‘The Creator’ Director Gareth Edwards on Filming Locations and Cast Dynamics

Gareth Edwards‘ The Creator is a fascinating blend of sci-fi elements with intriguing contemporary themes, which makes for a complex examination of the lives we live today and our relationship with technology, particularly A.I. With the release just a few days away, The Nerds of Color had a chance to talk to Edwards about the guerrilla filmmaking style that helped shape the film to what it is now, the conversations audiences will have after watching, and the cast dynamics.

Set in a not too far off dystopian future, the war between humans and A.I. grows tense. When a nuclear disaster strikes Los Angeles, the U.S. points the blame at the technology that was created to protect them. As such, they enforced a ban on it. However, the Republic of New Asia has embraced A.I. as equals, creating a conflict between the two nations. So when Nomad, U.S. military’s space station, discovers that New Asia’s chief A.I. system Nirmata has created a new weapon called Alpha-O, the U.S. is forced to go behind enemy lines to destroy it before it could be unleashed.

In response, Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving his wife’s disappearance, is recruited to hunt down and kill Nirmata. Going behind enemy lines, Joshua discovers that the very thing he was sent to destroy isn’t a weapon, but a child.

Madeline Voyles as Alphie in 20th Century Studios’ THE CREATOR. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

In our conversation with Edwards, we talk about how much the sci-fi genre is a commentary of the world we live in today, what he hopes audiences talk about after they watch it, and casting Madeleine Yuna Voyles opposite Washington.