Fantasia Teaser for ‘Terrestrial’ Sci-Fi Thriller Starring Jermaine Fowler

Fantasia Teaser for ‘Terrestrial’ Sci-Fi Thriller Starring Jermaine Fowler

by Alex Billington
July 17, 2025
Source: YouTube

“They come to Earth in secret and they choose when to be seen. And they choose when to remain hidden.” So they’re out there somewhere… Get an early look at this indie sci-fi film premiering at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal underway this week. Terrestrial is directed by filmmaker Steve Pink, best known as the director of the two Hot Tub Time Machine movies previously. During a weekend reunion, a rising sci-fi author welcomes three college friends to his home, but strange events begin to blur the lines between reality and imagination. Jermaine Fowler stars as the author Allen, about to hit it massive with a book & movie deal, but something seems strange about him. In this quick teaser you can hear him talking about “The Neptune Cycle” sci-fi novels and the aliens in them. The cast includes James Morosini, Pauline Chalamet, Edy Modica, Rob Yang, & Brendan Hunt. Fantasia describes it as “a completely original and unpredictable dark comedy sci-fi thriller about belonging, paranoia, and idolatry.” Yep I’m in! Just enough of a piquant tease to get my attention, especially with all the glimpses that pop up at the end of this teaser. Check it out below.

Here’s the festival promo trailer (+ teaser poster) for Steve Pink’s sci-fi film Terrestrial, from YouTube:

Not long ago, Allen (Jermaine Fowler) was a struggling science-fiction writer trying to get his work seen and his voice heard. But now he’s living high in the Hollywood Hills in a massive mansion with a fountain, a vintage Mustang, and a room devoted to “The Neptune Cycle”, the classic science-fiction novels written by Allen’s hero, S.J. Purcell (Brendan Hunt). His friends Maddie (Pauline Chalamet), Ryan (James Morosini) and Vic (Edy Modica) have come to visit and celebrate Allen’s massive book & movie deal, but they’re quick to believe his out-of-nowhere good fortune may be too good to be true. And his erratic behavior isn’t helping matters any; he’s coming across as sorrowful, paranoid, and delusional, not like someone who’s about to hit the massive time. Is it writer’s block? Or maybe it’s the wrong time to visit? And maybe they weren’t the only ones?

Terrestrial is directed by the American filmmaker Steve Pink, director of the movies Accepted, Speechless, Hot Tub Time Machine 1 & 2, About Last Night, Best Intentions, The Wheel, and The Last Republican, plus episodes of the series “Children’s Hospital”, “The Detour”, “Angie Tribeca”, “Wayne”, “Santa Clarita Diet”, and “Cobra Kai” as well. The screenplay is written by Connor Diedrich & Samuel Johnson. Produced by Josh Jason, Molly Gilula, Molly Conners, AJ Bourscheid, Austin Lantero, Rachel Walden, Pauline Chalamet, Luca Balser. The film is world premiering at the 2025 Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal playing in the Cheval Noir section this summer. No other release dates are set – stay tuned for more. Look good? Anyone curious?

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