Summary
A new trailer has been released for the upcoming horror filmAfraid,starring John Cho. Also a sci-fi movie,Afraidis directed by Chris Weitz, whose previous work includes films such asAbout a Boy,The Golden Compass, andDown to Earth. It is led by Cho, with a supporting cast that includes Havana Rose Liu,David Dastmalchian, Keith Carradine, Katherine Waterston, Riki Lindhome, Isaac Bae, Greg Hill, and Lukita Maxwell.
Afraidwas formerly titledThey Listen,but the title has since been updated.
Now,Sony Pictures Entertainmenthas released the trailer forAfraid. Check it out below:
The trailer starts in a tranquil suburban home, where a family of four is introduced to their new AI system, called “Aia.” At first, the family is pleased by this development, beforeAia starts to take too much control, including bribing the children with “points” for things like going to school. The scene shortly transitions into something far more sinister as Aia takes over the house and lures the children in with the allure of revealing what she looks like.
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Based on the trailer, it seems thatAfraidis the latest addition to the increasingly popular genre of AI-based films. Theaters saw this last year withM3GAN, a wildly popular Blumhouse film that focuses on an AI-assisted doll that is created to help a grieving child. Movies such asHerhave featured plots revolving around operating systems before, which is whatAfraidseems to do by presenting Aia as an omnipotent non-human before revealing that she may in fact have a monstrous figure.
Afraidis set for theatrical release on August 30, before the next wave of Halloween-centric horror releases comes. That said,the film will still have some significant competition as it hits theaters this summer. Two weeks earlier, thesci-fi horror sequelAlien: Romuluswill be released, and on August 23,The Crowwill make its debut. While the latter title is not strictly a horror film, its hyper-violent premise might draw in similar audiences, thus potentially competing withAfraid.
Afraid’s intense competition does not stop withAlien: RomulusandThe Crow.A week intoAfraid’s release,A24’sThe Front Roomhits theaters. This film has an entirely different plot from something likeAfraid, focusing on a more family-based drama with fewer sci-fi elements, but nonetheless, is a fellow genre film that could detract audiences fromAfraid. The Cho-led movie will benefit from the fact that AI is such a topic of interest as of late, butits path to box office victory could be an uphill climb.
AfrAId
Cast
AfrAId is a psychological thriller series set in a secluded small town. Following the mysterious disappearance of a local teenager, Sheriff Gregson, played by Eric Dane, struggles to uncover the dark secrets lurking within his community. As fear and suspicion grow, the townspeople wrestle with their own hidden pasts, creating an atmosphere of pervasive dread. Co-starring Jennifer Carpenter and Ethan Embry, the series delves into the chilling consequences of buried truths.
