In Search of Tomorrow is a glorious 5-hour tribute to ’80s sci-fi cinema

After covering ’80s horror with the monumental two-part documentary In Search of Darkness, writer/director David Weiner has set his sights on the stars with In Search of Tomorrow, a 5-hour tribute to ’80s science-fiction films.

Using the same methodology as In Search of Darkness, In Search of Tomorrow takes viewers through the ’80s year by year, highlighting the most iconic releases of each year through a series of vignettes featuring interviews with the cast & crew,  journalists, fans, and more. Alongside the segments on individual films, Weiner also includes a number of breakout deep dives into the themes of ’80s sci-fi cinema, including the effect of the Cold War, environmentalism, and the rise of technology, among others.

Limiting its scope to strictly movies released in the ’80s means there are no specific segments on the first Star Wars or Star Trek film, but we do get episodic looks at their beloved ’80s sequels, including 1981’s The Empire Strikes Back and 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In addition to the blockbuster franchise releases, the sprawling film also covers technological breakouts like 1982’s Tron, the controversy surrounding 1987’s Robocop, and the massive influence of unforgettable ’80s landmarks including 1982’s E.T. and 1985’s Back to the Future.

Weiner also shines a light on lesser-known but beloved sci-fi cult hits like 1984’s Runaway (featuring the incredible team-up of Tom Selleck and Gene Simmons), 1988’s sci-fi musical comedy Earth Girls Are Easy (featuring then real-life couple Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum), and countless more.

With dozens of quick segments in succession, In Search of Tomorrow is an overwhelming and heartfelt look back at a decade that forever shaped generations of film fans. Looking back, it’s almost incomprehensible that so many genre-defining titles were hitting theaters within such a short period.

Packed with interviews including the late Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters), Peter Weller (Robocop), Walter Koenig (Star Trek), Sean Young (Blade Runner), and dozens more, In Search of Tomorrow is a nostalgic and reverential tribute to a time when sci-fi truly broke into the mainstream with some of the most memorable and beloved films of all time.

In Search of Tomorrow is currently available for pre-order through March 27. Digital copies of the film will be available in April, with a Blu-ray set due in May. Grab yours here.