Stranded in Space: Jennifer Lopez's 'Atlas' Takes Sci-Fi to New Heights

After eviscerating Netflix viewership records last year with her action film The Mother, Jennifer Lopez is set to return to the streamer in just over two months for the sci-fi thriller Atlas. The first trailer shared by Netflix today shows her thrown into the driver's seat of a mech suit and sent on a mission to recover a renegade robot with a connection to her past. All hell breaks loose, however, as she crash lands on another planet and tries desperately to reach out to her allies.

Lopez plays the titular Atlas Shepherd in the new film from Brad Peyton. A genius data analyst with misanthropic tendencies and an even greater distrust of Artificial Intelligence, she finds herself stuck in a predicament where the only way to save humanity from a rogue AI is to rely on another to help defeat it. The trailer immediately sets up her dire situation, showing Atlas injured and trapped on a snowy planet in a mech with flashing warning lights. As she activates her communications, the expansive world of Atlas is shown, from desolate alien wastelands to bustling futuristic cities with war all around. Despite her desperate pleas for someone from mission control to answer, the footage leaves the audience wondering how she escapes her icy surroundings.

Peyton is best known for delivering spectacle on the big screen with films like Rampage and San Andreas and the trailer for Atlas promises much of the same with high-flying mech battles and explosive ground combat. The footage also offers a brief glimpse at Simu Liu's villain as he walks through the fiery wreckage of a battlefield. He and Lopez lead a starry cast that also includes recent American Fiction Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown alongside Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla, and Mark Strong.

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Who Else Is Behind 'Atlas'?

Atlas marks a reunion for Peyton and writer Aron Eli Colaite who previously teamed up at Netflix for the post-apocalyptic teen dramedy Daybreak. Colaite is very familiar with the streamer, also co-creating and executive producing the comic adaptation Locke & Key with Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill. For Peyton's latest, he joined forces with first-time feature writer Leo Sardarian, who most notably wrote ten episodes of the Adam Brody-led Crackle series StartUp, to pen the screenplay.

2024 is off to a hot start for Lopez after leading with the release of her wild musical This Is Me… Now, which chronicles her journey of love through a mash-up of bizarre visuals, colorful costumes, powerful music, and plenty of varied star power, from Ben Affleck, Sofia Vergara, Fat Joe, and Keke Palmer to Jane Fonda, Trevor Noah, and Neil deGrasse Tyson. One of her next priorities will be behind the camera, as she's set to produce an upcoming Bob the Builder film adaptation with Anthony Ramos tapped for the lead role. The latest venture from Mattel will be set in Puerto Rico and embrace the original children's show's theme of friends working together to get the job done and improve the home they share.

Atlas arrives on Netflix on Friday, May 24. Check out the trailer above.

Amal Clooney Wore Optical Illusion Jeans Cosigned by Jennifer Lopez—Fall-Ready Styles Start at $44

My list of must-try jean trends for 2026 is growing; it currently includes all the silhouettes one denim expert revealed to me as the must-watch of the year (save for baggy jeans, because I’ve been wearing those for years). That said, one style that didn’t land on said aforementioned list, but is clearly due for big, big things this year, is flare jeans. With a growing list of celebrity fans that includes Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Cindy Crawford, Kendrick Lamar (you know that moment), and, of course, Amal Clooney, there’s no denying the retro denim style that was popular in the early aughts is back—and bigger than ever.

The fact that Clooney wore flared jeans is noteworthy in and of itself. The human rights lawyer is known for her refined dressing approach, regularly opting for billowy trousers, trendy boho blouses, and comfy sweater dresses—all staples that read elegant and timeless. So, when I spotted her earlier this year in the laid-back blues while out to dinner with hubby George Clooney, I knew I had to write about it. Of course, the fact that she wore flare jeans, the style countless celebs have worn the last few weeks, is noteworthy, too, as it further cements the style’s ‘It’ status for 2026. 

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Clooney opted for a pair of medium-wash jeans with subtle fading (another Y2K reference, IMO). Her blues had an ultra-high waist—so high, in fact, that they appeared to hit at the ribcage. It’s the complete opposite of the controversial low-rise denim, so it’s a possible sign that the high-high waist is coming back, too. Not to mention, Clooney’s jeans had a slightly oversized fit from the thighs to the ankles, but it’s that flared hem that has all my attention; it’s taking me back to my middle school days when I’d wear my True Religion flares every single day. (No joke.)

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It’s undeniable that Clooney’s jeans have that nostalgic flair (ahem, flare, wink, wink), but it’s also undeniable that celebs are clamoring to the style because it’s incredibly flattering. The blues basically act like an optical illusion, making legs look super long, especially when paired with a style that has an extra-long hemline and sky-high platforms á la Lopez; the singer is 5-feet-5-inches, but don’t you agree with me that she looks way taller in these jeans? Yeah, that’s thanks to the flares. The flare hem and longer inseams help create the look of legs for days, but add in a high-waisted cut, platform heels, and a crop top, and you’ll fool people into thinking you’re inches taller. 

Leg-elongating factor aside, there’s no denying that flares are fun and nostalgia-inducing—and that’s exactly what I need right now. So, shop some more fun, funky flares from Frame, NYDJ, and Mavi below.

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Gap High Rise ‘70s Flare Jeans

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