Bankside Films calls it a 'funny, moving and thought-provoking story' that explores the human desire to hold on to loved ones through technology.
Insiders note this is a rare Hollywood move: a major studio backing a high-concept AI comedy right as public anxiety about chatbots peaks. Is it satire or prophecy?
Filming is currently underway in Glasgow. Director Matt Lipsey stated, 'We thought we were making a film about the future. It turns out it’s about right now.'
Hollywood is betting big that we’re ready to laugh at our digital ghosts before we’re forced to live with them.
Stop scrolling and start sweating, because Hollywood just made a very bold, very timely move. Juno Temple, Joey King, and James McAvoy are officially locked in for “Almost You,” a sci-fi comedy that sounds less like fiction and more like a documentary of our current collective nervous breakdown. The film, which is currently shooting in Glasgow, is helmed by Matt Lipsey, the director behind multiple episodes of the Emmy-winning “Ted Lasso.” Lipsey isn’t just jumping on a bandwagon; he’s claiming the ride was always meant to be this way. In a statement that drips with dramatic irony, Lipsey admitted, “We thought we were making a film about the future. It turns out it’s about right now.” The plot is simple, terrifying, and deeply human. Juno Temple plays Phoebe, a brilliant robotics engineer who is drowning in the grief of losing her younger sister, Edie. Unable to let go, Phoebe defies every protocol of her tech company and uses years of digital crumbs—messages, videos, and social media posts—to construct a lifelike AI replica of her sister. Initially, it’s pure joy. It’s comfort. But as any good drama requires, the comfort turns into a question that keeps us all up at night: if you could bring someone back, should you? It’s a premise that feels ripped from the headlines, which is exactly why the casting of Temple and King, who both have serious chops in handling emotional complexity, is such a strategic masterstroke. Behind the camera, the production muscle is flexing hard. James McAvoy reunites with producer Danny Page, who previously worked with McAvoy on his directorial debut “California Schemin’.” The film is being produced by Homefront Productions and Blazing Griffin, with financing from heavy hitters like Yeti Entertainment and Head Gear Films. Bankside Films has acquired worldwide sales rights, teaming up with UTA Independent Film Group for North American and UK representation. This isn’t some indie gamble; it’s a calculated worldwide push. Adde Stephen Kelliher of Bankside Films described the project as having “genuine emotional depth and humour,” arguing that it explores the boundaries of what is possible in a world where technology is increasingly challenging our definitions of life and death. The real tea here is the timing. We are living in an era where AI companions are becoming mainstream, and the line between digital simulation and emotional reality is blurring by the day. Lipsey promises the film will “make you laugh, then break your heart, then make you laugh about it.” That emotional whiplash is exactly what the market is craving right now. With McAvoy, Temple, and King leading the charge, “Almost You” isn’t just a movie; it’s a mirror held up to our digital addiction. The receipts show a production that is moving fast and aiming high, capitalizing on a cultural moment that feels less like a trend and more like a turning point.
