The Russo Brothers, known for directing some of the most successful Marvel Cinematic Universe Films, have teamed up with Netflix for a film about rebellious Disneyland Resort animatronics. The movie–The Electric State (2025)–stars Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Alan Tudyk, and more.
The Electric State is set in an imagined version of 1994, which the directors hoped would take viewers out of their modern-day opinions on technology.
“It could be an assaultive theme if the story were set in the present day,” he told Vanity Fair. “Sometimes we find that when you couch it in a fable, and you remove it from its immediacy, you can create space for people to process it differently.”
The plot follows a young woman named Michelle, played by Millie Bobby Brown, on a quest to locate her lost brother amidst post-war tensions between humans and advanced robots. Both groups struggle to thrive in a world where humanity grapples with the consequences of its innovations.
As society continues to navigate a world overwhelmed by technological advancements, the film contemplates what it means to be human. The robots, who began as rebellious Disneyland Resort animatronics, strive for recognition and rights, prompting viewers to reflect on the relationship between creator and creation.
Brown portrays the heartbroken Michelle, who is searching for a long-lost brother she once believed died in a car crash–that is, until he began sending her signals through a tin robot named Kid Cosmo, who can only speak in catchphrases (Alan Tudyk).
Chris Pratt plays Keats, a war veteran turned truck driver entangled in a smuggling operation alongside his former enemy, Herman, a robot who can swap between increasingly varying sizes of himself. Keats and Michelle join up for what the Russo brothers call a mix between speculative sci-fi and a classic “buddy cop” adventure.
The robots are led by Mr. Peanut, voiced by Woody Harrelson. Hormel (parent company of Planters) conceded rare creative control of their to the Russo brothers. He serves as a representation of the animatronics’ quest for agency and recognition in a world that has predominantly marginalized them.
“It was a delicate balance because you don’t want to overwhelm the movie with commercialism or a level of reality that pulls you out of the fable, but we felt like Mr. Peanut fit the tone of the design of the other robots, and we thought it funny that he was essentially their Atticus Finch,” Joe Russo told Vanity Fair. “The most well-spoken and thoughtful of the robots is a peanut with a cane and a top hat.”
Chris Pratt told Vanity Fair that The Electric State grapples with the effects of real-world wars.
“There’s a level of humanity that’s lost in war,” he said. “You almost have to look at your enemy as a robot, as some devious killing machine. It’s you or them…Once the war is over and the decision-makers have decided to sign a truce, I think it’s very easy to recognize yourself in the soldiers that you’re fighting against.”
The Electric State is scheduled to premiere on Netflix in March 2025. Other castmates include Jenny Slate (Penny Pal), Brian Cox (Popfly), Ke Huy Quan (Dr. Amherst), Stanley Tucci (Ethan Skate), and Giancarlo Esposito (Colonel Bradbury).
The Russo brothers aren’t done with The Walt Disney Company. The iconic directors are set to return to Marvel Studios for Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Have you ever been afraid of an animatronic at Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments.
