Sci-fi comedic thriller “Into the Sky” has you looking upward and inward in equal measure. [Fantastic Fest]
![Sci-fi comedic thriller “Into the Sky” has you looking upward and inward in equal measure. [Fantastic Fest]](https://i0.wp.com/elementsofmadness.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Into_the_Sky_6-1.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1 "Sci-fi comedic thriller “Into the Sky” has you looking upward and inward in equal measure. [Fantastic Fest]")
“If you go, say goodbye
There’ll be something missing in my life
‘Cause you know
That all I really want is you (is you!)
Yeah, yeah! …”– “If You Go” by Jon Secada
Some days, it can feel like the best thing you can do is crawl back into bed and let the world turn without you. Others, the only way to survive something is to make the best of what you have and enjoy it while you can. Both of these notions conflict in the sci-fi comedic thriller Into the Sky from co-directors/co-writers Drew Mylrea (Last Survivors) and Evan Buxbaum (Sun Belt Express), having its world premiere during Fantastic Fest 2026. Asking questions about personal endurance versus agency, about love and fortitude, as well as interpersonal faith, Into the Sky follows the well-worn path of lost love romances but has placed it in such a unique vehicle that there’s really no telling where the story is ever going to go. One thing we know for certain: “believe” takes on several meanings and, by its end, you just might.
L-R: Sam Richardson as Bobby and Sofia Black-D’Elia as Nico in INTO THE SKY. Photo courtesy of We’re Not Alone LLC.
For the last year, Bobby (Sam Richardson) has inexplicably woken up in random places covered in blue goo because he keeps being abducted by aliens. It’s really put a strain on his marriage and, after the last abduction, he can’t find his wife, Brittany (Fiona Rene). What he does discover is that his home is now a rental and is occupied by Nico (Sofia Black-D’Elia), an event planner stressed out over the upcoming nuptials of her brother, Chance (Jonathan Rudnitsky), and high-maintenance bride-to-be Genevieve (Annabel O’Hagan). As if this isn’t strange enough, Bobby discovers that he’s not alone in being abducted when he bumps into Jaden (David Cross), which would be a relief if not for the escalating sense that something is amiss — a feeling that only increases as wedding day draws near.
The script by Mylrea and Baxbaum marries (no pun intended) several genres and story elements into one. There’s the abduction story, the romance story, and the realization of what “not being alone” means. While there are desperate tones with each, they converge and co-mingle so well in the way their respective metaphors relate that they may as well be one story. Here, the filmmakers make a direct connection between alien abduction and Bobby’s persistent need to get back to the way things were as a means of exploring denial and the shapes it can take. Portrayed by the versatile Richardson (Ted Lasso; After Party; Werewolves Within), Bobby is the K.C. Green “This Is Fine” Gunshow webcomic strip personified. He treats the abductions as things to get used to or to accept rather than to deal with or to address — a part of his life that he’d rather ignore in order to maintain the perception of having things together. The misdirect of the script is thinking that the abductions are the problem when, in reality, they are the physical representation of Bobby’s inability to acknowledge the issues in his life. Richardson makes the character loveable, charming even, to the point that we may even struggle to understand why Brittany (kept at a distance and viewed through Bobby’s perspective) would avoid him — until we see how he handles the so-called inconvenience of sudden abduction.
L-R: Sam Richardson as Bobby and David Cross as Jaden in INTO THE SKY. Photo courtesy of Fantastic Fest/We’re Not Alone LLC.
The introduction of Cross’s (Men in Black; Lucy Schulman) Jaden serves as an obvious antithesis and mirror to Bobby as Jaden’s abduction journey is quite different, as is Jaden’s internalized/externalized response. Jaden comes to represent an alternate path for Bobby, but also the part that’s recognized the struggle of living with being abducted and the reality that some people can’t handle what may seem like an absurd truth. The person you are now is not the person you’ll be in one year, five, 12, or 20 — that’s the inevitability of life. We grow and we change or we fester and rot. Cross is quite accomplished as actor and comedian, grounding the ridiculousness of their situation with a different acceptance than Richardson exudes. But Cross is given the chance to insert some disquieting energy, as well, as Jaden upsets further Bobby’s already upturned apple cart through appearances unannounced and choices deliberate that, within a different film and perspective, are quite reasonable. But this is Bobby’s story and his isn’t one of Independence Day-like confrontation, but of self-actualization and coming to terms with what is versus what was.
Of the things that Into the Sky captures, what it does really well, is nail down that sensation that the people in your life whom you thought you could trust will abandon you at the slightest inconvenient truth. If one were to trade Bobby’s abductions (possible in reality, but stretching the bounds of reality) for a sudden diagnosis of a medical condition or change in physicality that causes a change in accessibility, then the reaction by others to Bobby’s new reality feels very common. It’s strange how some people look at their friend, their cohort, their loved one, and only see inconvenient change and not the person they once knew. Nothing about them has changed, right? Maybe they can’t travel so far, maybe they need additional precautions, maybe they need ambulatory devices, maybe they have specific dietary needs — whatever the change, is it so hard to consider it and adapt? Do they need to be abandoned or ignored (even when arriving in close proximity) merely because their needs are different? In a society which frequently sees illness or injury as a moral failing and not something which comes for all of us in time, we are all Brittney when we shouldn’t be, nor should we be Bobby. We should be something in between, which can see them for who they are, acknowledge the new reality, and work with it. Life can be such a cold and uncaring place if we allow it, which seems an all the more ridiculous choice when accommodations are often so easy, simple, and inclusive. The right partner, the right friend, the right people — they get this. They will provide space for you to be the best version of yourself, even when that may not be 100%. This is the meat of what Into the Sky explores through thrills, laughs, and romantic inquiry as the question of “who are your people?” is not some Blue Sky concept, but one we grapple with daily.
Sam Richardson as Bobby in INTO THE SKY. Photo courtesy of We’re Not Alone LLC.
In an effort to keep things as spoiler-free as possible, there’s far more that could be discussed that is purposefully avoided. It’s worth noting that Black-D’Elia (Remarkably Bright Creatures) is positively wonderful as the equally-but-differently-messed-up Nico and their chemistry with Richardson makes us delight in any and all screentime shared. Likewise, the strange chaos that Cross brings elevates the scenes between Jaden and Bobby so that one actually does start to feel like they’re watching two different films, until one realizes that it’s merely a representation of the schism within Bobby given shape and form. Most impressively, even as one develops a sense of where the film is going to go, the approach by Mylrea and Buxbaum frequently keeps one on their toes, equally teetering alongside Bobby. It makes for a refreshing experience amid familiar tropes that could bog down the whole if not for the creative narrative approach, exciting performances, and compelling concepts within.
Screening during Fantastic Fest 2026.
For more information, head to the official Fantastic Fest Into the Sky webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
Categories: In Theaters, Reviews