Ahead of the film’s trailer drop tomorrow, Universal Pictures has unveiled a teaser poster for Alex Garland’s cerebral sci-fi film, Ex Machina, which features Alicia Vikander’s cybernetic A.I., Ava.
Having injected life into the zombie genre with the bold and high-octane thriller, 28 Days Later, before guiding Judge Dredd to the screen in style back in 2012, Ex Machina marks Garland’s first foray behind the camera, and it’s certainly shaping up to be an eye-catching debut.
In essence, the film follows a young coder named Caleb (played here by Star Wars Episode VII star, Domhnall Gleeson), who is invited to the lavish home of his reclusive boss to partake in an experiment that would see the world’s first artificial intelligence planted into the body of a woman. Oscar Isaac plays the part of the reticent CEO.
Expect philosophical questions aplenty when the film hits in the early stages of next year, as the project draws upon some of the genre greats such as Blade Runner and Steven Speilberg’s A.I.. Does Vikander’s Ava have a conscious? If so, what kind of moral implications does that have for the human race?
You can colour us cautiously optimistic for Ex Machina. There’s no doubting the creative talent both in front of and behind the lens; plus, the topic of artificial intelligence and its role in the future of society is a fascinating, timely and, above all else, crucial question that ought to be addressed as technology continues to proliferate.
Ex Machina will fire up its servers in time for its UK release on January 23rd, 2015. Currently, Universal is yet to detail the dates for other territories, but we expect to learn more after tomorrow’s trailer.