Evolution (2001 film)

Evolution is a 2001 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by David Diamond and David Weissman, based on a story by Don Jakoby. The film stars David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Ted Levine, and Julianne Moore in lead roles. The plot follows college professor Ira Kane (Duchovny) and geologist Harry Block (Jones) as they investigate a meteor crash in Arizona, only to discover that it harbors rapidly evolving extraterrestrial life forms. The film was produced by The Montecito Picture Company and released by DreamWorks Pictures in the United States on June 8, 2001, and by Columbia Pictures internationally. Evolution received mixed-to-negative reviews from film critics with criticism for its storyline, screenplay and pacing; however, the performances of the cast received minor praise. It emerged as a disappointment at the box-office, grossing $98.4 million worldwide against a production budget of $80 million, but nonetheless earned a cult following. A short-lived animated series, Alienators: Evolution Continues, loosely based on the film, was broadcast months after the film was released.