When Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets hit theaters in 2017, it generated a buzz that was hard to ignore. Directed by Luc Besson, the man behind classics like The Fifth Element and Léon: The Professional, the movie was expected to be a game-changer in science fiction cinema. With a $200 million budget, it was not only the most expensive film ever made in Europe, but also one of the most expensive films of all time. Audiences and critics alike had sky-high expectations. But despite all the hype, the film’s financial performance told a different story.