See the 1st teaser for 'The Tomorrow War,' a new sci-fi thriller coming to Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime has dropped the first teaser trailer for its new, original sci-fi action-thriller, "The Tomorrow War" starring Chris Pratt and we're now officially very excited about it.

According to the official blurb, the world is stunned when a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message, that 30 years into the future, mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. 

The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight. Among those recruited is high school teacher and family man Dan Forester. Determined to save the world for his young daughter, Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist, (the curiously named Romeo Command) and his estranged father, Slade, in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet.

Joining Pratt, who we know from the Marvel Comics Universe, is Yvonne Strahovski, who has appeared in "The Handmaiden's Tale," "Dexter" and "The Predator" among others and JK Simmons, who has certainly seen a thing or two, appearing in both the DC and the Marvel universe, "La La Land" and the vastly underrated "Counterpart."

Transporting people from the past to the future to save humankind was the plot of the not-terrible late-80s sci-fi thriller, "Millennium," starring Kris Kristofferson and Cheryl Ladd, but they certainly never faced an alien invasion. 

Originally set for a theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, the distribution rights were acquired by Amazon Studios, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is also the first movie that Chris Pratt will executively produce. It's written by Zach Dean, who hasn't really made a dent in the sci-fi genre yet, but it's directed by Chris McKay, who gave us both the brilliant "Lego Batman" movies.

Related: The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to watch on Amazon Prime

The planet Earth does not look like it's in great shape in the year 2051 in "The Tomorrow War" on Amazon Prime. (Image credit: Amazon Studios)

In other sci-fi news, Sissy Spacek and Ed O’Neill have been cast in the lead roles of the upcoming Amazon series "Lightyears" according to Variety. The show will follow Irene (Spacek) and Franklin (O’Neill) York, a couple who years ago discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet. Sounds intriguing. 

More Amazon news, principal photography has wrapped on Season 2 of "Upload" — an incredibly brilliant technology-nightmare-themed, romantic dark-comedy/drama, which if you haven't watched the first season of, go and do so immediately. Star Robbie Amell posted a message on Instagram with the cast of the show, but there's no word yet on when the second season will air. 

Finally, Deadline reports that Leigh Whannell's 2018 sci-fi thriller feature "Upgrade" is getting a TV series followup, which if you've seen the movie, you'll agree is tailor-made for a TV spin-off. Set in the near future, it follows a technophobic, stay-at-home type, whose life is turned upside down when his self-driving car is hacked and crashes, killing his wife and permanently crippling him. The ineptitude of the police results in a failed suicide attempt, but he's offered the chance to have a super-advanced chip implanted into his brain, with its own personality that not only enables him to walk again, but when he lets the chip have full control, he can do all manner of really cool things, including fighting with super-speed and super-strength.

The movie starred Logan Marshall-Green, who you might recognize from the disappointing "Alien" prequel "Prometheus" but we're really excited about the potential that this show could have. And if you haven't seen the movie, go and watch it. 

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Scott Snowden

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.