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Typeset in the Future: Typography and Design in Science Fiction Movies
In Typeset in the Future , blogger and designer Dave Addey invites sci-fi movie fans on a journey through seven genre-defining classics, discovering how they create compelling visions of the future through typography and design.
Foreword by Matt Zoller Seitz
This book delves deep into 2001: A Space Odyssey , Star The Motion Picture , Alien , Blade Runner , Total Recall , WALL·E , and Moon , studying the design tricks and inspirations that make each film transcend mere celluloid and become a believable reality. These studies are illustrated by film stills, concept art, type specimens, and ephemera, plus original interviews with Mike Okuda ( Star Trek ), Paul Verhoeven ( Total Recall ), and Ralph Eggleston and Craig Foster (Pixar).
Typeset in the Future is an obsessively geeky study of how classic sci-fi movies draw us in to their imagined worlds—and how they have come to represent “THE FUTURE” in popular culture.
Foreword by Matt Zoller Seitz
This book delves deep into 2001: A Space Odyssey , Star The Motion Picture , Alien , Blade Runner , Total Recall , WALL·E , and Moon , studying the design tricks and inspirations that make each film transcend mere celluloid and become a believable reality. These studies are illustrated by film stills, concept art, type specimens, and ephemera, plus original interviews with Mike Okuda ( Star Trek ), Paul Verhoeven ( Total Recall ), and Ralph Eggleston and Craig Foster (Pixar).
Typeset in the Future is an obsessively geeky study of how classic sci-fi movies draw us in to their imagined worlds—and how they have come to represent “THE FUTURE” in popular culture.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published December 11, 2018
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730 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
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August 30, 2022Excellent focus on the recent historical trends in movie typography and design.
Beware, I have a recent Kindle Fire and the book would not display properly. It was as if the hardbound copy was so tightly bound that it was impossible to see the whole page no matter how I attempted to display it.
Sad
Beware, I have a recent Kindle Fire and the book would not display properly. It was as if the hardbound copy was so tightly bound that it was impossible to see the whole page no matter how I attempted to display it.
Sad
December 23, 2020
Simply said: I wish there were more books like this! (!) A beautiful, insightful, super-nerdy and highly informative book, written with a lot of wit and love for the smallest details imaginable. What can I say? I am in AWE with all the tons of reseach that went into this, the interviews with various designers, animators and film-makers... and the overall picture it gave me about Storytelling. Not just in SciFi but movie making (fiction) in GENERAL. I am a HUGE print-prop-design fan in filmmaking (and it is my job as well), and I can say: there are NOT MANY experts in this field that actually took the time to publish a whole BOOK about sub-topics like this... and nearly none as delightful as THIS ONE. It pictures so perfectly that WORLD BUILDING needs a lot of details, thinking-through it and cohesive world building around the actual story to make it strong and believable.
I read it cover to cover, it were so many information that I had to devour it slowly, taking me several months to go through all of this.
This is by FAR my most inspiring book I came across the last few YEARS and I am so thankful I found it.
If any of you reads this and knows similiar nerdy books like this about film-world-building (it has not to be esp. scifi, I am interested in other film genres as well), PLEASE WRITE ME A DM AND TELL ME. I am far too sad I've finished the book (and will re-read it some time again).
I read it cover to cover, it were so many information that I had to devour it slowly, taking me several months to go through all of this.
This is by FAR my most inspiring book I came across the last few YEARS and I am so thankful I found it.
If any of you reads this and knows similiar nerdy books like this about film-world-building (it has not to be esp. scifi, I am interested in other film genres as well), PLEASE WRITE ME A DM AND TELL ME. I am far too sad I've finished the book (and will re-read it some time again).
July 2, 2019
Bone-dry humor, compelling insights, outstanding photographic reproduction—if you have any interest in design, great science fiction movies, or typography, run don't walk to get yourself a copy.
August 1, 2022
The design reference collection is very good. The writing is largely fluff. The title could have been "I love Eurostile font," which is not a bad thing.
October 31, 2025
A charming book, though ultimately weaker than the original blog posts it’s based on — marred by typos, an awkward pacing, and an unnecessary second summary masquerading as an epilogue. Luckily for us, the original posts are still available online.
March 27, 2019
Interesting and entertaining, but somehow is this books typesetting terrible? In a book about typography?
I love all trivia and information about design and semiotics, but it talks to much about the plot of each movie.
I love all trivia and information about design and semiotics, but it talks to much about the plot of each movie.
May 31, 2021
This was a fascinating insight into typography, iconography and design in a number of sci-fi movies. These films each had a dedicated chapter: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Blade Runner, Total Recall, Wall-E, and Moon. However, lots of other films made cameo appearances, including in the chapters about general characteristics and rules, as well as the interviews with directors and designers between chapters.
There was a particular emphasis on fonts, which I can’t emphasise enough how interesting that was. I’d never really appreciated how much thought goes into a font, and what it then conveys. But there were so many other interesting insights, including for instance the significance of the chess game in Blade Runner. There is a tonne of information on background detail, including sets. There is also fascinating information on how design in films occurs; the substantial influence of leftover Letraset sheets was really striking (CLN as a giveaway!). I thought the insight - or “rules” - on how to convey information and realism without distracting viewers was really interesting, with so much hidden thought in it.
Beautiful and fascinating.
There was a particular emphasis on fonts, which I can’t emphasise enough how interesting that was. I’d never really appreciated how much thought goes into a font, and what it then conveys. But there were so many other interesting insights, including for instance the significance of the chess game in Blade Runner. There is a tonne of information on background detail, including sets. There is also fascinating information on how design in films occurs; the substantial influence of leftover Letraset sheets was really striking (CLN as a giveaway!). I thought the insight - or “rules” - on how to convey information and realism without distracting viewers was really interesting, with so much hidden thought in it.
Beautiful and fascinating.
May 16, 2024
This book is the most fun I've ever had reading about visual layout. Dave Addey's eagle-eyed observances and crisp, funny delivery pair well with his thoughtful summaries and philosophies of the films. In fact, he lifts up intriguing concepts and design elements in movies I've watched a half dozen times that I never would have noticed, so well are they woven into the fabric of the storytelling.
Some of his enthusiasm for the future of tech in 2017 gets a bit dented from the lofty perch of 2024 (still waiting on those self-driving cars, sad to say), though he does point out that it appears that Elon Musk's ideal world is basically all of the 1990 version of "Total Recall". Driverless vehicles! Colonizing Mars! Tech that gaslights and exploits humans! Unbridled corporatocracy bordering on fascism! It all fits!
Oddly, though it is a large book with plenty of tidy, clear imagery from the films, the font used to describe those photos was tiny. Pack your readers for this one. Still, even that won't shave off a star of my rating. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am inspired to re-watch all the movies because of it.
Some of his enthusiasm for the future of tech in 2017 gets a bit dented from the lofty perch of 2024 (still waiting on those self-driving cars, sad to say), though he does point out that it appears that Elon Musk's ideal world is basically all of the 1990 version of "Total Recall". Driverless vehicles! Colonizing Mars! Tech that gaslights and exploits humans! Unbridled corporatocracy bordering on fascism! It all fits!
Oddly, though it is a large book with plenty of tidy, clear imagery from the films, the font used to describe those photos was tiny. Pack your readers for this one. Still, even that won't shave off a star of my rating. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am inspired to re-watch all the movies because of it.
February 18, 2020
An excellent addition to the library of any font nerd, but also of interest to sci-fi production aficionados. Includes a wealth of non-font related detail on scenery, references, and production choices on a variety of cinematic science fiction classics. The book design is also great, balancing the need to showcase a ton of different fonts and typography reference material on each page with a ton of gorgeous set reference photographs. Recommended for novices attempting their own futuristic cinematography projects as well as cosplayers and other such makers who would benefit from knowing which typefaces to use for what effect.
November 9, 2019
Review originally published on November 8, 2019, at BORG.com.
Typeset in the Future reveals how classic sci-fi cinema conveyed the future via stylized fonts
Review by C.J. Bunce
Typeset in the Future reveals how classic sci-fi cinema conveyed the future via stylized fonts
Review by C.J. Bunce
June 18, 2020
This was all the kinds of geek I love: design, typography, sci-fi and wit. I was surprised a little that there was also in depth interviews. I liked the Verhoven interview as it covered some of the fascist movements currently happening. I also liked the Wall-e interview that had a good segment nailing that dreamers in sci-fi died around 1972 and it went from what could be possible to "clip art" of what can be done. Those were moving comments for me.
July 10, 2022
Great book if you love typography and graphic design, and sci-fi movies. Dave Addy did a great job breaking down and analyzing the use of type and design elements in several classic and modern movies. I really enjoyed this book, between the huge amount of information, history and humor. I also found a lot of inspiration in the works and interviews with artists, designers and crew of some of these movies.
January 13, 2019
While at first appearing to only appeal to a niche inside a niche, the clever style and thoughtful analysis in this book will appeal to fans of classic film and science fiction in general. If you happen to be a design nerd, so much the better!
January 1, 2019
Fascinating and detailed analysis of (not only font) design in science fiction movies. Beautifully produced. A must-read for geeks!
March 3, 2019
This is the first design book to ever make me laugh out loud.
February 8, 2020
Wonderful book!
April 21, 2020
This was an unexpected delight. Type, design, telling sci-fi stories. Pure yum.
March 26, 2021
Absolutely loved this book !
Sci-fi, design, typography, what's not to like ?
Sci-fi, design, typography, what's not to like ?
August 5, 2021
Kindle version. Ironically, the type was so tiny that the text was illegible. "Disappointed" doesn't begin to cover it.
March 12, 2022
The best kind of book.
November 12, 2025
Freaking great, where else could you read about connection between Alien and Helena Blavatskaya.
January 16, 2023
4.75/5
Extremely well written and insightful. Interesting to folks who would have interest.
My only issue is it sometimes felt vaguely incoherent from beginning to end, not having a solid throughline or proper focus on text or visuals or production design, rather opting for various examples of all three with minimal solid connection.
Great read overall.
Extremely well written and insightful. Interesting to folks who would have interest.
My only issue is it sometimes felt vaguely incoherent from beginning to end, not having a solid throughline or proper focus on text or visuals or production design, rather opting for various examples of all three with minimal solid connection.
Great read overall.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews