Brendan Fraser Blasts Off In Josh Wakely's Sci-Fi Thriller Starman

If you thought Brendan Fraser's post-Oscar run was already unpredictable, buckle up—he's taking another sharp turn, this time back into space. Fraser is officially lined up to star in Starman, a sci-fi thriller that sounds like it wants to be more 'human crisis' than pure popcorn spectacle. Honestly, it could be right up his alley given how his comeback has been refusing to stay in one lane.

Out of the Desert, Into the Cosmos

Here's the deal: Fraser will play Tom Adams, who we're told is an 'architect of the future.' Think less Tony Stark, more slightly battered visionary—the kind of guy Hollywood loves tossing into impossible situations. The plot? Adams leads a groundbreaking mission to Mars. Everything is going fine, until, of course, unexpected chaos leaves him stranded millions of miles away from home. At its core, it's a space survival story, but apparently, love and emotional stakes will get as much screen time as gadgets and explosions.

As Deadline puts it, the story turns into a race against time, centered on both survival and love.

The movie is written and directed by Josh Wakely—a name you might recognize if you have kids (or a very eclectic animated playlist). His credits include Emmy-winning shows like Beat Bugs and Motown Magic. This is his first foray into sci-fi on this scale, and he's steering the whole ship solo, which could help keep things focused and not overcooked by committee.

Fraser's To-Do List Is Getting Weirdly Diverse

What makes Starman more interesting than your standard space thriller is when it's hitting Fraser's career. He's way past the 'convince Hollywood he's still got it' phase. Now, it's more about defining exactly what kind of comeback this is—and it's turning out to be all over the map. Let me break down where he is right now:

• Pressure: Out May 29. Fraser as Dwight D. Eisenhower. Yes, really. World War II drama territory.
• Diamond: Andy Garcia directing, with Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray in tow. This one's got a Cannes premiere coming up.
• The Mummy 4: This is the crowd-pleaser. Fraser returns as Rick O'Connell, alongside Rachel Weisz. The release has now been pushed earlier to October 15, 2027—probably to make the most of the nostalgia.

So yeah, we've got military biopics, festival-bait ensemble pieces, franchise resurrections, and now a potentially intimate survival film set in deep space. If that's not commitment to variety, I don't know what is.

Why Starman Actually Stands Out

A big studio sci-fi headlined by Fraser could easily go full cheese or just try to clone The Martian. But everything about this one suggests it's aiming for something a little riskier—less about the spectacle, more about the lead performance. Given where Fraser's at, that sounds like it could pay off, or at the very least, give us something more nuanced than your usual cosmic blockbuster.

Between Eisenhower, casino capers, lost love on Mars, and making Egyptian mummies explode (again), Fraser's comeback is starting to look less like a normal career rebound and more like a lineup chosen by a particularly indecisive movie buff. Whatever happens next, at least it won't be predictable.