The Tomorrow War is a sci-fi movie and action thriller directed by Chris McKay and written by Zach Dean. Led by Chris Pratt, along with Yvonne Strahovski and J.K. Simmons, the film was first released on July 2, 2021 on Prime Video. It will be broadcast free-to-air on TF1 on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 9:10 PM, giving this sci-fi blockbuster a new televised spotlight.
The world is thrown into chaos when soldiers suddenly appear during the Football World Cup, delivering a chilling message from the year 2051: in thirty years, humanity will be on the brink of losing an all-out war against a formidable extraterrestrial species. Facing imminent extinction, a radical solution is devised: sending civilians and soldiers from the present directly into the future to fight the battle head-on.
Among the new recruits is Dan Forester, a former soldier turned high school teacher and family man. Thrust into a catastrophic conflict, he finds himself in a ravaged world where humanity’s survival hinges on a few crucial battles. Torn between his mission and his daughter’s future, Dan teams up with a top scientist and his own father to uncover the origin of the threat—and possibly alter the course of history.
Originally scheduled for a theatrical release in the summer of 2021, The Tomorrow War was ultimately acquired by Prime Video for around $200 million, in a year heavily impacted by the pandemic. This move enabled the film to reach a global audience instantly, making it one of the platform’s most high-profile releases of that year.
This project represents a significant milestone for its key creators. For Chris McKay, renowned for his work in animation and satire (Robot Chicken, Lego Batman: The Movie), it marks his first live-action feature film. Meanwhile, Chris Pratt takes on a new role as a co-producer for a fictional film for the first time, further cementing his presence in genre cinema after Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy.
The storyline weaves together well-known science fiction themes, such as and humanity’s fight against alien threats, drawing comparisons to classics like Terminator and Edge of Tomorrow. The film combines high-octane military action with thoughtful reflections on generational legacy and family drama, making the parent-child relationship a key driving force of the narrative.
With its fast-paced action, its ensemble of creatures designed as a collective threat, and its accessible approach, The Tomorrow War appeals to fans of spectacular sci-fi blockbusters. Its broadcast on TF1 provides it with fresh exposure to viewers eager to catch high-profile, event-sized films in the early evening slot.
The Tomorrow War
Movie | 2021
TV Broadcast: Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 9:10 PM on TF1
Action, Science Fiction, Thriller | Duration: 2h20
Directed by Chris McKay | Starring Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons
Original Title: The Tomorrow War
Country: United States
Between a futuristic war film and a grand-scale science fiction epic, The Tomorrow War presents a tense yet approachable vision of a threatened future, driven by a story that emphasizes personal responsibility in the face of collective destiny.
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