The lineage of this story is a rabbit hole of adaptation. While the 1965–1968 CBS series is the primary source, it was essentially a “cover version” of Gold Key Comics’ Space Family Robinson, which itself was a futuristic riff on the 1812 novel The Swiss Family Robinson. By the time director Stephen Hopkins (Predator 2) got his hands on it, the property was ready for a heavy dose of 90s techno-futurism.

By 2058 — and this movie is optimsitic — Earth is too polluted to live on. The United Global Space Force sends Professor John Robinson (William Hurt), wife Maureen (Mimi Rogers) and children Judy (Heather Graham), Penny (Lacey Chabert) and Will (Jack Johnson) on the spaceship Jupiter II with the mission of completing the hypergate launch to Alpha Prime, a planet that humans can live on. Flying them there will be Major Don West (Matt LeBlanc).

Unknown to them, the mutant terrorist group Global Sedition has already killed their original pilot and co-opted their ship’s doctor, Doctor Zachary Smith (Gary Oldman). Before long, they get trapped in a time vortex with future versions of everyone, including a spider version of Smith. Maybe Professor Robinson shouldn’t have ignroed all of Will’s time travel theories.

Original cast members Mark Goddard, June Lockhart, Marta Kristen and Angela Cartwright are welcome visions. And, of course, Dick Tufeld is the voice of the Robot. Bill Mumy (the original Will Robinson) actually had a script for a sequel movie ready to go, but when he was offered a cameo as an older Will, the production felt it would be “too distracting.” Meanwhile, Jonathan Harris gave the ultimate legendary response to a bit-part offer. As he told TV Guide, “I will have you know I have never done a walk-on or bit part in my life! And I do not intend to start. Either I play Doctor Smith or I do not play.”

Despite bad reviews, this was the movie that took Titanic out of the #1 spot.

The Arrow Video release of this film has a 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Stephen Hopkins, two archival commentaries (director Stephen Hopkins and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman; visual effects supervisors Angus Bickerton and Lauren Ritchie, director of photography Peter Levy, editor Ray Lovejoy and producer Carla Fry); new interviews with Hopkins, Levy, Goldsman, supervising art director Keith Pai, Kenny Wilson, sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue; a new video essay by film critic Matt Donato; deleted scenes; archival features; a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series and bloopers. It has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by critic Neil Sinyard, articles from American Cinematographer and an excerpt from the original production notes. You can get it from MVD.