Hollywood often takes a creative licence with the laws of physics. Clearly, there is more to good storytelling than obsessing about accurate science, and part of the fun of going to the cinema is suspending disbelief for a couple of hours. But to create extraordinary – yet believable – worlds on screen, physicists can help filmmakers in a number of ways. Watch this short video to find out how.

‘Physics at the movies’ is the theme of the November special issue of Physics World. The star-studded issue includes exclusive interviews with actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Radcliffe, who discuss what it’s like to play famous scientists and to work with visual effects teams. Elsewhere in the issue, you can find out about the role of science advisers in Hollywood, how physics is increasingly being hard-wired into computer-generated imagery (CGI), and much more.

Find the full run-down of the November special issue and how you can access it, in this article by Physics World editor Matin Durrani.