When most people think of science fiction, their thoughts go to laser-fueled space wars or apocalyptic futures full of cyborgs with names like “Murderbot 5000.” Writer and director Richard Kelly (“Donnie Darko”), however, pushes the boundaries of the genre with complex films like sci-fi thriller “The Box,” which draws more inspiration from the family across the street than outer space.

“This film feels more like a drama than science fiction,” actor James Marsden (“27 Dresses”) said in a conference call with the Wheel. “These are very human characters who are surrounded by supernatural elements.”

“The Box” isn’t Kelly’s first foray into drama-influenced science fiction. Kelly’s feature-length directorial debut, 2001’s “Donnie Darko,” became an instant cult classic.

“I was a huge fan of ‘Donnie Darko,’” Cameron Diaz said during the call. “Science fiction seems to be Richard’s natural source of inspiration and it was fun to watch him create that world.”

In “The Box,” that world is eerily familiar. The film follows a cash-strapped married couple, played by Diaz and Marsden, who are given a button that will simultaneously give them a million dollars and kill someone they don’t know whenever it’s pressed.

“This film puts the nuclear family that’s living slightly above their means in the crosshairs,” Kelly said during the call. He added that the current economic crisis makes this story all the more resonate.

Despite the film’s timely message, “The Box” takes place during a different economic crisis, one that took place in the 1970s.

“It was necessary to set it in the ’70s,” Kelly said. “The idea of someone you don’t know giving you a life-changing chance is an old-fashioned concept that wouldn’t resonate if the couple spent half the film looking up information about the button on Google.”

Ironically, the film has its roots in that decade as well. Kelly adapted “The Box” from science-fiction writer Richard Matheson’s 1970 short story “Button, Button.” Matheson was also the man behind the seminal sci-fi novel I Am Legend.

“The short story left a strong footprint on me,” Kelly said. “It was a great set-up for act one of a film, and brought up such amazing questions for acts two and three.”

“The Box” isn’t the first on-screen adaptation of “Button, Button.” An episode of “The Twilight Zone” adapted the same story for the small screen in the 1980s, but most of the cast avoided watching it.

“I didn’t read the short story or watch the adaptation because I wanted to focus more on our own script,” Diaz said.

Setting the film in the ’70s had its advantages. Kelly was able to use the iconic music of that era, from artists as varied as the Grateful Dead and Wilson Pickett, to help ground the film in reality.

“We were very specific about trying to pick iconic songs that had Southern believability, since the film takes place in Virginia,” Kelly said.

One song in particular, Derek and the Dominos’ “Bell Bottom Blues,” became the background to the film’s emotional crux after Kelly had a chance encounter with the track during filming.

“I heard it driving to the set, and called Cameron to tell her to download this song and memorize the lyrics immediately,” Kelly said.

While Kelly used music to help set the film’s somber tone, the cast was challenged by the level of darkness their roles required.

“You try to understand how these characters are going through this existential quandary, but you’re only working with your own toolbox,” Diaz said.

“After ‘The Box,’ I will be looking for something light and fluffy ... something fun,” Marsden added.

Ultimately, the philosophical complexities that lie inside “The Box” act as a reminder of all that science fiction as a genre is capable of, and help set the film apart from the alien-filled epics that will soon dominate the box office.

“I just love the liberties that science fiction can take,” Diaz said. “I love exploring these questions through science fiction.”

— Contact Tim Webber.