Gwyneth Paltrow's cult classic dieselpunk movie is now streaming on Netflix in October

Back in 2004, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow hit theaters in September 2004, but the science-fiction movie with lots of action and adventure didn't become the box office hit people were expecting. Rather, the star-studded "dieselpunk" movie became a box office flop with mostly positive reviews, earning it the title of a cult classic through the years.

In celebration of the movie's 20th anniversary, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow began streaming on Netflix in October 2024. The film comes from writer-director Kerry Conran and stars Gwyneth Paltrow as reporter Polly Perkins as she teams up with Sky Captain, played by Jude Law, to investigate the truth behind scientists disappearing and giant robot attacks.

Beyond Paltrow and Law in the leading roles, the cast also includes a small but memorable role from Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Gambon, Omid Djalili, Bai Ling, and Laurence Olivier, who appeared as Dr. Totenkopf through the use of manipulated archival footage. It's an ambitious movie that uses blue screen and other technology to create a stunning and unique world.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is now on Netflix

In fact, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow was the first major Hollywood movie filmed completely with blue screen technology. Unfortunately, the incredible visual strides the movie took to bring this story to life in a distinctive way didn't directly translate to mainstream success. The movie brought in a lot less money than should be expected from a trio of movie stars like Paltrow, Law, and Jolie, two of home had already Oscars on their shelves at home.

Now that 20 years have past and the movie has returned to accessibility via streaming on Netflix, writer-director Kerry Conran recently sat down with Variety for an expansive interview about the film's legacy, struggles, and his inspirations. If you're a fan of the cult classic movie, this interview is a must-read to understand what went into making the film and how Conran felt following the film's release. Admittedly, he tells Variety that it's "difficult for me to talk about."

Because the movie has been regarded as a "flop" based on the money it made (or the money it didn't make), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow has been left out of a lot of conversations for its innovations. Even today, movies can still be completely overshadowed by whether or not they become blockbusters (see: The Fall Guy) and make a ton of money, and those conversations can give potential viewers preconceived notions about the film.

When I first watched Sky Captain a few years ago while doing a deep dive into Gwyneth Paltrow's filmography, I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained by the movie. It's like nothing I had seen before! I remember growing up seeing the trailers on television and hearing the discourse about the movie not performing to expectations, thinking the movie was somehow "not good." But it is! It might not be for everyone, but it's campy fun.

If you enjoyed watching Jennifer Lopez in the Netflix original sci-fi movie Atlas or Joey King and Chase Stokes in Netflix's recent dystopian teen hit Uglies, you will for sure have a great time watching the 2004 cult classic. Give it a shot for a movie night sometime in October!

Watch Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow while it's streaming on Netflix.