When Worlds Collide

Opening narration shows quotes from the Book of Genesis, framing humanity on the brink of extinction. The prologue sets a cosmic-scale threat that will drive the plot. It establishes a tone of doom and the desperate measures people will consider to survive.

Pilot David Randall transports top-secret photographs from Dr. Emery Bronson to Dr. Cole Hendron in the United States. Hendron and his daughter Joyce confirm Bronson's discovery: a rogue star named Bellus and an Earth-like planet Zyra are on a collision course with Earth. The revelation kicks off the countdown to doomsday.

Hendron warns the United Nations that Earth has less than eight months to survive, first from Zyra's approach and then from Bellus. He pleads for ark construction as a slim hope for a chosen few. Other scientists scoff at his predictions.

Two wealthy philanthropists begin funding the ark project and lease a former Army proving ground for construction. Hendron meets with Sidney Stanton, who insists on selecting the passengers in exchange for money, but Hendron refuses to decide who will live or die. Stanton concedes to buy seats, starting an international race to build arks.

Joyce Hendron confesses her attraction to Randall, pulling him into the project and away from his on-and-off relationship with Dr. Tony Drake. Hendron keeps Randall around to protect Joyce, much to Drake's annoyance. The personal dynamics hint that love and loyalty will complicate the mission.

As Zyra nears, the planet's approach unleashes massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis that devastate coastlines around the globe. In the chaos, Bronson is killed when a crane collapses during the disaster. The world races to evacuate and prepare for the impending catastrophe.

Drake and Randall fly by helicopter to deliver supplies to distressed communities. Randall risks his life to rescue a stranded boy on a flooded rooftop; Drake initially departs with the boy and later returns after reconsideration. Their actions underscore the human impulse to help even as time runs out.

As the liftoff window closes, a lottery determines most passengers, while Hendron reserves seats for himself, Stanton, Joyce, Drake, pilot Frey, Randall, and the rescued boy, totaling 45. Randall initially rejects a guaranteed seat, pretending to draw a lottery number to mask reality. Hendron suspects the truth but maintains the ruse to preserve the mission.

Stanton grows paranoid about the losers' potential uprisings and stockpiles weapons. Ferris, Stanton's assistant, tries to claim a winning number at gunpoint but is shot dead by Stanton. Hendron adds a young woman to the passenger list, arranging that the chosen women board the ark first while the men wait outside.

Drake warns Randall that Frey has a heart condition that may kill him during liftoff, convincing Randall he is needed as co-pilot. The launch proceeds prematurely to conserve fuel, and the crew are knocked unconscious by the g-force. When Randall regains consciousness, he discovers Frey is piloting the ship and realizes Drake had deceived him about Frey’s condition.

The ark enters Zyra's atmosphere and, with fuel exhausted, Randall takes control to land on the snow. The planet proves habitable enough for survivors to endure, offering a chance to rebuild. The group begins to emerge onto Zyra's surface as the new era dawns.

Joyce and Randall walk hand-in-hand down the ramp with the other survivors as a new day dawns. In the background, an artificial structure hints at humanity's attempts to rebuild on this alien world. The scene closes on a hopeful, precarious future for the salvaged group.