Jennifer Lopez leads the cast of the new Atlas movie, adding to her impressive, growing movie credits. As an musical icon. Lopez is one of Hollywood’s singers who have successfully transitioned into acting. Moving away from her known rom-com roles, movie audiences will watch Lopez take on another action role. The Atlas movie is part of Netflix’s lineup of films in May 2024.
Atlas is the second movie from the multi-year first-look deal Netflix signed with Jennifer Lopez and her production company, Nuyorican Productions. Judging by the success of the 2023 The Mother, there’s much anticipation that Atlas will be another hit on Netflix. Here’s everything to know about Jennifer Lopez’s new movie, Atlas.
What Is the Atlas Movie About?
Atlas centers around its protagonist, Atlas Shepherd, a reclusive data analyst who deeply distrusts Artificial Intelligence (AI). Atlas’ distrust of AI and computers stems from a trauma in her life. Her parents helped usher in a new era of technology—AI and robotics. Besides, Harlan, a sentient, humanoid AI, was created by Atlas’ mother to help protect and save humanity. However, Harlan went rogue, turning on humans to lead one of the world’s deadliest military attacks.
When the world’s military comes together to take a stand against Harlan’s terror, Atlas joins forces to stop her brother. However, the anti-terrorist mission against Harlan quickly goes awry. Alone and stranded on a distant planet, Atlas is safe from the elements strapped in a high-powered armor suit. However, she soon learns the suit is controlled by an Al named Smith. Plagued by her trauma and distrust for Al, she tried to survive alone. Atlas soon realizes that to survive, she must put her faith in Smith, learning to trust an artificial intelligence.
Who Stars in the Atlas Movie?
Jennifer Lopez leads the cast as the title character, Atlas Shepherd. Atlas marks a new milestone for the singer-turned-actress. It would be the first time the actress would play the lead in a science fiction movie. For most of her three-decade career, Jennifer Lopez has starred in rom-coms. Besides The Mother, Lopez is famous for roles in The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002), The Back-up Plan (2010), and Hustlers (2019). Cast as Atlas’ main villain is Chinese-born Canadian actor u. Liu plays Harlan, a renegade AI who has declared war on humans.
Simu Liu has landed several significant roles in film and television in the last decade. The actor is known for playing Jung Kim in Kim’s Convenience (2016–2021), Shaun/Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), and the rival Ken in Barbie (2023). American actor Sterling K. Brown, who plays Colonel Elias Banks, is also joining the Atlas movie in a supporting role. The character is the Commanding officer of the anti-terrorist mission against Harlan.
Sterling K. Brown’s most recognized roles include The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016), This Is Us (2016–2022), Black Panther (2018), Hotel Artemis (2018), and American Fiction (2023). Also, Gregory James Cohan voices Smith, the AI controlling the high-powered armor suit. Abraham Popoola joins the cast as Casca Decius, one of Harlan’s trusted AI soldiers. Actress Lana Parrilla also joins the Atlas movie cast as Jennifer Lopez’s on-screen mother, Val Shepherd. British actor Mark Strong rounds up the top cast as General Boothe.
Atlas Production Timeline & Release Date
Canadian filmmaker Brad Peyton directs Atlas. The director is known for his frequent collaboration with Dwayne Johnson, having directed Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), San Andreas (2015), and Rampage (2018). Screenwriter Leo Sardarian wrote Atlas original screenplay, with Aron Eli Coleite later hired to make necessary rewrites. Aron Eli Coleite was hired for the rewrite, having worked with Brad Peyton as co-creators of the Netflix 2019 post-apocalyptic comedy-drama TV series Daybreak.
Filming of Atlas took place in Los Angeles and New Zealand. The movie’s principal photography began on August 26, 2022, and wrapped exactly three months later on November 26, 2022. Atlas is scheduled for release on Netflix on May 24, 2024. Judging by the release plans of Jennifer Lopez’s The Mother movie with Netflix, there are no plans for a theatrical release for Atlas. The movie is available to anyone with an active Netflix subscription. If you’ll be watching the Atlas movie, also check out Benedict Cumberbatch’s new series, Eric.
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