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  • Where To Watch Gareth Edward’s ’The Creator’

    Madeline Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    Madeline Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Visionary director Gareth Edwards creates a futuristic world where humans have declared war against Artificial Intelligence, who has created a mysterious and powerful weapon that threatens the end of mankind.

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    Where Can I Watch ‘The Creator’?

    John David Washington as Joshua in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    John David Washington as Joshua in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Glen Milner. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘The Creator’ had its world premiere screening on September 18, 2023, at the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. It was released domestically on September 29 in various formats, such as IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, and ScreenX.

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Creator’ Movie Showtimes

    The movie has been in theaters for over 60 days since its release and may no longer be showing in theaters. Missed its theatrical run? Don’t worry. ‘The Creator’ has already made its way to PVOD. You can purchase the movie digitally in 4K for $19.99 on mainstream services such as Amazon Prime Video, Google Pay, YouTube, Vudu, and Microsoft.

    For those waiting on a home release, the movie will be available on December 12, 2023 on UHD, Blu-Ray, and DVD, just in time for the holidays. The physician release will feature a variety of bonus features, including a 55-minute behind-the-sene featurette titled “True Love: Making The Creator,” where director Gareth Edwards, film crew, and actors talk about the filming experience and the film’s documentary-style approach.

    Buy ‘The Creator’ Movie On Amazon

    ‘The Creator’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes

    When Will ‘The Creator’ Be Available For Streaming?

    A still on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    A still on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The movie was released by 20th Century Studios, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. It was recently announced that the movie will debut Wednesday, December 20, on Hulu.

    Where to Watch: ‘The Creator’ Online

    Disappointing Box Office

    A still on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    A still on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Glen Milner. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘The Creator’ is an ambitious film with excellent world-building, interesting character designs, and the promise of an expansive original sci-fi film, the excitement around the movie continued to build. Edward’s vision for the film was inspired by his love of Vietnam war films, mixed with robotics and sci-fi. The budget for ‘The Creator’ cost around $80 million. Unfortunately, the buzz did not result in a stellar box office performance as one would expect. It opened at a little over $14 million, and has grossed $40.7 million domestically. For the global box office, the movie recently passed $100 million at the worldwide box office.

    Watch the official trailer for ‘The Creator’ below:

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    What is the Plot of ‘The Creator’?

    Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Oren Soffer. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The official synopsis for ‘The Creator’ is below:

    “From writer/director Gareth Edwards (‘Rogue One,’ ‘Godzilla’) comes an epic sci-fi action thriller set amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence. Joshua (John David Washington, ‘Tenet’), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan, ‘Eternals’), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war… and mankind itself. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory… only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles).”

    Who Is In The Cast of ‘The Creator’?

    Allison Janney as Colonel Howell in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    Allison Janney as Colonel Howell in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Oren Soffer. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    'The Creator' opens in theaters on September 29th.
    ‘The Creator’ opens in theaters on September 29th.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Creator’:

    To watch our interview with director Gareth Edwards about ‘The Creator,’ please click on the video player below.

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  • Movie Review: ‘The Creator’

    John David Washington as Joshua in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    John David Washington as Joshua in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    In theaters on Friday 29th September, ‘The Creator’ represents a return for director Gareth Edwards, who made his name with low-budget sci-fi marvel ‘Monsters’ and was then recruited to make the likes of ‘Godzilla’ and a ‘Star Wars’ entry.

    But with ‘The Creator’, he’s in his own world, albeit one that owes a big debt to genre and other classic movies.

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    What’s the story of ‘The Creator’?

    Madeline Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    Madeline Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war… and possibly mankind itself.

    Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines, into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory… Only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child.

    Who else is in ‘The Creator’?

    Allison Janney as Colonel Howell in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    Allison Janney as Colonel Howell in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Oren Soffer. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘The Creator’s cast also includes Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Madeline Yuna Voyles, Amar Chadha-Patel, Ralph Ineson, Veronica Ngo, Marc Menchaca and Allison Janney.

    Related Article: Director Gareth Edwards Talks ‘The Creator’ and Artificial Intelligence

    Is ‘The Creator’ worth watching?

    Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie, Gemma Chan as Maya, and Director Gareth Edwards on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    (L to R) Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie, Gemma Chan as Maya, and Director Gareth Edwards on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Glen Milner. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Gareth Edwards is more known these days for being the director behind such giant franchise movies as ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ (more controversially on the latter, since there was plenty of talk about how the studio had Tony Gilroy come in and re-write/re-shoot chunks of the movie, and it’s telling that Gilroy would go on to create prequel Disney+ series ‘Andor, not Edwards).

    But before both of those behemoths, he was the talent responsible for the excellent, grounded (despite the presence of giant alien creatures) ‘Monsters’ in 2010, which mixed a very human story of mismatched love with superbly realized effects. ‘The Creator’ leans much more into that style of film, with its shaky-cam guerilla shooting utilizing some beautiful natural backgrounds across Asia and story of a human being making a connection.

    Yet while ‘Monsters’ was inspired by disaster films (and Richard Linklater for its central duo), ‘The Creator’ is feeding more from the output of filmmakers such as James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola. This is a work of excellent world building, Edwards carefully assembling a reality where the West is engaged in a conflict against the artificial lifeforms it built to perform tasks which has since rebelled to secure its own freedom.

    A nuclear strike on Los Angeles a decade ago left America going on the offensive, but in a nice twist of the usual man-vs-machine narrative, Asia has embraced the AI, offering sanctuary for the various synthetics. It gives the story echoes of Vietnam, the U.S. involved in a war it may not win.

    A scene still from 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    To try and prevent that, the US government has built NOMAD, a giant orbital weapons platform that can target individuals and structures, launching devastating missile strikes. The technological terror makes for superb visuals, spectral lasers scouring the countryside and raining fire down upon mech-heads.

    ‘The Creator’ also looks great, the mostly natural settings (though a grubby industrial city glimpsed midway through the movie is just as remarkable) giving this a standout style.

    Edwards also has a good eye for casting, with Washington giving another solid performance and bonding well with newcomer Voyles, who believably mixes childlike innocence with the flawless effects work of the character. Supporting them are the likes of Janney (as a gritty Colonel who will stop at nothing to track them down) and Watanabe, reuniting with his ‘Godzilla’ director and doing typically excellent work as an AI with a link to Joshua’s past.

    This might be the most beautiful and technologically effective sci-fi thriller you’ll see this year.

    What doesn’t work about ‘The Creator’?

    A scene still from 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    There are some downsides to the movie, primarily that its world-building invention and affecting performances can’t quite overcome the storyline, which feels like the director (who wrote the script with Chris Weitz, his collaborator on early drafts of ‘Rogue One’) borrowing parts of other movies.

    It’s possible to see elements of primarily James Cameron’s movies, especially ‘The Terminator’ (a U.S. Army vehicle deployed late in the movie reminded me of the tank-like Hunter Killers) and ‘Aliens’ (in the dynamic of the grunts Janney leads into combat), blended with something more along the lines of Alfonso Cuaron’s work.

    Which is not completely a bad thing –– if you’re going to borrow, why not pick the best? Yet when you’re ticking off elements you’ve seen in movies such as ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Blade Runner’ and not completely concentrating on the tale that Edwards is looking to tell here, you know you’re in some trouble.

    Likewise, the story itself, of Joshua’s connection to the young AI, is something we’ve seen several times before even with the various metaphysical and ethical trappings aiming to freshen things.

    Gemma Chan as Maya in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    Gemma Chan as Maya in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Add to that the fact that despite an early scene of them swapping banter, the bond between Washington and Chan’s characters is nowhere near as effective, with the various flashbacks to stages of their relationship coming across as the filmmaker trying to convince you to feel something and falling short.

    The problems, though, don’t sink this one. It’s good to see Edwards back to his own sphere after a few years of running around in other people’s genre playgrounds. ‘The Creator’ is proof that he hasn’t lost his touch for sweeping sci-fi with relatable emotions at its core, and it’s certainly one I would recommend seeking out in IMAX formats to make the most of the love poured into the look of the movie.

    This may not be the most original movie you’ll see this year, but it’s certainly one of the more impressive. Welcome back, Gareth Edwards: we’ve missed your viewpoints and your heartfelt humanity.

    ‘The Creator’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    'The Creator' opens in theaters on September 29th.
    ‘The Creator’ opens in theaters on September 29th.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Creator’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Creator’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy John David Washington Movies On Amazon

    ‘The Creator’ is produced by New Regency Pictures, 20th Century Studios, McFarland Entertainment, and Entertainment One, and will be in theaters on September 29th.

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  • ‘The Creator’ Interview: Director Gareth Edwards

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    Opening in theaters on September 29th is the new sci-fi action thriller ‘The Creator,’ which was directed by Gareth Edwards (‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ ‘Godzilla’).

    What is the plot of ‘The Creator’?

    Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war… and mankind itself. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines, into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles).

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    Who is in the cast of ‘The Creator’?

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Gareth Edwards about his work on ‘The Creator,’ what fans can expect from the new movie, the themes of AI that he wanted to explore, the friendship Joshua and Alfie form, and working with actors John David Washington and Madeleine Yuna Voyles.

    'The Creator' director Gareth Edwards.
    ‘The Creator’ director Gareth Edwards.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to audiences sitting down to watch this film to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?

    Gareth Edwards: If They’ve already decided to go and they bought their ticket, I would say nothing at all. If they haven’t, I would say, it’s very hard to talk about a film without doing any spoilers whatsoever. I’d just say, “It’s not what you think It’s going to be.” The title of this movie, when we were making it, was called ‘True Love.’ It’s a very emotional journey, I hope. That is the thing. The thing I’m most hearing about now as we’re starting to show the film to people, is how they are surprised about how they were affected, emotionally, watching the film. I mean, I love robots and explosions and spaceships, and that’s why I started making the film, but it’s all for nothing if it doesn’t give you the feels.

    A still on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    A still on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: ‘The Creator’ Trailer

    MF: Can you talk about developing the story and the themes of Artificial intelligence that you wanted to explore with this movie?

    GE: I think when you sit down and go, “I want to make a movie about prejudice,” or whatever the theme is, if you do that, you’re going to make a terrible film. You lock onto something that super interests you. For me, it was the idea of, essentially, if you’ve seen the materials, there’s a little AI child at the heart of this movie. John David Washington’s character is essentially sent to kill it. He can win the war and save humanity if he just kills this kid. In the process of taking the kid to be assassinated, he starts to question everything he believes and gets very torn, and everyone is pursuing them and all those things. When you land on something that interests you like that, as you’re writing it, it starts to tell you what the theme is. You get themes about prejudice and about xenophobia or whatever, and then you try to help that, like a child who grows up and tells you what it wants to be when it’s older. It’s like a story does that too. You try to encourage it. But I hate films that preach to you and I love films with gray morally. I am going to be fascinated what people think when they come out and how it makes them feel about AI and everything, because I try to take people on quite a journey and I’m not sure everyone fully appreciates. I think they think they know what the movie’s going to do and I hope it doesn’t do that.

    John David Washington as Joshua and Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    (L to R) John David Washington as Joshua and Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about the very “human relationship” that Joshua and Alfie form together and creating that chemistry with John David Washington and Madeleine Yuna Voyles?

    GE: Yeah, it was super important that the two of them had that chemistry. It was fundamental to the entire movie. Madeleine, she is beyond her years. She’s like a reincarnated brilliant actress from some other era, I think, because a six-year-old girl should not be able to do that kind of performance she did. Basically, she’s very introverted. You know what I mean? She’s very shy, and so it was hard to get into her bubble and become a friend of hers. She keeps everyone at a distance in a good way. Also, we were in the middle of nowhere in the jungles of Thailand shooting this movie. I couldn’t blame her. But then John David worked really hard to become her best friend and he cracked it. It was really hilarious to watch, because when you do a take and an actor needs to stay in the zone, they’re doing something emotional or something, and what happens, you say, “Cut,” and they go off into the corner and they won’t talk to anyone. They need their little space. He would go off into the corner. Madeleine would just get up, follow him, hold his hand, and start talking about some toy she really liked at home and that she played with, or tell him some random story, the way kids do, that’s completely just something only a kid can say. You’d be hearing this cracking up. John David was such a nice guy. He’d lean down and talk to her, and play, and get all enthusiastic with her. He became her big brother and best friend. They had had a long period of not seeing each other. It was her birthday the other week. We went to Disneyland with her and with John David. Her eyes, just the whole day, it was like she’d been reunited with her best mate. It was beautiful.

    Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie, Gemma Chan as Maya, and Director Gareth Edwards on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'The Creator.'
    (L to R) Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie, Gemma Chan as Maya, and Director Gareth Edwards on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Glen Milner. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Creator’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Creator’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy John David Washington Movies On Amazon

    ‘The Creator’ is produced by New Regency Pictures, 20th Century Studios, McFarland Entertainment, and Entertainment One, and will be in theaters on September 29th.