Directed by Scott Derrickson from a screenplay by David Scarpa, it stars Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, an alien sent to try to change human behavior in an effort to save Earth from environmental degradation; this version replaces the Cold War–era theme of potential nuclear warfare with the contemporary issue of negative human impact on the environment.

In the present day, a rapidly moving object is detected beyond Jupiter's orbit and forecast to impact and destroy all life on Earth.

The U.S. government hastily assembles a group of scientists, including Helen Benson and her friend Michael Granier, to develop a survival plan.

Klaatu informs Secretary of Defense Regina Jackson that he is a representative from a group of planetary civilizations, sent to talk to the leaders of Earth about saving the planet from ecocide.

[5][6] When Jackson instead sends him to be interrogated, Klaatu escapes and reconnects with Helen and her stepson, Jacob, telling them that he must finish his mission to "save the Earth".

Hoping to persuade Klaatu to change his mind about humanity, Helen takes him to Professor Barnhardt, a Nobel Prize winner.

While the military is examining GORT, the robot transforms into a swarm of winged insect-like nano-machines that self-replicate as they consume every man-made object in their path.

Stoff was at an office at the studio when he saw a poster for the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still, which made him ponder a remake with Reeves as Klaatu.

[17] By the time David Scarpa started writing a draft of the script in 2005,[18] Thomas Rothman was in charge of Fox and felt a responsibility to remake the film.

[21] He also explained that The Day the Earth Stood Still is not a widely seen classic film, unlike The Wizard of Oz (1939), which he would not bother remaking.

[24] Astronomer Seth Shostak served as scientific consultant on the film, reviewed the script several times for errors, gave suggestions for making the scientists appear less dry, and noted that they would refer to one another on a first-name basis.

[25] As Fox had a mandate to become a carbon neutral company by 2011, The Day the Earth Stood Still's production had an environmentally friendly regimen.

[17] To save paper, concept art, location stills and costume tests were posted on a website created by the production for crew members to reference.

The machines of Klaatu's people have a biological basis rather than a mechanical one, as Derrickson theorized that their mastery of ecology would demonstrate their level of sophistication.

[23] The director also noted that the original The Day the Earth Stood Still had influenced many films, so his technicians needed to bring new ideas to the remake.

The script specified the inside of the orbs as a "white limbo-y thing", but visual effects consultant Jeff Okun explained this was considered too "cheesy".

The visual-effects team looked at natural objects, including water droplets and the surfaces of Jupiter and Saturn for the spheres' texture.

The filmmakers conceived the transitional form, because they pondered the idea of humans mistaking space suits for alien skin.

[19] Gort's computer model was programmed to reflect light, and the filmmakers spent time on motion-capture sessions to guide the performance.

[19] His destructive capabilities were based on locust swarms, although the idea of metal-eating insects goes back to Stephen Vincent Benét's 1933 poem "Metropolitan Nightmare".

[18] The Day the Earth Stood Still: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was conducted and orchestrated by Timothy Williams.

Instead of imitating the original score by Bernard Herrmann, Bates decided to try to convey the new film's updated message,[citation needed] assuming that many people would not even realize it was a remake.

[32] A short segment from Bach's Goldberg Variations, not included in the film's soundtrack release, is also heard in the background of the Professor's home when Klaatu visits him.

Bonus features include commentary with Scarpa along with a picture-in-picture showing the visual effects footage, concept art, and photos.

The website's critics consensus reads: "Heavy on special effects, but without a coherent story at its base, The Day the Earth Stood Still is subpar re-imagining of the 1951 science-fiction classic".

"[43] A. O. Scott of the New York Times was not impressed with Reeves' performance, commenting, "Even Klaatu looks bored and distracted, much as he did back when we knew him as Neo.

"[44] William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer gave the film a B minus and wrote, "It's a decent enough stab at being what the old movie was to its time, following the same basic plot, full of respectful references to its model, updated with a gallery of fairly imaginative special effects.