It’s impossible to know Netflix‘s most expensive movie, but don’t be surprised if it’s The Electric State. The film, which reunites the directors (Anthony and Joe Russo) and writers (Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, has a reported $300-ish million budget. That’s, uh, quite the chunk of change, but it’s money well spent if The Electric State ends up being the level of hit it almost assuredly will be.
Here’s everything to know The Electric State, including plot details, the cast, and release date.
Plot
Set in an retro-futuristic version of the 1990s, The Electric State follows Michelle (played by Millie Bobby Brown), a young woman who is traveling west across the United States in search of her brother who she thought was dead. She’s joined by a catchphrase-speaking robot and, along the way, a smuggler named Keats (Chris Pratt) and his robot sidekick. There’s lots of robots.
As per the Netflix synopsis:
“As they venture into the Exclusion Zone, a walled-off corner in the desert where robots now exist on their own, Keats and Michelle find a colorful group of new animatronic allies — and begin to learn that there may be something even more sinister afoot.”
The Electric State is inspired by the acclaimed graphic novel of the same name from Simon Stålenhag, who said he was “blown away by the movie. It was an amazing experience watching things that I have drawn come to life this way. What resonated most with me was the emotional core of the movie, which is the need for family. Even though the movie has changed genre from the book a bit, that main core is still the same and has been expanded on beautifully.”
The robots (including Mr. Peanut!) will get the attention of sci-fi fans, but there’s a human element to the film, too, that moved Pratt to tears.
“It’s not the kind of thing that typically gets made to be a blockbuster style movie like this. It’s so original, it’s a huge swing,” the Parks and Recreation star said during New York Comic-Con. “I thought that these types of movies might be my last opportunity to be in a big movie like this. I have to look at every opportunity like that. And I did. It’s just such a great story. I was moved to tears reading.”
Pratt being in a Russos-directed movie makes sense — he’s Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bobby Brown had a different connection to the filmmakers. “I had the privilege of going to set on Avengers to watch the Russos direct when I was 13,” she explained. “I was filming Stranger Things and they invited me. I remember watching them and thinking, ‘I want to be an actor, I want to work with them, that was so cool.’ I made that my goal.”
Cast
The Electric State cast is led by frequent Netflix star Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, who play Michelle and Keats, respectively.
There’s also Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan as Dr. Amherst, Stanley Tucci as Ethan Skate, Woody Norman (the kid from C’Mon C’Mon) as Christopher, Martin Klebba as Herman, Jason Alexander as Ted Finnster, and Giancarlo Esposito as Colonel Marshall Bradbury. The various robots are voiced by Anthony Mackie as Herman, Alan Tudyk as Cosmo, Woody Harrelson as Mr. Peanut, Brian Cox as Pop Fly, Jenny Slate as Penny Pal, and Hank Azaria as Perplexo.
Release Date
The Electric State premieres on Netflix on March 14.
Trailer
Check out the trailer for The Electric State below.