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Gareth Edwards' sci-fi movie The Creator came and went in theaters back in 2023, having since been largely forgotten over the past three years. While it didn't reach the levels of attention that fans would say it deserved at the time, it's now finding more audiences with a sudden rise on the Netflix streaming charts.
As of now, The Creator is ranked as the No. 3 most popular movie on Netflix globally. According to FlixPatrol, it is only following Desire and Death on the Nile. The Creator was added to Netflix in the U.S. in March, but has only just arrived in several other international territories this week. It quickly pulled in strong viewership in these areas, collectively turning The Creator into a worldwide hit.
The Creator Wasn't a Box Office Blockbuster
The sci-fi feature was not a big success at the box office. It surpassed $104 million globally, but given the costly $80 million budget with added marketing costs, it wasn't a profitable film. However, it was highly praised by some viewers, with many of those who took the time to watch it calling The Creator highly underrated. The movie's visuals in particular drew acclaim. It was even nominated for two Oscars, including Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.
Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One, Jurassic World Rebirth) directed The Creator. He also co-wrote the script with Chris Weitz (American Pie). The stellar cast includes names like John David Washington (The Piano Lesson), Gemma Chan (Eternals), Allison Janney (Mom), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai), Sturgill Simpson (Killers of the Flower Moon), Ralph Ineson (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Michael Esper (Beau Is Afraid), and Veronica Ngo (The Old Guard 2).
The Creator Pits Humans Against AI Long Into the Future
The movie is set in the year 2070 at a time when artificial intelligence has been blamed for the detonation of a nuclear weapon, resulting in a war waged against AI in the West. Meanwhile, a region called New Asia continues to live peacefully alongside androids. Joshua (Washington), a former soldier, is sent on a mission to destroy a mysterious inventor known as "The Creator," whom the military believes has built a devastating new weapon that could threaten all of humanity. He discovers the creation to be a young AI child with extraordinary abilities, leaving Joshua to question whether humans or AI are truly the villains.
"It was a completely self-contained story. I don't like films personally that tried to set them—you know, unless, you know, going in [that] this is part of a wider story," Edwards previously told The Direct about The Creator. "I feel like it's a bit cocky to just do part one of a three-part thing if it turns out—Basically, my favorite thing about cinema versus television is that cinema ends."
The Creator is streaming on Netflix.
