IGN has debuted the first official trailer for the forthcoming Blumhouse/Columbia Pictures sci-fi shocker AFRAID (previously titled They Listen), which is set to release this summer.
Written and directed by Chris Weitz (Operation Finale, The Twilight Saga: New Moon), AFRAID sees Curtis (John Cho – Searching, “The Exorcist”) and his family selected to test a revolutionary new home device – a digital family assistant called AIA. Once installed, AIA’s sensors and cameras allow it to learn the family’s behaviors and anticipate their needs, taking the smart home concept to the next level. However, the AI soon becomes overprotective, determined to eliminate any threats to the family.
In addition to Cho, the film’s extensive ensemble cast includes Katherine Waterston (Alien: Covenant, Inherent Vice), Havana Rose Liu (No Exit, Bottoms), Lukita Maxwell (“Shrinking”), David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer, Late Night with the Devil), Riki Lindhome (“Wednesday”, The Last House on the Left), and Keith Carradine (“Fargo”, “Fear the Walking Dead”).
AFRAID is scheduled to roll-out in U.S. theaters on August 30, 2024 and by the looks of the trailer it will undoubtedly spark conversations about the dangers of over-reliance on virtual assistants and the potential consequences of unchecked artificial intelligence.
