There’s no limit to what might surprise folks on the 2025 movie schedule, especially when it comes to movies that are in development. While there’s still no confirmation on Natasha Lyonne’s mystery Fantastic Four: First Steps role, we now know more about her upcoming directorial debut. While the project is the first effort in her venture into A.I.-assisted filmmaking, the concept organically lends itself to that sort of execution - and it actually intrigues me.
Natasha Lyonne’s ‘Uncanny Valley’ Project Surprisingly Sounds Good
Per reporting coming from Variety, the Poker Face star has co-written a script named Uncanny Valley, along with The OA vet Brit Marling, for “A.I. production studio” Asteria. Marling will co-star in the picture, which is said to center around the following concept:
…set in a parallel present, Uncanny Valley follows Mila, a teenage girl who begins to lose her grip on reality as a globally popular augmented reality video game starts glitching feverishly with increasingly dangerous real-world consequences.
Whoo boy. Setting aside the controversy surrounding artificial intelligence in the world of moviemaking, Uncanny Valley couldn’t have come at a better time. Seeing as Netflix subscription holders have recently enjoyed Black Mirror’s Season 7 episode “Plaything,” this story actually has me hoping that Natasha Lyonne might link up with Charlie Booker for a future entry of that dystopian anthology. Which, of course, circles us back to discussing that “A.I.-assisted” aspect in greater detail.
The Story And Approach To Uncanny Valley Shows Promise For A.I. Assisted Filmmaking
So knowing that Uncanny Valley’s story is all about an augmented reality game inspiring some real life consequences already makes this pitch a fit for some sort of CGI-enhanced spectacle. Despite being someone who’s super wary of A.I. being abused in the creative process, I’m cautiously optimistic on how the Orange is the New Black star-turned-helmer will be using those tools.
You can thank her co-writing partner Brit Marling for that optimism, as her remarks below cover similar ground to James Cameron’s recent A.I. pivot:
Science fiction can be a powerful tool of resistance — imagining what could be instead of what is. With Asteria’s team, we hope to pioneer ways to use AI that allow filmmakers to tell high-concept stories on budgets that allow for real innovation.
Playing to the brighter side of things, Uncanny Valley sounds like it’s going to use artificial intelligence to assist, rather than replace human artists. Sure enough, the question of budgetary restrictions in crafting such concepts is the driver, based on those comments above.
With even Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos’ comments suggesting that A.I. can help improve the workflow of any given project, we may be seeing a huge shift in Hollywood’s filmmaking process. So long as all involved are upfront about this technology, and the human element is allowed to not only survive, but also thrive in this creative model, that doesn’t sound like a bad thing at all.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see when Uncanny Valley plans on revealing itself to the world. But if you want to see some 100% real human Natasha Lyonne antics, don’t forget to check out Poker Face Season 2, which premieres on Peacock starting May 8th.