The Electric State promised big adventure and even bigger action during its panel at New York Comic Con, where Anthony and Joe Russo showcased their latest Netflix film.
The panel, which featured cast members like Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown, was met with excitement from an energetic audience at the Empire Stage on Thursday. The event took place just hours after a new teaser trailer was released online.
Set to debut on Netflix on March 16, the film is an adaptation of Simon Stalenhag’s graphic novel, which explores a conflict between humans and intelligent machines, taking place in the 1990s.
The Electric State follows Michelle (played by Brown), a young woman accompanied by a charming but enigmatic robot.
She embarks on a cross-country journey with Keats (played by Pratt), an eccentric drifter, to search for her brother in a retro-futuristic version of the U.S., where a fragile peace exists after a war between humans and artificial intelligence.
Joe Russo humorously mentioned that he’s “exhausted” with his current workload, which includes two upcoming *Avengers* films, and reflected on the five years he and Anthony have been developing this project.
The two were excited to reunite with some of their collaborators from Avengers: Endgame, such as Pratt, Anthony Mackie, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
“It’s a real passion project,” Joe said. “We’re very, very excited to bring it to audiences. It’s massive in scale. We love telling very big stories.”
Pratt revealed that although he had initially planned to take a break before reading the script, the opportunity to work with previous collaborators and the compelling story drew him in.
“It’s not the kind of thing that typically gets made to be a blockbuster-style movie like this. It’s so original, it’s a huge swing,” he said. “I thought that these types of movies might be my last opportunity to be in a big movie like this… I was moved to tears reading [the script].”
Anthony Russo discussed the challenges of adapting Stalenhag’s graphic novel, praising its “fascinating” artwork and comparing the experience to their work adapting Marvel properties for Captain America: Winter Soldier, Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Endgame.
“The graphic novel is very opaque,” he noted. “You can tell there’s a much larger world behind what he’s telling you… You have to get much more specific about the narrative.”
Tackling the story within a two-hour feature film required focusing on key aspects of the novel. “We had great fun diving in and using his incredible artwork as inspiration,” Anthony said.
The Russo brothers, who began their careers in television with shows like Arrested Development and Community, said there are elements of Community in The Electric State, along with discussions of timely issues.
Joe Russo shared an intriguing look into the film’s alternate history: “Imagine a 1990s where, in the late ’50s, Disney animatronics became sentient and started demanding equal rights. That’s where the war comes from.”
Pratt added that the film’s ’90s setting reflects modern issues. A behind-the-scenes clip revealed how the film pays homage to ’90s pop culture, featuring props like Big Mouth Billy Bass, Cabbage Patch Kids, Barbie dolls, VHS tapes, and Beanie Babies, mixed with modern technology. The film will celebrate the nostalgia of the era while integrating contemporary themes.
Joe Russo also drew inspiration from classic ’80s films like those produced by Amblin Entertainment and directed by Robert Zemeckis, as well as Alan Silvestri’s iconic scores, particularly referencing Back to the Future.
Millie Bobby Brown spoke about her preparation for the role, explaining that she had limited time between projects but still took time to shape her “angsty teen” character.
Brown said she sent the Russos images of Drew Barrymore from the ’90s as inspiration. “I had never done anything like this before,” Brown said. “It was very different. The Russos did such a beautiful job in directing my trajectory… We really found it together.”
New footage showed a scene where Brown and Pratt’s characters are transported in an old Volkswagen van by Herman, Keats’ massive robot friend, voiced by Anthony Mackie.
As Keats reminisces about why he has trust issues and how he met Michelle, they encounter danger in a seemingly abandoned mall, only to be attacked by a robot after their van is overturned.
Following the clip, Joe elaborated on Herman’s backstory, explaining that the robot, like the other characters, is dealing with trauma and is a “dropout” from robot society.
“Technology’s pervasive in the movie, but none of them want to participate in it, and they found their own way to escape it,” he said. “Herman is a dropout… They live off the grid and on the run.”
Both Brown and Pratt shared how working with motion capture technology presented unique challenges. Brown expressed her gratitude to the Russos and the motion capture team, saying, “We didn’t have to do most of the work.”
In addition to Pratt and Brown, the star-studded cast includes Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, Jason Alexander, Giancarlo Esposito, and Woody Norman, with voice talents from Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, and Jenny Slate, who play the film’s key robot characters. The Russos also spoke about their love for ensemble casts, which is evident in *The Electric State*.
Anthony explained, “We are big fans of ensemble storytelling… You develop a sense of community and an appreciation for the variety of voices that contribute to your experience.”
To close out the panel, Brown emphasized the importance of escapist films for families, something the Russos touched on earlier in the discussion. “It truly takes you on a journey,” she said.
“Escapism is huge, and I think it’s so lovely for families to have that moment where they’re able to take themselves out of this world… and put themselves into a world that is so transformative.”
