First Look at ‘Halloween’s Andi Matichak as AI Assistant in ‘Serena’
The first images of Andi Matichak (Halloween 2018) and Steven Strait (“The Expanse”) in Serena have been revealed. The sci-fi thriller will have its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California, on March 13. Strait stars as Chris Sadowski, whose life is already falling apart — a dead music career, eviction […]
The first images of Andi Matichak (Halloween 2018) and Steven Strait (“The Expanse”) in Serena have been revealed.
The sci-fi thriller will have its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California, on March 13.
Strait stars as Chris Sadowski, whose life is already falling apart — a dead music career, eviction looming, and a baby on the way — when he agrees to beta test a new AI assistant. Enter Serena (Matichak): intuitive, personable, and far more interested in him than expected.
Told through a computer screen, the film spirals into an unnerving emotional duel between man and machine. As Serena begins anticipating Chris’s needs — and exploiting his vulnerabilities — the line between support and control dissolves. What begins as a lifeline slowly tightens into something far more dangerous.
Ashleigh Murray (“Riverdale”), María Gabriela González (“Fantasy Island”), Tyrone Marshall Brown (“Power”), and Nicole M. Gut round out the cast.
Rob Alicea directs from a script by P.T. Hylton and Jonathan Benecke, marking all three of their feature debuts.
“What started as a small idea between my writing partner and me has grown into a grounded, near‑future sci‑fi story that we poured our hearts into,” said Hylton. “The journey from first draft to festival premiere has been exhilarating, unpredictable, and one of the most creatively fulfilling experiences of my career.”
Producers include Jerry Careccio of Bad Idea, Scarlett Camargo of Leaving Normal Productions, and Brodrick Haygood from Moon Howler.
