The Electric Statefinally has some first-look images, teasing the Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt sci-fi. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the upcoming film serves as an adaptation of the book by Simon Stålenhag, which follows an orphaned young woman as she sets out across futuristic American West with a kind robot and an eccentric drifter to find her lost brother. In addition to Brown and Pratt,The Electric State’s castincludes actors Ke Huy Quan and Stanley Tucci, with Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, Billy Bob Thornton, Brian Cox, Anthony Mackie, and Jason Alexander in voice-only roles.
Now,Vanity Fairreleases the first images fromThe Electric State, teasing the robot-heavy, post-apocalyptic setting that the story takes place in. The images suggest that various robots will play a prominent role in the movie, both as allies and enemies. As for the human characters, Pratt is sporting longer hair and a handlebar mustache, which is quite a departure from his previous movie looks. The article also confirms thatThe Electric Statewill be released on Netflix in early 2025. Check out the new images below:
TheVanity Fairarticle also provides some important backstory regarding how this robot apocalypse came about, revealing thatWalt Disney’s early animatronics served as the jumping off point for highly intelligent AI beings. These robots then revolted against their creators decades later. The fact that the robots started off as friends to humanity is why each sports a generally friendly appearance, as Joe Russo explains:
“These robots had the most benign appearance possible, and they end up feeling that they’re being mistreated and have a desire to be treated as equals with humans, which leads to a war. And now you have this strange dichotomy playing out where these very pleasing and palatable service bots are now trying to kill you.”
The film also features a band of robot exiles led by Mr. Peanut, the Planters mascot, with Woody Harrelson providing the robot’s voice. These robots have very real emotions and feelings, and are determined to be acknowledged as individuals with free will and their own rights. According to Anthony, the Mr. Peanut character has “a folksy vibe off of Jimmy Carter.”
In a separate interview withJonatan Blomberg from MovieZine, Anthony Russo addressed the film’s current post-production status and confirmed the expected streaming debut window:
“We’re all very proud of the movie. We’re just finishing it up now. We’ve got another maybe month and a half of work on it or so, and we’re very excited to bring it to audiences early next year.”
What The Electric State’s New Images Reveal About The Movie
The Russo Brothers' Film Is A Massive Undertaking
Afterdirecting four movies in the MCU, includingAvengers: Infinity War(2018) andAvengers: Endgame(2019), the Russo brothers clearly have a lot of experience with VFX-heavy blockbuster productions.The Electric Stateseems to be no different, as the images reveal thatthe movie will rely very heavily on CGI in order to build its world and bring its robotic characters to life. In addition to the impressive cast, the extensive use of VFX and CGI is likely why the film carries a reported price tag of $300 million.
Millie Bobby Brown’s Next Movie Is A $300M Sci-Fi With Chris Pratt From Endgame’s Directors & It Needs To Be A Hit
Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt are set to star in an exciting new $300 million Sci-fi, and the project has a lot of pressure to perform.
Brown is playing the lead role of Michelle in the film, with Pratt playing Keats, the drifter. Esposito, as he has done inBreaking BadandThe Mandalorian, plays a villainous role inThe Electric State, as one of the images above suggests, but he will also be providing the voice of Marshall, a powerful robot hunting Michelle and Keats down. The images also provide a first look at Quan, who rocketed to global fame with his award-winning role inEverything Everywhere All At Once, as Amherst, a kindly doctor Michelle and Keats encounter.
The Electric Statemarks the latest Netflix project for Brown after the likes ofStranger Things, twoEnola Holmesmovies, and thedivisiveDamsel(2024).Damselcurrently ranks as the eighth most popular Netflix movie of all time.
Our Take On The Electric State’s New Images
Will The Russos Get Stålenhag’s Story Right?
The Russo brothers' work outside of the MCU, which includesCherry(2021), andThe Gray Man(2022), has been met with mostly mixed reviews, meaningThe Electric Statehas an opportunity to break this trend.The world of Stålenhag’s novel was a major part of its appeal, proving haunting at timesas these friendly-looking, decaying robots moved about the world. The images do capture some of this feeling, but they also feature that desaturated, somewhat flat look that has proven divisive in past Russo films.
Themes regarding the dangers of consumerism and the over-reliance on technology are present in Stålenhag’s story as well, and capturing these, as well as the emotional core of Michelle’s quest, will be crucial toThe Electric State’s success. With a release set for early next year, a trailer for the film likely isn’t too far off.
The Electric State
Cast
Michelle, an orphan in a robot-filled alternate 1990s, discovers her brother may still be alive after a mysterious robot visit. Teaming up with a smuggler and his sidekick, she ventures into the Exclusion Zone, only to uncover sinister forces behind her brother’s fate.
