When Two Worlds Collide (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Discovery of the Rogue Planets

Swedish astronomer Sven Bronson, working at an observatory in South Africa, discovers a pair of rogue planets entering the Solar System. The planets are named Bronson Alpha and Bronson Beta after their discoverer.

Where

South Africa

Earth's Doom Is Predicted

Calculations reveal that in eight months the planets will pass close enough for gravitational forces to cause catastrophic damage to Earth. Sixteen months after that, Bronson Alpha will return to pulverize the Earth, while Bronson Beta may remain and assume a stable orbit.

When

Eight months before the first approach

Hendron's Rocket Project Begins

American astrophysicist Cole Hendron recruits men and women to work desperately on building an atomic rocket. The goal is to transport enough people, animals, and equipment to Bronson Beta to stave off extinction. Other countries undertake similar efforts.

A Divine Second Chance

Eve Hendron, Cole's assistant and daughter, becomes convinced that God has provided Bronson Beta to give humanity a second chance. She draws a parallel to Noah, believing history is repeating itself as providence rather than punishment.

Coastal Evacuations

Coastal regions are evacuated in preparation for the first encounter with the passing planets. Humanity braces itself for the gravitational catastrophe that is about to strike.

Where

Coastal regions

Cities Spotted on Bronson Beta

As the planets approach, telescopes reveal cities on Bronson Beta, confirming it is Earth-like and potentially habitable. This discovery strengthens the resolve of those racing to complete their rockets.

The First Pass Devastates Earth

Tidal waves sweep inland at a height of 750 feet, while volcanic eruptions and earthquakes add to the deadly toll. The weather runs wild for more than two days as the planets pass close to Earth.

When

Eight months after the discovery

Where

Earth

The Moon Is Destroyed

Bronson Alpha grazes and destroys the Moon as it swings past the Earth. The loss of the Moon adds further chaos to an already devastated planet.

Reconnaissance Flight Across America

Three men receive permission from Hendron to take a floatplane and check out conditions across the United States. During their journey, they meet with the President in Hutchinson, Kansas, which has become the temporary capital of the country.

When

After the first pass

Where

Hutchinson, Kansas

The Heat-Resistant Metal

At their last stop, the three men are wounded fighting off a mob, but they manage to return with a precious sample of an extremely heat-resistant metal. The sample solves the last remaining engineering obstacle, as no material had previously been found that could make rocket tubes withstand the heat of the atomic exhaust for very long.

Mob Attack on the Camp

Five months before the end, desperate mobs attack the camp, killing over half of Hendron's people. When the survivors can no longer hold their position, they retreat to the rocket as ordered by Hendron.

When

Five months before the end

Escape by Rocket Exhaust

The survivors take off in the rocket, hover above the ground, and blast the attacking enemy with their deadly exhaust. This fiery escape clears the way for the completion of their voyage.

A Second, Larger Ship

Using the rocket tube breakthrough, they are able to build a second, larger ship capable of carrying everyone left alive. This replaced the earlier plan to take only 100 of the roughly thousand people Hendron had recruited.

Launch of the Ships

The two American ships take off, but lose contact with each other during the flight. Other ships are seen launching from Europe, but the French ship's tubes melt, causing it to crash.

Landing on Bronson Beta

The original American ship lands successfully on Bronson Beta, though it is unknown whether anyone else made it. The survivors find that the planet is habitable and discover a road, evidence of a past civilization on their new world.

When

Sixteen months after the first pass

Where

Bronson Beta