Prepare yourself for an exhilarating journey through the retrofuturistic 1990s, replete with oversized VR headsets, robots inspired by cartoons, and an abundance of nostalgia. Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for “The Electric State,” the highly anticipated post-apocalyptic sci-fi film from directors Anthony and Joe Russo.
Adapted from Simon Stålenhag’s acclaimed graphic novel, the movie stars Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle, an orphaned teenager who embarks on a cross-country journey across the American West, accompanied by a mysterious robot named Cosmo and an eccentric smuggler, Keats, played by Chris Pratt.
The trailer offers a tantalizing glimpse into this strange new world, where sentient robots that resemble carnival mascots and Disney animatronics have risen up and now live in exile after a failed uprising against humanity. It’s a world that blends the retro aesthetic of the 1990s with cutting-edge technology, resulting in a delightfully goofy yet undeniably compelling visual style.
“Imagine a scenario where, in the late ’50s, Disney animatronics became sentient and then started demanding equal rights,” Joe Russo explained during a panel at New York Comic Con in the 1990s. That’s where the war begins. The movie selectively highlights the ’90s to bolster the narrative and reinforce the overall theme.
Having directed several Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbusters, the Russo brothers, seasoned directors of big-budget superhero epics, are bringing the same sense of scale and spectacle to “The Electric State.” And they’ve assembled an impressive cast to bring this vision to life, with Pratt, Brown, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Norman, Giancarlo Esposito, and Stanley Tucci all joining the ensemble.
“We are big fans of ensemble storytelling,” Anthony Russo said. “You can see it in all of our work: our smaller movies, our bigger movies, our television work. We believe this is a result of our upbringing in a large Italian American family, where large groups of people frequently gathered in small rooms and engaged in loud conversation.
The film’s narrative, which follows Michelle’s search for her missing younger brother with the help of a motley crew of outcasts and dropouts who have all, in their own ways, chosen to leave the technologically advanced society, undoubtedly reflects this sense of family and community.
“What’s interesting about all the lead characters in the movie is that they’re all running from trauma,” according to Joe Russo. “They’re all dropouts in their own way. Despite the pervasiveness of technology in the movie, none of them chose to participate in it, instead finding their own ways to escape it.
For Pratt, the opportunity to work with the Russo brothers again (he previously collaborated with them on the “Avengers” films) was too desirable to pass up, even if it meant putting his planned break from acting on hold.
“It’s not a typical blockbuster-style movie.” It’s so original, and it’s a huge swing,” Pratt said. “I thought that these types of movies might be my last opportunity to be in a big movie like this. I must approach every opportunity with a critical eye. And I did. It’s just such a wonderful story. I was moved to tears reading.”
Meanwhile, Brown, who is no stranger to high-profile sci-fi projects, thanks to her breakout role in “Stranger Things,” was eager to dive into the challenge of playing a more “angsty teen” character.
“As an actor, it challenged me… The Russos did such a beautiful job in directing my trajectory,” Brown said. “I kept going back to the Russos and asking, ‘How do you want me to play this and that?’ We really found it together.”
With its blend of nostalgia, cutting-edge technology, and a stacked ensemble cast, “The Electric State” promises to be a thrilling and visually stunning addition to the growing canon of post-apocalyptic science fiction stories. And for the Russo brothers, it represents a chance to once again showcase their talent for crafting ambitious, genre-defying narratives that captivate and surprise audiences.
“It’s a real passion project. We’re very, very excited to bring it to audiences. It’s massive in scale. We love telling enormous stories,” Joe Russo said. The trailer suggests that you shouldn’t miss this retro-futuristic adventure.