Jeff Nichols’ upcoming Midnight Special may be this year’s best kept secret. For a film that packs such strong talent and with such a proven director in Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter), the sci-fi thriller has been flying under the radar from the very beginning. But make no mistake, this is a film that will be making quite an impression on screens in just a few weeks. Michael Shannon stars as a father who goes on the run from religious extremis and local law enforcement. In what escalates into a nationwide manhunt, Roy (Shannon) must risk everything to uncover the destiny defying truth behind the boy and his special powers.

Nicholas has made quite a name for himself in such a short period of time. If you haven’t checked out both Mud and Tae Shelter, I highly recommend doing so. What’s most exciting is the director known for deep stories and powerful characters is taking a crack at at the genre of sci-fi, which could end up being something very special. Not to mention that Nicholas himself has said he used such movies as Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. as inspiration, how is that not intriguing?

With every new look, I get more excited for the film. In an age where we rarely see true sci-fi anymore, Nicholas’ latest should be a much needed treat. Check out the big set of images below. Midnight Special holds a March 18th, 2016 release date and also stars Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Shepard and Jaeden Lieberher.