Ashleigh Murray (The Other Black Girl) and Tyrone Marshall Brown (Power) are among the cast of the upcoming A.I.-themed thriller Serena. The film, currently in production in New York City, marks the feature directorial debut of Rob Alicea.
The cast also includes Andi Matichak (Halloween trilogy), Steven Strait (The Expanse), María Gabriela González (Fantasy Island), and Nicole Gut. Written by Jonathan Benecke and P.T. Hylton, Serena is being produced by Jerry Careccio of Bad Idea, Scarlett Camargo of Leaving Normal Productions, and Brodrick Haygood of Moon Howler. Casting was handled by Sig De Miguel and Stephen Vincent of S2 Casting.
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The story centers on Holly, played by Murray, a tech engineer hired by a CEO to develop an A.I. model aimed at revolutionizing her company. Before the technology can go live, it must undergo testing. Enter Chris Sadowsky (Strait), a struggling former rock star recruited to participate in the trial. Things take a dark turn when the A.I., a chatbot named Serena (portrayed by Matichak), transforms from an innocent tool into a chillingly manipulative force, wreaking havoc with no moral boundaries.
Director Rob Alicea brings a diverse creative background to the project, having previously helmed the comedy series Adulthood (premiered at the 2017 HBO New York Latino Film Festival) and the supernatural thriller short The Hat Man. He also co-wrote the psychological horror script Just Smile with Alexander Vargas for Luz Films.
Producer Jerry Careccio emphasized the film’s relevance, stating, “In an era where technology is seamlessly woven into our lives, our film serves as both a gripping thriller and a stark warning. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence holds incredible promise, but it also presents certain dangers we can’t afford to ignore. With a killer script and under Rob’s human vision, Serena aims to shine a light on the dilemmas, vulnerabilities, and costs of an unchecked A.I. revolution.”