When Deep Impact was released, May 8, 1998, much was made of the fact that it was directed by a woman, Mimi Leder.
Women directors were not expect to helm sci-fi-actioners (in this case disaster movies, produced on a huge budget ($80 million), and including many special effects.
Written by Oscar winning scribe Bruce Joel Rubin and Michael Tolkin, the tale depicts the attempts to prepare for and destroy a 7-mile wide comet set to collide with Earth and cause a mass extinction.
Headed by Tea Leoni, the impressive ensemble includes Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Vanessa redgrave, Morgan Freeman, and Maximilian Schell.
Executive produced by Spielberg, it was released by Paramount domestically and by DreamWorks internationally.
Deep Impact was released in the same summer as a similarly themed film, Armageddon, which fared better at the box office.
Deep Impact, which was the final film by cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann, grossed over $349 million worldwide, despite negative reviews.