Before Joe and Anthony Russo make their big return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, they have another exciting project on the horizon.
The directing duo has built an impressive reputation in the filmmaking world, particularly for their work on Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which became huge global successes.
But before they re-enter the MCU with their next superhero adventure, they are bringing a different kind of story to life—one set in a very different universe. Their upcoming project is The Electric State, an adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s illustrated novel.
Simon Stålenhag is a Swedish artist and author known for his stunning work that mixes technology with nostalgic views. His book, The Electric State, is set in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality in the year 1997.
In this world, a war between humans and out-of-control technology has caused massive destruction across the United States.
Giant drones, which were once used for battle, now litter the land. These drones, though no longer used in the war, are still dangerous and create multiple threats for the remaining survivors.
The story focuses on a young girl who is on a mission to find her younger brother, traveling through this dangerous and desolate view.
Many may think this sounds like other post-apocalyptic stories where young characters fight for survival in a ruined world. But Simon Stålenhag’s unique style and world-building offer something fresh. His version of a dystopian world combines retro-futurism with a deeply emotional and personal story.
The mixture of technology, nostalgia, and human emotion makes The Electric State stand out from other similar stories in the science fiction genre.
With the Russo brothers at the helm of this film and a cast full of well-known actors, the adaptation is poised to bring Stålenhag’s vision to life in a powerful way.
What Is The Electric State About?
The Electric State is set in an alternate version of the 1990s, specifically in the year 1997. The story follows Michelle, a teenager who has been through a lot of hardship. She sets out on a journey across the country to find her younger brother, Christopher, who has gone missing.
The United States she travels through is not the country as we know it today, but a retro-futuristic version that is both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
In this alternate reality, technology has advanced in ways that we haven’t seen in real life. The story shows a world where giant robots and drones, which once worked alongside humans, are now abandoned and dangerous.
These machines are relics of a war that saw technology turning against people, leaving behind a country in ruins. Many humans didn’t survive this war, but Michelle is determined to find her brother despite the dangerous conditions.
To help her on her journey, her brother sends a robot named Cosmo. Cosmo is a friendly robot with a mysterious past, and Michelle must learn to trust it as they face many dangers together.
The view they travel through is full of broken-down machines, deserted cities, and dangerous enemies.
One of the main threats they encounter is a group of monstrous drones left behind from the war. These drones roam the land, and one of them is specifically hunting for Cosmo.
Throughout her journey, Michelle also meets Keats, a drifter who might be able to help her get through the dangers she faces. Keats is not someone Michelle can trust easily, but he knows the lay of the land and could be the key to helping her survive.
As the story progresses, Michelle starts to unravel the truth about her brother’s disappearance. She discovers that the forces behind his vanishing are much more sinister than she first imagined. The story not only deals with action and survival but also touches on themes of family, trust, and the dangers of unchecked technology.
Who Is Starring in The Electric State?
The casting for The Electric State is packed with familiar faces, especially for fans of science fiction and action films.
At the center of the movie is Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Michelle. Brown has quickly become one of Netflix’s biggest stars after her breakout role as Eleven in Stranger Things.
This role in The Electric State will be her fifth collaboration with Netflix. Besides Stranger Things, she has also starred in two Enola Holmes movies and the action fantasy film Damsel.
Alongside Brown, Chris Pratt plays Keats, the mysterious drifter Michelle meets along her journey. Pratt is no stranger to working with the Russo brothers, having played Star-Lord in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
His addition to the cast adds a layer of familiarity for fans of Marvel movies. Pratt’s character in this film is very different from the superheroes he’s known for, offering a fresh take on his acting range.
Other notable actors in the cast include Ke Huy Quan, who recently won an Academy Award for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Quan plays Dr. Amherst, a character who plays an important role in Michelle’s journey.
Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci is also part of the cast, playing a character named Ethan Skate. Woody Norman stars as Christopher, Michelle’s younger brother, who is at the center of the plot. The film’s villain, Colonel Marshall Bradbury, is played by Giancarlo Esposito, known for his work in The Mandalorian and Breaking Bad.
The voice cast for The Electric State is equally impressive. Anthony Mackie voices Herman, a character that plays a key role in the story. Woody Harrelson provides the voice for a character named Mr. Peanut, while Brian Cox voices a character named PopFly.
Jenny Slate and Alan Tudyk also lend their voices to key roles in the film. This combination of well-known actors and voice talent brings a lot of star power to the movie.
Interestingly, Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh was originally cast to play the role of a human doctor that Michelle must find as part of her journey.
However, due to scheduling conflicts, she had to drop out of the project. Ke Huy Quan stepped in to take on the role instead, marking another collaboration between the two actors after their success in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
When Will The Electric State Be Released?
The Electric State is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 14, 2025. The movie was first announced in 2022 when Netflix picked up the rights to adapt the novel.
While fans of Simon Stålenhag’s work have been eagerly awaiting the film adaptation, the process of bringing the book to the big screen has taken a few years.
There has been no official announcement about whether the movie will have a theatrical release. For now, it appears that The Electric State will be released exclusively on Netflix. It will be one of the biggest releases in Netflix’s 2025 movie lineup.
Still from The Electric State (Credit: Netflix)
Other major Netflix releases planned for 2025 include Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Back in Action starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, Happy Gilmore 2 with Adam Sandler, and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
Is There a Trailer for The Electric State?
Yes, Netflix released the first teaser trailer for The Electric State on October 17, 2024, just before the movie’s panel at New York Comic Con. The trailer, set to the song “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis, introduces viewers to the world of The Electric State.
The trailer shows a young girl, Michelle, traveling through a decaying version of Seattle, shortly after a robot uprising. She is joined by a mysterious drifter and a smiling yellow robot, as they search for her lost brother.
The trailer gives viewers a glimpse of the retro-futuristic world and hints at the emotional depth of the story.
It teases the dangers the characters face, the strange machines they encounter, and the challenges they must overcome. Fans of dystopian stories and science fiction are eagerly awaiting the full movie after seeing the teaser.
Who Is Behind the Making of The Electric State?
The Electric State is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who are also producing the film. The Russo brothers are well-known for their work on Marvel’s Captain America and Avengers movies, but they have also directed and produced other films outside the superhero genre.
This will be their second time directing a film for Netflix, following their work on The Gray Man, an action thriller starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans.
Markus and McFeely wrote the screenplays for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
Their collaboration with the Russo brothers has resulted in some of the biggest box office successes in recent years, and fans are excited to see what they bring to The Electric State.
Still from The Electric State (Credit: Netflix)
The film’s production began in October 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia, and filming wrapped in February 2023. The budget for the movie is reported to be around $320 million, making it the most expensive Netflix film to date.
This budget exceeds the previous record holders, The Gray Man and Red Notice, which each cost around $200 million to produce.
Why The Electric State Is One to Watch
With its unique blend of retro-futurism, emotional storytelling, and thrilling action, The Electric State promises to be an exciting and visually stunning film.
The combination of the Russo brothers’ directing, an all-star cast, and Simon Stålenhag’s imaginative world makes this movie one of the most anticipated releases of 2025.
Fans of dystopian stories, science fiction, and post-apocalyptic adventures will find plenty to enjoy in The Electric State. Whether you’re a fan of the original novel or just looking for a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic genre, this movie is one to keep an eye on.
Parker Finn’s Smile became one of the most chilling and unsettling films in theaters in 2022, gaining recognition for its disturbing monster, gripping plot, and clever viral marketing campaign.
With its clever mix of psychological horror and supernatural dread, the movie successfully terrified audiences worldwide, leaving them with lingering fears long after the credits rolled.
Now, Smile 2 continues the story, introducing a new central character, Skye Riley (played by Naomi Scott), and expanding the terrifying narrative that fans of the original have come to expect.
Smile 2 takes a bold leap, offering a bigger, scarier, and more expansive tale that builds on the foundation of the first film. Skye Riley, a pop sensation attempting to reclaim her career after a tragic accident, finds herself haunted by the same malevolent entity from the first movie.
As she battles the growing pressures of her life and the haunting visions that torment her, she must figure out how to escape this terrifying curse before it’s too late.
What makes this sequel even more impactful is Naomi Scott’s incredible performance as Skye, the troubled star struggling to survive against the odds.
But does Skye manage to outwit the grinning, terrifying beast that stalks her? Let’s go into what makes Smile 2 an even more intense and horrifying sequel.
A Star on the Rise: Skye Riley’s Comeback Journey in Smile 2
Skye Riley is a world-famous pop star who, after a year’s hiatus, is ready to make a major comeback. However, her return to the stage is overshadowed by personal demons and the memories of a tragic accident that nearly took her life.
A year before the events of Smile 2, Skye was involved in a car crash that killed her boyfriend and left her traumatized. Struggling with addiction and grief, Skye has worked hard to stay sober and move forward, but the weight of her past continues to haunt her.
The film opens with Skye preparing for a new tour, a chance to reclaim her stardom and make a fresh start. Yet, from the very beginning, it’s clear that things are not going to be easy for her.
She’s not only dealing with the stress of her career but also with physical pain from the accident, for which she secretly seeks painkillers from an old acquaintance, Lewis (played by Lukas Gage). But when Lewis suddenly becomes another victim of the entity, killing himself in front of Skye, her nightmare truly begins.
This moment is the turning point for Skye, as she begins to see Lewis’s menacing smile everywhere she goes. From that point forward, her paranoia grows, and she starts to question her own sanity as the entity toys with her mind.
Naomi Scott portrays Skye’s unraveling mental state brilliantly, conveying the sheer terror and hopelessness of a woman trapped by forces beyond her control.
How Smile 2 Builds on the Original
One of the most significant strengths of Smile 2 is how it ties back to the first movie while taking the story in new and unexpected directions. The film reintroduces us to officer Joel (played by Kyle Gallner), a character who was central to the investigation in the first Smile movie.
In the first film, Joel witnessed the horrifying events surrounding therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) before she set herself on fire, a gruesome and shocking moment that left audiences in stunned silence.
In Smile 2, Joel is a broken man, haunted by the same entity that tormented Rose. His desperation to escape leads him to make a horrific decision that sets off a chain of events connecting the two films.
Joel’s attempt to rid himself of the entity mirrors what we saw in the original film, where the characters slowly learned that the entity passes from person to person through trauma. It isn’t the act of suicide that transfers the curse, but the trauma caused by witnessing the suicide.
Joel, in his despair, plans to pass the curse onto someone else by creating more trauma. He targets a violent criminal, intending to kill him in front of his equally dangerous brother.
While Joel’s plan initially seems successful, things take a dark turn when he fails to notice a third person in the room—Lewis, the small-time drug dealer. By killing the criminal, Joel unknowingly passes the curse to Lewis, and in turn, Lewis brings the entity into Skye’s life.
This direct connection to the original film provides a strong foundation for Smile 2, making it clear that the curse isn’t limited to just one person or one event.
The entity is relentless, and anyone who encounters it is at risk of becoming its next victim. The movie doesn’t just rehash the same formula from the first film but instead expands on the mythology and rules of the curse, making the sequel feel fresh and engaging.
Skye’s Inner Demons: Trauma and Addiction Make Her Vulnerable
What makes Smile 2 particularly effective is how it shows Skye Riley’s vulnerability to the entity. The movie goes deep into her backstory, revealing that the trauma she experienced during the car crash is what makes her especially susceptible to the curse.
A year before the events of the film, Skye was battling addiction and alcoholism, and her reckless behavior led to the fatal accident that killed her boyfriend.
In a moment of anger, Skye grabbed the steering wheel, causing the crash. This act not only left her physically scarred but also emotionally devastated, as she blames herself for her boyfriend’s death.
The accident left Skye with chronic pain, and despite her best efforts to stay sober, she turns to Lewis for illegal painkillers.
This decision leads her straight into the entity’s clutches, as Lewis, already haunted by the curse, becomes its latest victim. After witnessing his horrifying suicide, Skye becomes the next person marked by the entity.
This connection between trauma and the curse adds another layer of psychological horror to the film. It’s not just about the supernatural; it’s about how the characters’ past traumas make them vulnerable to the entity.
Skye’s guilt and self-blame over the accident are what allow the entity to latch onto her, feeding off her pain and fear.
As the entity begins to torment her, Skye is forced to confront her darkest secrets, including her role in the accident and her unresolved guilt over her boyfriend’s death.
The Entity’s Power Grows: A Constant, Inescapable Presence
One of the most terrifying aspects of Smile 2 is how the entity becomes an almost omnipresent force in Skye’s life.
Unlike in the first film, where the entity mostly appeared in brief, terrifying moments, in Smile 2, it is constantly present, warping Skye’s perception of reality and pushing her to the brink of madness.
Still from Smile 2 (Credit: Paramount Pictures)
The entity manifests itself in increasingly horrifying ways, starting with visions of Lewis’s smiling face and gradually expanding to take on the appearance of other people in Skye’s life.
Skye begins to see grinning faces everywhere—her assistant, fans at a meet-and-greet, and even strangers on the street.
These unsettling encounters push her deeper into paranoia, as she struggles to determine what is real and what is a product of the entity’s manipulation.
At one particularly terrifying moment, Skye is attacked by a man at her home who appears out of nowhere. Naked and grinning, he chases her through her house, leaving her terrified and questioning her own sanity.
The entity’s power seems to have grown since the first film, and it’s able to manipulate Skye’s surroundings in increasingly disturbing ways.
It even takes on the appearance of Skye’s deceased boyfriend, tormenting her with visions of him smiling eerily at her. These hallucinations build to a breaking point, with Skye unable to trust anyone or anything around her.
Skye Reaches Out for Help: An Unexpected Reunion
As Skye’s torment intensifies, she becomes increasingly isolated. Unable to trust those around her and with the entity relentlessly stalking her, she makes a desperate decision: she reaches out to her estranged former best friend, Gemma (played by Dylan Gelula).
Skye and Gemma had a falling out a year earlier, around the time of the accident, and their friendship has been strained ever since.
Despite this, Skye feels that Gemma is the only person she can turn to, and she hopes that by reconnecting with her, she might find some comfort and support.
Gemma, although initially reluctant, agrees to meet Skye. However, as the two reconnect, it becomes clear that their friendship has been deeply damaged by the events of the previous year.
Skye’s guilt over the accident and her decision to shut Gemma out of her life weigh heavily on their interactions, and it’s clear that their relationship may never fully recover.
Despite this, Gemma agrees to help Skye, even though she doesn’t fully understand the extent of the supernatural forces at play.
This reunion adds an emotional layer to the film, as Skye is forced to confront not only the entity but also the fractured relationships in her life.
Her decision to seek help from Gemma shows that she’s willing to fight back against the entity, even if it means reopening old wounds and facing her past mistakes.
A Sinister Stranger: Morris and His Plan to Kill the Entity
As Skye’s situation becomes more desperate, she receives mysterious text messages from an unknown number. The person on the other end claims to know about the entity and offers to help her defeat it.
Desperate for answers, Skye agrees to meet this stranger, who introduces himself as Morris (played by Peter Jacobson).
Morris reveals that he has been researching the entity for years and believes he knows how to kill it—but his plan comes with a deadly catch.
Morris explains that the only way to stop the entity is for Skye to die, at least for a few minutes. He believes that by lowering her body temperature and inducing death, the entity will be forced to leave her body.
Once the entity has been expelled, Morris plans to revive Skye, thereby freeing her from the curse. However, this plan is extremely risky, and Skye is understandably hesitant to trust a stranger with her life.
The scenes with Morris add a new layer of tension to the film, as Skye is forced to weigh her options. Should she risk her life in the hopes of escaping the entity, or should she try to find another way to survive?
The dynamic between Skye and Morris is tense and fraught with uncertainty, as Skye is unsure whether she can trust him or whether he has ulterior motives.
A Shocking Twist: The Entity’s Ultimate Deception
As the film reaches its climax, Skye decides to go along with Morris’s plan. They meet at an abandoned restaurant, where Morris has set up a makeshift medical facility.
Skye allows herself to be strapped to a medical table, and Morris begins the process of lowering her body temperature. However, just as Skye is about to die, the entity reveals its final, devastating trick: everything has been a hallucination.
In a shocking twist, Skye realizes that Morris, the restaurant, and the entire plan to kill the entity were all illusions created by the entity itself.
None of it was real, and Skye has been trapped in the entity’s twisted game from the very beginning. This revelation shatters Skye’s hope of escaping the curse, and she is left utterly helpless as the entity continues to torment her.
Still from Smile 2 (Credit: Paramount Pictures)
The twist ending is both unexpected and devastating, as it underscores the true power of the entity. It can manipulate reality to such an extent that Skye has no way of knowing what is real and what is a product of the entity’s mind games. This final deception leaves the audience reeling, as they realize that Skye’s fate was sealed from the moment she encountered the entity.
The Haunting Finale: A Public Tragedy
The final moments of Smile 2 are as horrifying as they are tragic. After waking from her hallucination, Skye finds herself back on stage, ready to perform at the first concert of her world tour.
Her fans are cheering, and her team is excited to see her return to the spotlight. But as Skye steps onto the stage, she realizes that the entity is still with her.
In a chilling and gruesome scene, Skye suddenly attacks herself on stage, killing herself in front of a massive audience.
The crowd watches in horror as Skye’s violent death unfolds, and the curse is passed on to thousands of people in attendance, as well as those watching via the recording.
The entity has achieved its ultimate goal, spreading its evil on a massive scale, leaving the audience with the unsettling realization that the curse will continue to grow and claim new victims.
