When Does "The Fifth Element" (1997) Take Place?

"The Fifth Element" is a science fiction film written by Luc Besson with Robert Mark Kamen that released May 8th, 1997. So when is "The Fifth Element" set? 


It takes place in the year: 

2263 AD 

We know this because in an early scene of the main action, the alarm clock in Korben Dallas's apartment reads "02:00AM:T  18:MARCH:2263". So presumably it is March of 2263 AD. 

(HOWEVER, during the 1963 AD/1914 AD prologue, one unnamed Mondoshawan says, "In 300 years, when evil returns, so shall we." and Father Vito Cornelius says, "300 years of waiting... for nothing." strongly implying the time between the prologue and the main action is exactly 300 years. A relative time setting title card that ends the prologue reading "300 YEARS LATER" essentially confirms this and the main action would be in 2214 AD. 

1,914 + 300 = 2,214. 

Presumably, this is a production mistake or they are both rounding down from 349 years.) 

Additionally, there is a prologue and, if the Mondoshawan and Cornelius aren't rounding down or speaking in a quick shorthand and it is literally exactly 300 years, it is 1963 AD at this point. 

2,263 - 300 = 1,963. 

HOWEVER, the prologue that is labeled with a time and place setting subtitle reading "Egypt 1914". So the prologue might take place in 1914 AD. 

It was adapted to prose in late 1997, as a video game in 1998, as well as another video game in 1999. 

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