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Russo Bros. team with Millie Bobby Brown for 'low tech' robot adventure 'The Electric State'
Joe and Anthony Russo will re-team with their Avengers: Endgame scribes, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, for an adaptation of Simon Stålenhag's dystopian graphic novel, The Electric State. The 2018 source material is characterized as "a re-imagined low tech apocalyptic mid-'90s vision of the American West, with stunning visual artwork."
According to Deadline, which first broke the news, Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown has already been cast in the Universal-backed project about a young girl who bonds with a robot sent by her missing brother. Together, she and the robot embark on an adventure (circa 1997) through an "imaginative world of humans mixing with all manner of robots, uncovering a grand conspiracy in the process," writes Deadline.
"We're thrilled to have this deal with Universal who has committed to a theatrical release of Electric State," the Russos, who will produce under their AGBO banner, said in a statement to the outlet. "This is incredible news for us as filmmakers, and for audiences around the world who want an opportunity to experience film's in theaters again. This is also a positive sign that, as vaccines become available, the theatrical market is returning."
Production is expected to begin at the end of 2021 or the start of 2022. After all, Brown still needs to wrap up Season 4 of Stranger Things, while the Russos are gearing up the helm The Gray Man for Netflix.
"We'd have Joe and Anthony direct everything that we write and were excited the timing worked out for them to come on as directors," McFeely told Deadline. "What's nice about this is the themes of Electric State syncs up with their interests in technology and feels like the perfect property for them."
"This is a very human story about a teenage girl with all the powers of a teenage girl and nothing more," added Markus. "Another thing we are really proud of when it comes to this story is all the major characters, barring one supporting character, are women which is super exciting to be involved in."
Andy and Barbara Muschietti (known for the two film adaptations of Stephen King's It) are on board as producers. Andy was originally going to direct Electric State before taking on the job of Warner Bros.' upcoming Flash movie.
Universal Pictures and SYFY WIRE are both owned by NBCUniversal.
