How the ‘Afraid’ Movie Will Reshape Tech Horror
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- Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 August 2024 00:05
- Written by Lupe R Haas
As AI systems become more integrated into daily life, there’s a fear that society could become too dependent on them, leading to vulnerability if these systems fail or are compromised. Movies are capitalizing on that fear most recently with the success of Blumhouse's M3GAN. Blumhouse's upcoming thriller AFRAID (in theaters August 30), directed by Chris Weitz, takes tech horror to an all-new level.
AI villains date back to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) with HAL 9000, and evolved into the TERMINATOR's Skynet or RESIDENT EVIL's The Red Queen. Sentient computer programs have entered the home space with voice-activated virtual assistants or intelligent personal assistants like Siri or Alexa.
In AFRAID, Curtis (John Cho) and his family test out a revolutionary new home device: AIA, a digital family assistant. AIA soon becomes much more than just a virtual assistant; it watches the parents and children's every move and overrides the parents' control.
AFRAID director and writer Chris Weitz (THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON, THE GOLDEN COMPASS) reveals AIA is much more powerful than Siri and Alexa. Don't let the female voice fool you, says Weitz. “It’s not a she, it’s an it,” he explains, “it just has adopted the persona of a she." The idea of an AI assistant, turning against its users is ripe material for a suspenseful thriller,” he adds.
Weitz thought of his children consuming and engaging in the digital space while writing the script. “I think the internet is a scary place,” says Weitz. “How do you try to protect your kids from the world around you as well as introduce them to it? Especially when the internet is a scary place, and the internet is around everyone all the time. I think we don’t really have a full sense of what a world affected by the internet and AI poses in terms of threats to a family structure.”
AFRAID's Cho also contemplated his own children's interactions with the internet. "It touched a lot of raw nerves for me,” he says. “Parenting in this age is complicated, with children carrying these devices. All the strangers in the world now have access to your kids' bedrooms. Creating boundaries, and protecting your loved ones is increasingly hard as their vulnerabilities are connected to the rest of the world.”
AFRAID will push the boundaries of horror and technology with its unique blend of scares and tech. The film’s twists and turns will keep viewers guessing about what’s to come. This sense of uncertainty amplifies the horror, making every scene more gripping.
Blumhouse is cornering the market on tech horror, and AFRAID may be the next hit for the production company.
AFRAID hits movie theaters on Friday, August 30. Buy your tickets now.
