The Electric State Cast, Plot, Directors And More Details
"The Electric State" has a lot going for it, with enough selling points and touchstones to make it one of the most anticipated science fiction films of the next few years. For example, the Netflix original boasts an impressive pedigree behind and in front of the camera. The next flashy, big-budget, crowd-pleaser from Marvel Cinematic Universe stalwarts Joe and Anthony Russo ("Avengers: Infinity War," "Captain America: Civil War"), "The Electric State" features popular actors like Millie Bobby Brown of "Stranger Things," Chris Pratt of "Guardians of the Galaxy," and a supporting cast of robots both charming and frightening and imbued with familiar voices.
Of course, drones, droids, and mechs are just one part of a complex and compelling plot that also includes alternate history and a dystopian United States. Long in the works, "The Electric State" is slated to hit Netflix soon. Here's everything we know so far about the long-awaited and highly-intriguing small-screen blockbuster-to-be.
When will The Electric State be released?
"The Electric State" has been in the works for more than half a decade, at least in theory. In late 2017, Russo Brothers Studio beat out four other companies to become the highest bidder for the film rights to the graphic novel of the same name, by Simon Stålenhag. At the time, Joe and Anthony Russo opted to produce the movie adaptation and cede directing duties to Andy Muschietti, who'd just helmed the blockbuster film version of Stephen King's "It."
However, that arrangement fell through, and development on "The Electric State" languished for years as the Russos pursued other projects until Netflix agreed in June 2022 to become the film's primary distributor. Filming on the long-delayed project got underway in the Atlanta, Georgia, area in October 2022, with principal photography reportedly finished by February 2023. That should set up "The Electric State" for its straight-to-Netflix release sometime in 2024, assuming the now-concluded SAG-AFTRA strike didn't pause any necessary reshoots or post-filming voice work.
What is the plot of The Electric State?
There wasn't much plot to work from in the graphic novel version of "The Electric State," a Kickstarter art book project by Swedish illustrator Simon Stålenhag. So filmmakers interpreted the images and built up an expansive, dystopian saga.
In the movie version, the story concerns a teenage girl named Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), who's left alone after the deaths of her parents and the disappearance of her younger brother in an alternate version of a mid-1990s United States. It's an environment heavily influenced by robots, as remains of these mechs litter the landscape, having fallen during a civil war between man and machine. The result is an apparently post-apocalyptic American West, one that Michelle travels through in search of her sibling.
During her journey, she's accompanied by both a mysterious smuggler (Chris Pratt) and a mysterious friendly robot, which she allows to come along on the trip when she finds out it was sent by her brother. All the while, other drones and robots encounter and stymie Michelle, including an evil one that wishes to stop and kill her android companion for some reason.
Who is starring in The Electric State?
"The Electric State" is a Netflix original, and as such, its cast will be headlined by one of the biggest stars the streaming service has ever created. Millie Bobby Brown, best known as Eleven in "Stranger Things" and the titular detective in the "Enola Holmes" movies, will play protagonist Michelle. Her traveling companion is a cute, intelligent robot with a human voice, although we're not sure who's voicing that particular part just yet.
Chris Pratt co-stars as a smuggler named Keats, while Brian Cox ("Succession"), Billy Bob Thornton ("Bad Santa"), Anthony Mackie ("The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"), and Jenny Slate ("Marcel the Shell With Shoes On") will be providing voicework in the film. We know that Mackie will be playing a robot friend of Pratt's character and that Thornton will voice an important android from America's bloody past. Interestingly, Michelle Yeoh was originally set to portray a character named Dr. Amherst, but she dropped out due to a scheduling issue. Now, the role will be played by another Oscar-winning star from "Everything Everywhere All at Once" — Ke Huy Quan.
As for the film's big bad, Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad," "The Mandalorian") will bring his menacing voice to the part of The Marshall. This villainous character remotely controls a drone, and he's determined to find and destroy Michelle's robot guide. Based on Esposito's previous work, we're sure The Marshall will be a truly intimidating figure.
Who is writing and directing The Electric State?
"The Electric Slate" is set to be one of the most expensive Netflix original movies ever, with a budget reportedly in the neighborhood of $200 million. It's also a work of science fiction with broad appeal. So if you want someone to helm a Hollywood production that involves blockbuster-level sci-fi and huge sums of money, then you need to get Joe and Anthony Russo on the phone.
After having worked on 2000s studio comedies like "You, Me and Dupree" and "Welcome to Collinwood" — not to mention TV shows like "Arrested Development" and "Community" – the Russo brothers joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directing "Captain America: The Winter Solider," "Captain America: Civil War," and the final two "Avengers" entries, "Infinity War" and "Endgame." The Russos next made the 2021 humanistic crime drama "Cherry" for Apple TV+ before moving over to streaming competitor Netflix for the $200 million-budgeted action thriller "The Gray Man."
Joe and Anthony Russo serve as co-directors on "The Electric State," working from a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. That screenwriting duo composed the scripts for all four of the Russos' MCU efforts, as well as "The Gray Man."