The Creator looks like The Last of Us, Terminator, and Star Wars rolled into one
There are even visual nods to District 9 and Avatar, too
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Have you ever wondered what kind of movie we’d get if you combinedThe Last of Us,The Terminator,Star Wars, andAvatar?
Wonder no more, dear reader, for we have the answer: it would look likeThe Creator. On the surface, the next big-screen offering from director Gareth Edwards (Star Wars: Rogue One,Godzilla) looks like another generic dystopian sci-fi flick. Under the hood, though, it’s clearly drawn inspiration from a variety of box office smash hits and legendary film franchises – resulting in a broadly appealing movie that could entice fans of multiple genres to watch it in theaters later this year.
Still not convinced? Take a look atThe Creator’s first trailer below:
All done? Now, you try and tell me that it isn’t directly pulling from some of the biggest films and TV shows of the past 40 years.
For one,The Creator’s ‘artificial intelligence (AI) has taken over the world’ storyline is highly reminiscent ofThe Terminatorfranchise (find out whereTerminator 1placed in our list of thebest James Cameron movieswhile you’re here). Next, its explosive, beach-based battle sequences have clearly been influenced by the climactic fight seen inRogue One, Edwards' 2016Star Warsmovie.
Add in its dirty and dystopian aesthetic, which reminds me of Neil Blonkamp’s seminalDistrict 9, plus the humanoid imagery seen throughout the teaser that’s comparable to Alex Garland’sEx Machina, and it’s obvious that some of thebest sci-fi moviesof all time have inspired Edwards' artistic and narrative direction for his latest big-screen epic.
That’s not all, either. The grimy, industrial feel of this neofuturistic world could easily sit in a cyberpunk-style film likeBlade Runner. Add in the ‘father figure must protect their surrogate child’ plot point, and the ‘humanity going to war against a race it’s afraid of/doesn’t fully understand’, and comparisons to TV shows likeThe Last of Us(available onHBO Max) andThe Mandalorian(streaming now onDisney Plus), plus incredibly successful box office hits likeAvatar: The Way of Water, are also inevitable.
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#TheCreator, directed by Gareth Edwards, in theaters September 29. pic.twitter.com/E2j1VWAAxrMay 17, 2023
Okay, so what’sThe Creatoractually about? Here’s a brief plot synopsis, courtesy of 20th Century Studios:
“Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua (Tenet’s John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Eternals' Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war… and mankind itself.
“Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines, into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory… only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child. "
Joining Washington and Chan in this one are Ken Watanabe (Godzilla,Inception), Sturgill Simpson (Dog), Allison Janney (I, Tonya) and newcomer Madeleine Yuna Voyles.
The Creatorarrives exclusively in theaters on September 29. Expect it to join our burgeoningnew moviesof 2023 guide shortly.
A timely examination of the dangers of AI
Events depicted in movies likeThe Creator,The Terminator,2001: A Space Odyssey, andI, Robot – where AI threatens the existence of humankind – have become embedded in the cultural zeitgeist for over 50 years.The Creator’s own examination of the potentially destructive force of AI, then, isn’t a wholly original idea for a film.
However, the forthcoming release of Edwards' latest silver screen project couldn’t be more timely – especially in the wake of the AI industry’s rapid expansion since the beginning of 2023.
The advent, and subsequent explosion, of AI chatbots, such asChatGPT,Google Bard, andMicrosoftBinghas fueled discussions about the possible perils of such technology. Many of those conversations have centered on ‘what if?’ scenarios, including those that question whether AI chatbots will become more intelligent than humans and, just as Skynet did inThe Terminator, unleash a robot uprising that could push mankind to the brink of extinction.
In fact, the creator ofChatGPT– Sam Altman – spoke of the dangers of AI-based technologyduring a recent US Senate hearing. In a rare move for a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, Altman even implored the world’s governments to begin regulating the AI industry before the technology becomes “too powerful” for humanity to combat. Altman’s comments follow hot on the heels ofsimilar ones made by Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called ‘Godfather of AI’, who left his position at Google over the risk associated with AI chatbots and the meteoric, unregulated growth of this science-based sector.
The forthcoming release ofThe Creator, then, shouldn’t just be viewed as another by-the-books sci-fi post-apocalyptic story. Yes, movies are created to – first and foremost – entertain us, but the best ones also leave us with questions and themes to mull over. It’s difficult not to look atThe Creatorand consider how the unregulated rise of AI doesn’t jeopardize humanity’s very existence – and that makes Edwards' new movie all the more pertinent.
For more movie and AI-based coverage, read up on all thenew Netflix moviesandnew Prime Video moviesto land on these services. Alternatively, find outwhether Microsoft Bing or Google Bard is winning the AI chatbot fight(outside of ChatGPT, anyway), or learn about thebest AI writers.
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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