The Fifth Element is a 1997 science fantasy, action, comedy, techno thriller film, written and directed by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Ian Holm, and Chris Tucker. The production design for the film was developed by French comics creators Jean Giraud (Moebius) and Jean-Claude Mézières and shows a strong influence of French comic storytelling and aesthetic style . The costume design was created by French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who produced 954 costumes for use in the film.

The film's central plot involves the survival of humanity, which becomes the duty of a taxicab driver named Korben Dallas (Willis) when a young woman named Leeloo (Jovovich) falls into his taxicab. She is the Fifth Element, whose appearance was prophesied by the Father Vito Cornelius (Holm). Korben's mission is to gather the other four elements before a black planet that represents pure evil collides with Earth. Mangalores, slow-witted, shape-shifting warrior mercenary aliens hired by corporate tyrant Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Oldman), are given the task to thwart Korben's efforts.

Although written and performed in American English and set in a futuristic New York City, the film was a British/French co-production. Most of the principal photography was filmed at Pinewood Studios in England, while some scenes were shot on location in Mauritania. The concert scenes were filmed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, except for the special effect shots that show the Planet Fhloston through the ship's portholes. The Fifth Element was shot in Super 35 mm film format; many scenes contain visual effects, and nearly all of visual effects scenes are hard-matted.

Two hundred and fifty years in the future, life as we know it is threatened by the arrival of Evil. Only the fifth element can stop the Evil from extinguishing life, as it tries to do every five thousand years. She is helped by ex-soldier, current-cab-driver, Korben Dallas, who is, in turn, helped by Prince/Arsenio clone, Ruby Rhod. Unfortunately, Evil is being assisted by Mr. Zorg, who seeks to profit from the chaos that Evil will bring, and his alien mercenaries. Written by David J. Gannon