The ’90s Sci‑Fi Hit The Fifth Element Returns to Theaters

When George Lucas had not yet returned with the prequel trilogy, Hollywood’s sci‑fi landscape left room for another big hit. Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element arrived in the mid‑1990s and quickly became one of the most controversial — and talked‑about — sci‑fi films of its era, praised for being ahead of its time and for its genre‑mashing spectacle.

The film has since become a cult classic, reflected in its Rotten Tomatoes scores of 71% from critics and 87% from audiences. The site’s critics' consensus sums it up: "visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci‑fi that never takes itself too seriously." More than 29 years after its original run, The Fifth Element is returning to theaters on July 26 and 27, 2026, marking the fourth time it has been re‑released.

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