In Brief

'Interstellar' Warps Into IMAX Theaters Today

News
By Mike Wall
published

'Interstellar' Movie Poster
A theatrical poster announces the 2014 film "Interstellar." (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

The long wait for Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic "Interstellar" is finally over.

"Interstellar," one of the most highly anticipated space-themed movies in years, opens in select IMAX theaters today (Nov. 5) ahead of its broad nationwide release on Friday (Nov. 7).

One of those IMAX theaters is at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which will host the "Interstellar" cast in a special Google+ Hangout today at 5:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT). You can watch the "Interstellar" Hangout live here, and submit questions using the hashtag #InterstellarHangout.

"Interstellar" is directed by Nolan — who also helmed "Memento," "Inception" and the "Batman" Dark Knight trilogy, among other films — and stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine.

In the movie, agricultural crises threaten humanity's existence on Earth, so a small band of explorers led by former astronaut Cooper (McConaughey) search for an exoplanet that could serve as a new home for our species.

The pioneers journey to another galaxy, aided by a shortcut through a wormhole — a tear in the fabric of spacetime that allows relatively fast journeys between distant points. The film is visually stunning, with memorable depictions of a black hole, several different exoplanets and gorgeous regions of our own solar system.

Space fans can double their pleasure on Friday night if they so desire: The Stephen Hawking biopic "The Theory of Everything" also opens nationwide on that day.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

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Mike Wall
Mike Wall
Senior Space Writer

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.