDb). Fred Berger and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones are also listed as producer.