In 1994 there came a movie starring the likes of James Spader, and Kurt Russel. Written by Dean Devlin and directed by Roland Emmerich, Stargate was about an Egyptologist (Spader) who is hired to decipher a set of symbols found on an ancient artifact. Spader comes to realize that these weird symbols are constellations which when identified in the correct sequence will define a specific point in space. This will allow the ability to travel within space. The plot of the movie is to use this interstellar transit device to perform recon on a distant world; Abydos. Based on the information gathered on the far end, they were to make a determination to protect Earth in the best way possible.

While exploring the new world, they encounter a civilization descending from ancient Egyptians, who are enslaved by an alien who poses as the Egyptian God Ra. Kurt Russel’s team of explorers forms an alliance with this civilization to destroy the alien and rid the land of a false God.

The movie did well worldwide totaling over 190 million dollars at the box office, and 16 million its opening weekend. Since this movie, there have been several spin-offs for television.