Chris Weitz directed the Sony thriller that was previously known as 'They Listen' and hits theaters next month.
John Cho in 'Afraid.'COURTESY OF SONY
John Chobegins to regret using an AI device to keep his loved ones safe in the first trailer for thethriller featureAfraid.
Sonyreleased the trailer Wednesday for writer-directorChris Weitz‘s film that hits theaters Aug. 30 and was formerly known by the titleThey Listen. Hailing fromColumbia PicturesandBlumhouse Productions,Afraidcenters on Curtis (Cho), whose household is selected to test a groundbreaking digital family assistant called AIA. However, the family soon realizes that AIA might have become a bit too attached to them.
“I’m not crazy about having them everywhere,” Curtis’ wife (Katherine Waterston) says in the trailer about all the cameras and sensors being set up in their home.
Later, Cho warns, “There is something very wrong with AIA.” He adds, “Get out of the house, now.”
Havana Rose Liu, David Dastmalchian, Lukita Maxwell, Keith Carradine and Riki Lindhome round out the cast ofAfraid. Weitz,Jason Blumand Andrew Miano serve as producers. Beatriz Sequeira, Paul O. Davis, Dan Balgoyen and Britta Rowings are executive producers.
Weitz’s previous features as director includeAbout a Boy(2002),The Golden Compass(2007),The Twilight Saga: New Moon(2009) and the Oscar Isaac-starringOperation Finale(2018).
Cho’s recent movie credits includeDon’t Make Me Go(2022),The Grudge(2020) andSearching(2018), while he has appeared on such television series asThe SympathizerandCowboy Bebop.
Blumhouse previously explored the fears surrounding AI with the 2022 hitM3GAN, which hasa sequel setfor release in June 2025 and aspinoffSOULM8TEin the works.
