With the upcoming sci-fi film, The Creator, Gareth Edwards is finally returning to the director’s chair after a seven-year hiatus,
Known for his work on films like Monsters and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Gareth’s latest film revolves around the ever-expanding realm of artificial intelligence, exploring a near-future world divided by those who seek to erase AI and those who fight for AI’s freedom. The Creator is one of the many recent films to feature an AI-related plot, along with Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, and Heart of Stone.
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Edwards compared the film’s mysterious titular figure, Creator, to J. Robert Oppenheimer, the historical physicist responsible for creating the atomic bombs. Edwards dubbed the ‘Creator’ as “the Oppenheimer of AI,” emphasizing the film’s plot, where on one side, they are seen as a threat, while on the other, they are revered as a god. “They’re the Oppenheimer of AI, and there’s been this big manhunt for them for years. On one side of the world, they’re an Osama Bin Laden figure — public enemy number one. On the other [New Asia], they’re a god, a messiah, and people will fight to the death to defend them.”
Edwards’ vision of the futuristic world extends beyond just its human and AI interactions. The film showcases a range of robots, each crafted to stand out from the typical sci-fi portrayal of androids. The filmmaker wanted to avoid the overly used trope of human-like characters secretly being androids, instead making it clear which characters are AI. He also drew from Charles Darwin’s evolutionary concept, showcasing the progression of robots. “I wanted something like that classic ‘from-ape-to-man’ silhouette. So, you can see the evolution of the robots, from early, boxy, Sony Walkman-like ones, all the way up to the more visually sophisticated ones with human faces, which are called ‘simulants’.”
Adding to the robots’ physical appearance, Edwards also went deeper into their inner emotions and motivations. In a world where AI is as intelligent as humans, questions arise about their beliefs and spirituality. The film explores profound themes like reincarnation, life after death, and consciousness beyond the physical body, blurring the lines between religion and science. The Creator, in this narrative, is regarded as the robots’ ‘God,’ a concept that humans are trying to eliminate.
While Edwards dismissed the classic trope, he has nevertheless cited Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, which used this approach as a plot twist, as one of the inspirations for the film. Additionally, he has also acknowledged the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes for seeking protection against the increasing use of AI in the industry.
The Creator will be released in theaters on Sept. 29.
Source: Empire Magazine