Anthony and Joe Russo, collectively known as the Russo Brothers, have made an undeniable mark on the world of filmmaking. Best known for their groundbreaking work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they directed some of the most successful and beloved films in the franchise, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
Now, the Russo brothers are back with their latest venture, The Electric State—a highly anticipated sci-fi adventure comedy based on the illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag. The film, starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, explores powerful themes of technology and humanity. With a reported budget of $320 million, The Electric State is one of the most expensive films ever made and is set for release on Netflix on March 14.
In this interview, the Russo brothers delve into the creative process behind The Electric State, the challenges of adapting a graphic novel into a film, and the conversations they hope the movie will spark about society’s relationship with tech.
Innovation & Tech Today: You’ve mentioned that you make movies for the viewers. Could you explain what that means to you?
Anthony Russo: Our approach is always for the audience. We’re trying to make films to bring as many people into the tent to watch the movie as possible. We like making big-scale stories that a grandfather could watch with their grandchild, and it crosses a broad spectrum of audiences.
I&T Today: In this film, you’re adapting a graphic novel into a movie. Were there any challenges in translating that medium to the big screen?
Joseph Russo: It’s an incredible graphic novel. It’s certainly darker in tone than what we did with the movie, but the themes are the same. What we found so compelling about the graphic novel was the idea that technology was creating a disassociation between all of us. And the movie’s not intended to demonize technology. Technology has done incredible things for humanity, but people can also become addicted to it. And so, there’s a downside to it.
Like anything in life, you have to have a healthy balance in everything you do. Our relationship to technology has to stay in a healthy balance, and sometimes, it isn’t in today’s world. The movie’s about how you stay connected to the people around you, and that’s what was so compelling, I think, about the graphic novel for us.
I&T Today: You did a great job of infusing a lot of heart into a movie that features a lot of robots. It’s clear that you didn’t want to demonize technology but instead showed that it’s neutral and depends on how we use it and how it affects our lives. What inspired that approach?
AR: Yeah, we were really looking for the humanity in technology and the inhumanity in people. You find both in both. That was really the zone we wanted to play in. We’re in a period of massive technological innovation, and humans are struggling with it, as they always do with new technology. We’re in a period where we’re very conscious of this powerful technology and aren’t sure how to use it the right way, so there’s anxiety around it.
But we can’t forget that technology has done amazing things for humanity throughout history. The digital world we now live in has connected us globally in an unprecedented way, and it’s changing the world in many ways for the better. It’s giving people access to ideas and meaning that go beyond their immediate environments. It’s remarkable. We could go on and on about it. But sometimes, it does come up in a negative context because we don’t understand the problems yet.
I&T Today: This film has a unique blend of retro 90s and futuristic elements. How did you come up with that creative concept, and how did you balance the two?
AR: It was a big part of the thrill for us. We like the idea of paradoxes in storytelling and our creative process. We always look for incongruous ideas to smash into one another. So, like you’re saying, just on an elemental level, combining retroism with futurism, it’s strange and leads to wonderful, unique expressions. That’s what we like about it. We find new things when we do that.
Yes, we wanted the story to feel familiar, so the recognizable historical and nostalgic elements in it help trigger a sense of familiarity and connection. But at the same time, we layered a fantasy level on top that takes you into a brand-new space. It’s just a delightful creative space to play in. It was really fun.
I&T Today: I heard there’s also a video game that accompanies the film, which is awesome. It’s a great way to extend the movie experience in an immersive way. Given that the film tackles powerful and sometimes overwhelming technology, what kind of conversations do you hope it will inspire in the audience?
JR: Some of the robots are more human than the humans, right? So it’s not the technology that’s at fault. It’s the humans. The problem is when we get lost in technology and lose connection to the people around us. We’re dealing with addiction issues. Technology makes it very compulsive to want to use it. And I think today’s younger generation is trying to figure out how to balance technology in their lives, where it touches every aspect. When we grew up, it wasn’t that way. It helped us in certain areas, but now it’s everywhere.
The important part is that people come away from the movie remembering to stay connected.
AR: Yeah, and I think the conversation that comes out of it is about how it’s not the technology itself. It’s how you use it. What is the intent behind the person using it? Is the intent to get people addicted to the technology so they just keep using it without stopping? Or is the intent to put a useful tool in somebody’s hands so they can experience new things and make new connections?
It’s really about that. And I think that’s a very relevant issue today. Because, again, it’s sort of an age-old question with technology. The nuclear bomb, for example, helped end World War II and stop the killing, but it did so through mass killing. Now, we have this dangerous weapon that could do terrible things. It’s really about who is using it and how they are using it.
I&T Today: Here’s a fun question: If you could take a piece of 90s technology and enhance it with something like AI, what device from that era would you choose to upgrade?
JR: I logged hundreds of hours on a Coleco football game. If it had a little AI tech and could vary its strategy against me, I would have appreciated that.
AR: Well, I have the VCR stuck in my head for some reason. There has to be some modern madness that could be brought to that beyond just streaming.
I&T Today: You’ve worked with a lot of powerful characters in cinema. If you could have any of them as an AI sidekick, who would you choose, and what kind of ridiculous tasks would you have them do?
JR: I’d take Pop Fly from Electric State. He’s one of my favorite characters. I like his vintage moxie. I’d do batting practice with him.
AR: I have Electric State on the brain, so I’m thinking about Herman. He and Chris Pratt’s character develop such a wonderful, entertaining relationship. He seems like an ideal wingman for life in general.
Catch The Electric State on Netflix on March 14!
The complete interview will be published in the Spring 9.5 print issue of Innovation & Tech Today! Subscribe here.
