The Expanse, the beloved sci-fi conspiracy show cancelled after three thrilling seasons on SyFy, is returning for a fourth season in a month, on Amazon. And clearly, Amazon is going all in on the series, since a fifth season is already in production. The show’s official Twitter account revealed as much a couple weeks back:
And the journey continues… #TheExpanse season 5 production begins today. 🎬 pic.twitter.com/0VtmnhhZ1l
— The Expanse (@ExpanseOnPrime) October 22, 2019
Since then, director Breck Eisner — who’s been working on the show since season 2 — has been sharing behind-the-scenes videos on Twitter. By the looks of it, he has some ambitious plans.
First up, there’s an impressive shot involving a camera being lowered from a great height on a crane:
Camera rig for today’s first shot #TheExpanse season 5 @ExpanseOnPrime pic.twitter.com/q7PtVOwuMA
— Breck Eisner (@Breck_Eisner) October 26, 2019
Man, what kind of terrific landscape shot will that turn out to be? I’m already looking forward to seeing it.
As for where this shot takes place, that’s harder to know. The presence of extras on the ground indicates that we’re back on Earth. Much of the fourth season will involve the colonization of the newly discovered planet of Ilus, with various factions jockeying to become the dominant force on the new world.
Next up, Eisner contrives a way to simulate a zero gravity shot:
I’ve often put a camera on the dolly but I have to say this is the first time I’ve put an actual set on the dolly (or behind it) pic.twitter.com/yDISgCf6jd
— Breck Eisner (@Breck_Eisner) November 2, 2019
Rather than putting an actor on wires and moving them towards the set, in this case Eisner is moving the set towards the actor.
And then there’s the most important shot of all: star Thomas Jane (Josephus Miller ) rising a missile like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove.
@ThomasJane celebrating #TheExpanse season 5 pick up! pic.twitter.com/tx5ylZO8wl
— Breck Eisner (@Breck_Eisner) July 27, 2019
“Must be Friday.”
The Expanse season 4 premieres on December 14. And given that filming on season 5 is already up and running, we probably won’t have to wait an eternity to see what happens after that!
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h/t Newsweek