Back in January, production started on director Luc Besson's new sci-fi thriller Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, which is set to hit theaters on July 21 2017. The director shared the first photo from the set, and with production still under way, the filmmaker has shared a slew of new images through social media. These images give us new looks at stars Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen and many more.

Rooted in the classic graphic novel series, Valerian and Laureline- visionary writer/director Luc Besson advances this iconic source material into a contemporary, unique and epic science fiction saga. The filmmaker, who debuted these images on Twitter, has been a fan of the Valerian comics since he was ten-years-old, and the movie is a dream come true for the auteur, know for such classics as The Fifth Element and The Professional. The title is considered an 'ancestor' of the Star Wars and Avatar franchises, offering inspiration to both of those popular genre series. The story follows two space agents tasked with solving crimes throughout their universe. The director says this about being inspired by the comics, and how it has helped what he does today on set.

Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are special operatives for the government of the human territories charged with maintaining order throughout the universe. Valerian has more in mind than a professional relationship with his partner- blatantly chasing after her with propositions of romance. But his extensive history with women, and her traditional values, drive Laureline to continuously rebuff him.

Under directive from their Commander (Clive Owen), Valerian and Laureline embark on a mission to the breathtaking intergalactic city of Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis comprised of thousands of different species from all four corners of the universe. Alpha's seventeen million inhabitants have converged over time- uniting their talents, technology and resources for the betterment of all. Unfortunately, not everyone on Alpha shares in these same objectives; in fact, unseen forces are at work, placing our race in great danger.

About the story, Luc Besson says part of it is like a police investigation, and a whodunit. It won't be like a Marvel movie, where you know who the villain is right out of the gate. There will be two agents, and you won't know which one is bad. There is a true mystery at the core of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and that's why the director is so reluctant to discuss the plot and all its details just yet. Take a look at the latest photos from the set as Valerian continues production.