In a recent appearance on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show to promote his latest book, To Infinity and Beyond, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson didn't shy away from critiquing the scientific accuracy of popular Hollywood blockbusters. Notably, he declared that Armageddon, long considered a poster child for cinematic scientific inaccuracy, has now been dethroned by a newcomer in the field of violating the laws of physics on the silver screen.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-is-originality-dead-in-hollywood-why-studios-are-ditching-original-movies-for-reboots-and-sequels-583722">Is originality dead in Hollywood? Why studios are ditching original movies for reboots and sequels</a>

<h2>Moonfall: A new challenger takes the crown</h2>

Tyson's criticism extended to Moonfall, a film directed by Roland Emmerich and released in January 2022. The movie's plot revolves around Earth's moon suddenly leaving its orbit, revealing its hollowness and the presence of a moon-sized structure made of rocks within. Tyson expressed his incredulity at the notion that the Apollo missions were, in reality, intended to feed this lunar structure, a concept far removed from scientific fact.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ivIwdQBlS10?si=unt5bYWVXmm0VEG4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"It [Moonfall] was a pandemic film that came out, you know, Halle Berry, and the moon is approaching Earth, and they learned that it’s hollow and there’s a moon being made out of rocks living inside of it and the Apollo missions were really to visit, to feed the moon being, and I just couldn’t, so I said, “Alright, I thought Armageddon ‘had a secure hold on this crown, but apparently not," he said.

He also pointed out a specific scene in Moonfall involving asteroid manipulation, emphasising that, in space, subtle adjustments could change an asteroid's trajectory without the need for extravagant measures. This cinematic exaggeration, Tyson suggested, typifies the tendency of movies to opt for hyperbolic solutions to scientific problems.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-expend4bles-movie-review-sylvester-stallones-film-is-more-fizzle-than-sizzle-638475">Expend4bles movie review: Sylvester Stallone's film is more fizzle than sizzle</a>

<h2>The impact of scientific inaccuracies on cinema</h2>

While Tyson acknowledged that both Armageddon and Moonfall are fictional works meant for entertainment, he underscored a broader issue within Hollywood — where the allure of entertaining storytelling often takes precedence over scientific accuracy. While cinematic exaggerations can captivate audiences, they can also propagate misunderstandings about science and technology.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

In a recent appearance on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show to promote his latest book, To Infinity and Beyond, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson didn't shy away from critiquing the scientific accuracy of popular Hollywood blockbusters.

In a recent appearance on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show to promote his latest book, To Infinity and Beyond, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson didn't shy away from critiquing the scientific accuracy of popular Hollywood blockbusters. Notably, he declared that Armageddon, long considered a poster child for cinematic scientific inaccuracy, has now been dethroned by a newcomer in the field of violating the laws of physics on the silver screen. Also Read | Is originality dead in Hollywood? Why studios are ditching original movies for reboots and sequels Moonfall: A new challenger takes the crown Tyson's criticism extended to Moonfall, a film directed by Roland Emmerich and released in January 2022. The movie's plot revolves around Earth's moon suddenly leaving its orbit, revealing its hollowness and the presence of a moon-sized structure made of rocks within. Tyson expressed his incredulity at the notion that the Apollo missions were, in reality, intended to feed this lunar structure, a concept far removed from scientific fact. "It [Moonfall] was a pandemic film that came out, you know, Halle Berry, and the moon is approaching Earth, and they learned that it’s hollow and there’s a moon being made out of rocks living inside of it and the Apollo missions were really to visit, to feed the moon being, and I just couldn’t, so I said, “Alright, I thought Armageddon ‘had a secure hold on this crown, but apparently not," he said. He also pointed out a specific scene in Moonfall involving asteroid manipulation, emphasising that, in space, subtle adjustments could change an asteroid's trajectory without the need for extravagant measures. This cinematic exaggeration, Tyson suggested, typifies the tendency of movies to opt for hyperbolic solutions to scientific problems. Also Read | Expend4bles movie review: Sylvester Stallone's film is more fizzle than sizzle The impact of scientific inaccuracies on cinema While Tyson acknowledged that both Armageddon and Moonfall are fictional works meant for entertainment, he underscored a broader issue within Hollywood — where the allure of entertaining storytelling often takes precedence over scientific accuracy. While cinematic exaggerations can captivate audiences, they can also propagate misunderstandings about science and technology. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson says THIS film has dethroned Armageddon as biggest violator of physical laws

Hollywood A-listers Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley and Michael Peña speak to WION's Zeba about their film 'Moonfall', a science fiction disaster film helmed by Roland Emmerich. From their filming experience to on-set chemistry and working on a film that pits Moon as a mystery object that is predicted to crash land on Earth, there's lots that the stars discuss.

Exclusive: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson & other stars of Hollywood film Moonfall speak to WION

Exclusive: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson & other stars of Hollywood

After living through a pandemic for nearly two years, Americans, as it turns out, were in desperate need of a laugh. 
 
That may explain why Paramount`s go-for-broke action-comedy 'Jackass Forever'&nbsp;triumphed at the domestic box office while Roland Emmerich`s disaster epic 'Moonfall'&nbsp;turned into an epic disaster. 
 
'Jackass Forever,'&nbsp;the fourth instalment in the ongoing saga of projectiles to the groin, collected $23 million from 3,604 North American locations in its debut, landing on the higher end of expectations. The latest 'Jackass,'&nbsp;starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man and other daredevils from MTV days, had been widely expected to win the weekend, but its victory is still surprising and impressive because it has been some time since a pure comedy has claimed the top spot on box office charts. 
 
In catapulting to first place, 'Jackass Forever'&nbsp;finally took down reigning champion 'Spider-Man: No Way Home,'&nbsp;which has spent six of the last seven weeks at No. 1. 
 
'Jackass Forever'&nbsp;has been a (unexpected?) hit with critics, notching a strong 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 'B+'&nbsp;CinemaScore from audience members. Variety`s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman had positive things to say, writing in his review that "Johnny Knoxville and company are now middle aged, but that hasn`t slowed their juvenile masochistic fervor." And with a $10 million production budget, 'Jackass Forever'&nbsp;will be laughing all the way to the bank. 
 
"It`s extremely hard to keep it fresh and funny for this long, but `Jackass` is doing that," says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. "At a cost of only $10 million, the film is going to be very profitable." 
 
'Moonfall,'&nbsp;the weekend`s other new nationwide release, has less to celebrate. The science-fiction catastrophe film crash-landed on the lower end of projections, bringing in $10.1 million from 3,446 venues. Those ticket sales are potentially problematic because 'Moonfall'&nbsp;cost $140 million to produce, making it one of the most expensive independent films in history. Commercial sentiment may not help; moviegoers stuck the film with an unenthusiastic 'C+'&nbsp;CinemaScore. Unless the movie becomes a huge hit overseas, 'Moonfall'&nbsp;likely will not become a financial success. 
 
Emmerich, having turned 'Independence Day,'&nbsp;'The Day After Tomorrow'&nbsp;and '2012'&nbsp;into commercial cash-cows, had once been the premier chronicler of big-budget catastrophe. But in the case of 'Moonfall,'&nbsp;which Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Pena and Donald Sutherland and centers on efforts to prevent the moon from colliding with Earth, his movies aren`t offering the kind of stress-free escapism that pandemic-fatigued audiences are looking for. 
 
"At the moment, with the world coming apart in real time, who wants to sit through a disaster story? It`s more fun to laugh at `Jackass,`" says Gross.

After living through a pandemic for nearly two years, Americans, as it turns out, were in desperate need of a laugh. That may explain why Paramount`s go-for-broke action-comedy 'Jackass Forever' triumphed at the domestic box office while Roland Emmerich`s disaster epic 'Moonfall' turned into an epic disaster.

After living through a pandemic for nearly two years, Americans, as it turns out, were in desperate need of a laugh. That may explain why Paramount`s go-for-broke action-comedy 'Jackass Forever' triumphed at the domestic box office while Roland Emmerich`s disaster epic 'Moonfall' turned into an epic disaster. 'Jackass Forever,' the fourth instalment in the ongoing saga of projectiles to the groin, collected $23 million from 3,604 North American locations in its debut, landing on the higher end of expectations. The latest 'Jackass,' starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man and other daredevils from MTV days, had been widely expected to win the weekend, but its victory is still surprising and impressive because it has been some time since a pure comedy has claimed the top spot on box office charts. In catapulting to first place, 'Jackass Forever' finally took down reigning champion 'Spider-Man: No Way Home,' which has spent six of the last seven weeks at No. 1. 'Jackass Forever' has been a (unexpected?) hit with critics, notching a strong 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 'B+' CinemaScore from audience members. Variety`s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman had positive things to say, writing in his review that "Johnny Knoxville and company are now middle aged, but that hasn`t slowed their juvenile masochistic fervor." And with a $10 million production budget, 'Jackass Forever' will be laughing all the way to the bank. "It`s extremely hard to keep it fresh and funny for this long, but `Jackass` is doing that," says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. "At a cost of only $10 million, the film is going to be very profitable." 'Moonfall,' the weekend`s other new nationwide release, has less to celebrate. The science-fiction catastrophe film crash-landed on the lower end of projections, bringing in $10.1 million from 3,446 venues. Those ticket sales are potentially problematic because 'Moonfall' cost $140 million to produce, making it one of the most expensive independent films in history. Commercial sentiment may not help; moviegoers stuck the film with an unenthusiastic 'C+' CinemaScore. Unless the movie becomes a huge hit overseas, 'Moonfall' likely will not become a financial success. Emmerich, having turned 'Independence Day,' 'The Day After Tomorrow' and '2012' into commercial cash-cows, had once been the premier chronicler of big-budget catastrophe. But in the case of 'Moonfall,' which Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Pena and Donald Sutherland and centers on efforts to prevent the moon from colliding with Earth, his movies aren`t offering the kind of stress-free escapism that pandemic-fatigued audiences are looking for. "At the moment, with the world coming apart in real time, who wants to sit through a disaster story? It`s more fun to laugh at `Jackass,`" says Gross.

Box Office: 'Jackass Forever' catapults to No. 1 as 'Moonfall' craters

Hollywood actor Josh Gad will now star in ‘Moonfall’, a disaster thriller penned and produced by Roland Emmerich in partnership with Lionsgate.

The makers are eyeing a date in fall for the production to start.

‘Moonfall’ is penned by Emmerich with ‘2012’ co-writer Harald Kloser and Spenser Cohen as it follows a story when the moon is knocked from its orbit by a mysterious force and is on a collision course with Earth. Life as we know it hangs in the balance and with just weeks to go before impact, a ragtag team is sent on a seemingly impossible mission to land on the lunar surface and save humanity.

Josh Gad is the first to have been cast in the ensemble according to The Hollywood Reporter and will play a character named KC Houseman. His character is odd and unkempt &nbsp;in a way that suggests a high level of intelligence and an equally high level of disorganization. He is a genius who correctly predicts that the moon has fallen out of its orbit, thus making the space-obsessed, profoundly unfiltered and eccentric man one of the most important people on Earth.

The Tony Award-nominated Josh Gad is currently riding high thanks to his recently launched 1980s-centric YouTube series, Reunited Apart.&nbsp;

Hollywood actor Josh Gad will now star in ‘Moonfall’, a disaster thriller penned and produced by Roland Emmerich in partnership with Lionsgate. The makers are eyeing a date in fall for the production to start.

Hollywood actor Josh Gad will now star in ‘Moonfall’, a disaster thriller penned and produced by Roland Emmerich in partnership with Lionsgate. The makers are eyeing a date in fall for the production to start. ‘Moonfall’ is penned by Emmerich with ‘2012’ co-writer Harald Kloser and Spenser Cohen as it follows a story when the moon is knocked from its orbit by a mysterious force and is on a collision course with Earth. Life as we know it hangs in the balance and with just weeks to go before impact, a ragtag team is sent on a seemingly impossible mission to land on the lunar surface and save humanity. Josh Gad is the first to have been cast in the ensemble according to The Hollywood Reporter and will play a character named KC Houseman. His character is odd and unkempt in a way that suggests a high level of intelligence and an equally high level of disorganization. He is a genius who correctly predicts that the moon has fallen out of its orbit, thus making the space-obsessed, profoundly unfiltered and eccentric man one of the most important people on Earth. The Tony Award-nominated Josh Gad is currently riding high thanks to his recently launched 1980s-centric YouTube series, Reunited Apart.

Hollywood actor Josh Gad to star in Roland Emmerich's thriller 'Moonfall'

moonfall

Moonfall, News on Moonfall, stories on Moonfall, articles on Moonfall, Moonfall stories at Wion, Moonfall news, Moonfall latest news