It was recently announced that Jared Leto and his production company, Paradox, have teamed up with Omni to produce new original content. For those who aren't aware, Omni was a science and science fiction magazine that was published in the US and the UK. It was published as a print version between 1978 and 1995 and then shifted to a purely online version for about a year before shutting down. It has now been rebooted at Omni.media where users can now generate their own content. It's always risky when dealing with something as iconic and beloved as Omni. Not only has Omni been around for almost 40 years, it has featured iconic writers such as George R.R. Martin, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King. Omni is now thriving once again so producing original content under its name is risking the reputation that Omni has spent decades building.

So the big question is, who do you trust with the Omni name? Jared Leto has taken on this role and in my opinion, he is the perfect fit. Leto is an admitted fan of Omni and said the magazine exposed him to the world of science fiction as a child.

That being said, just being a fan of the magazine is not enough. In order to bring these ideas to life, Leto must be immersed in the world of science and science fiction. If you look at the work Leto has done in the past you see why he's a great choice. There are two Leto movies that in my opinion perfectly reflect Omni's style. The first film is called Mr. Nobody. Mr. Nobody is about a man named Nemo Nobody (played by Leto), the last mortal man on Earth. The film takes place in 2092 where humanity is now immortal and everyone is watching and waiting for the last mortal man to die. Nemo then tells the story of his life at three critical junctures but repeatedly contradicts himself. Nemo explains that before birth, children remember everything that will happen in their lives. Once they are conceived, the Angels of Oblivion erase their memory. However, the Angels forget about Nemo so he can "remember" the different possible futures for himself. I won't ruin the ending but it is definitely worth the watch.

The second movie is Blade Runner. Blade Runner takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles. It follows Rick Deckard, an ex-cop, who is a "Blade Runner". Blade runners are people assigned to assassinate "replicants." Replicants are androids that look like real human beings. Rick is called out of retirement to hunt down these replicants. A sequel to Blade Runner was announced, titled Blade Runner 2049. Blade Runner 2049 is about a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), who discovers a dark secret that might bring an end to humanity. K's discovery leads him to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford is reprising his role), a former blade runner who disappeared thirty years ago. Jared Leto is playing the character of Wallace, a replicant manufacture.

Both Mr. Nobody and Blade Runner 2049 are the culmination of what Omni is all about. Sometimes it's simply about imagining a future where androids exist and how cool it would be to see someone try to hunt them down. Other times it's about complex storytelling, a man who knows the different timelines of his life and how each critical juncture changed the course of his life. This concept of Angel of Oblivion isn't completely unfounded. In Judaism, it is believed by many that before we were born, when we were in the womb, God dispatched a personal angel to each soul in utero, who sits beside them, and actually teaches them all the wisdom they will ever need to know on this planet. Just before the baby is born, the angel gives them a little "tap" between the nose and the upper lip and everything he taught is immediately forgotten. That is how all human beings receive that small indentation in the skin beneath their noses, known as the "philtrum." Mr. Nobody is a film that makes you think about those critical moments in your life and how every choice can alter the future.

This is what Omni is all about, exploring all aspects of science and science fiction and figuring out what we can learn from those stories.

While all this is important to contributing to the growth of Omni, we still haven't mentioned the single most important part of the science fiction community: passion. No matter how much knowledge or experience you have, you need to throw yourself completely into your work in the world of science fiction. This is where Leto separates himself from everyone else. Yes, he has the experience and the knowledge, but most importantly he has the passion. Leto is famous for throwing himself into roles. This is the guy who sent his coworkers used condoms when he played the Joker. He gave up sex, lost 25 lbs and slept outside for two weeks for Requiem for a Dream. Leto throws himself into everything he does, that's why he's the perfect choice to take Omni to the next level.