At a press event for Anthony and Joe Russo‘s upcoming film The Gray Man, Collider‘s own Steve Weintraub spoke with the brothers about their newest film The Electric State, and found out straight from the source that filming starts in October. It’s now been revealed, however, just who finally picked up the alternate history piece – Netflix.
When the film was originally announced back in 2020, Universal was attached to the project in part due to the commitment of a theatrical release. In time, though, a deal was never finalized and that opened the door for Netflix, which has prior history with both the Russos and the film’s star Millie Bobby Brown, to swoop in, solidifying a deal and getting everything set for filming to start later this year. Reportedly, the film is also set to rival the cost of The Gray Man, which is already one of the streamer’s most expensive films ever.
Based on the illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag, The Electric State will star Brown as a runaway teenage girl with her robot who sets out on a quest through a much different, more post-apocalyptic 1997 America than the one we know to find her brother. This U.S. is a crumbling consumerist high-tech society that only continues to fall apart more and more as Brown travels across the continent. The Russos are joined by their former Marvel creative partners and current The Gray Man co-writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who adapted the screenplay.
The Russo brothers have remained mum on other cast members aside from Brown, though it is worth noting that they could receive some extra star power in the form of another Marvel star – Chris Pratt. Pratt had been in talks to co-star opposite Brown and, though it’s been some time since negotiations began, a deal is still in the works to get him on board the project. The brothers also teased that they are “working with some old friends” on the film, implying more Marvel stars, or stars from their television days, could be along for the ride.
Landing The Electric State gets Netflix their dream film with some of their favorite creatives. Brown is quite literally one of the poster children for Netflix, appearing as Eleven in its gargantuan smash hit Stranger Things. It’s not the first time a film starring Brown has gone from another studio to Netflix either. The first Enola Holmes film was originally under Warner Bros. until the pandemic paved the way for Netflix to pick it up. It turned out to be a good investment by Netflix, garnering earning itself a sequel in the process. The Russo brothers, meanwhile, have The Gray Man through a partnership with their banner, AGBO, and the streamer, as well as a sequel to the Chris Hemsworth-headlined film Extraction.
It’s likely that Netflix will follow a similar release strategy to The Gray Man with The Electric State. The former is set for a limited release on July 15 followed by a Netflix release on July 22.
via Collider