'The Creator': Gareth Edwards's film shatters expectations with first reactions
What's the story
Rogue One director Gareth Edwards is embarking on his next thrilling sci-fi odyssey, The Creator.
The film was unveiled to its first audience during a special press screening held on Monday (local time) in Hollywood.
The highly-anticipated film is being hailed as a groundbreaking reimagining of artificial intelligence (AI), and early reactions have been nothing short of ecstatic.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Edwards, renowned for his feature debut, the captivating sci-fi/horror film Monsters (2010), has consistently stood out as one the most brilliant directors of Hollywood.
His entry into big-budget filmmaking was marked by the visually stunning 2014 reimagining of Godzilla.
The director continued to make waves with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Now, the expectations are soaring for his forthcoming sci-fi movie, The Creator.
First reactions
Critics called it 'astonishingly good,' 'best original sci-fi epic'
Based on the first reactions, there appears to be near-universal acclaim for the visual aesthetics of The Creator.
One of the Tomatometer-approved critics went so far as to declare The Creator as "one of the best original sci-fi epics in recent years."
Praising the storytelling, another critic called it "astonishingly good."
The early reactions have set a high bar of anticipation for this film.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the reactions here
#TheCreator is an ambitious sci-fi odyssey with a profound take on humanity, acceptance & freedom at its core. John David Washington gives a career best performance, while Madeleine Yuna Voyles proves she’s a young actor to watch. The third act surprised me, this film WENT THERE! pic.twitter.com/2UODyqmt15
— Kristen Maldonado (@kaymaldo) September 19, 2023
Storyline
What is 'The Creator' all about?
Set in a post-apocalyptic realm, The Creator unfolds within a world where the remnants of humanity coexist with artificial intelligence.
The official synopsis for the film reads, "Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua, a hardened ex-special forces agent, is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI."
Twitter Post
Have you checked out the trailer yet?
The fight for our existence begins.
— The Creator (@creatorthefilm) September 13, 2023
Watch the final trailer of #TheCreator and experience the motion picture event in @IMAX, only in theaters September 29.
Get tickets now: https://t.co/clL8n7yTCE pic.twitter.com/x3IoC6uEfF
Cast
Meet the cast and crew of 'The Creator'
The film features John David Washington in the lead role of Joshua.
He is joined by Sturgill Simpson and Ken Watanabe.
The cast is further enriched by Academy Award-winning Allison Janney, the newcomer Madeleine Yuna Voyles, and Gemma Chan, who will portray the role of Washington's wife in this film.
Oscar-winning Greig Fraser and Oren Soffer are handling the cinematography.
Release date
When will 'The Creator' be released?
The production of The Creator commenced in 2022.
This much-anticipated film is poised to make its grand debut at the Fantastic Fest on September 26.
On September 29, the film will grace theaters worldwide.
Notably, during a special screening hosted at the TCL Grauman's Chinese Theatre recently, Edwards expressed his support for the cast and crew, as the SAG-AFTRA strike marked its 67th day.