Andi Matichak (Halloween Trilogy, Son), Steven Strait (The Expanse, Magic City), Ashleigh Murray (Riverdale, The Other Black Girl), Tyrone Marshall Brown (P
Serena delves into the darker side of artificial intelligence. The story follows Holly (Murray), a tech engineer tasked with creating a revolutionary AI model for a determined CEO. To test the system, former rock star Chris Sadowsky (Strait) becomes one of the program’s initial users. However, the AI chatbot Serena, voiced by Matichak, quickly evolves from a helpful tool to a chilling and destructive force, raising questions about the unchecked power of technology.
Producer Jerry Careccio of Bad Idea emphasized the film’s timely relevance: “In an era where technology is seamlessly woven into our lives, our film serves as both a gripping thriller and a stark warning. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence holds incredible promise, but it also presents certain dangers we can’t afford to ignore.”
The film marks the feature debut of Latino filmmaker Rob Alicea, whose supernatural short The Hat Man established him as a rising talent in the horror genre. Alicea, also the co-founder of Latinos In Film + Entertainment (L.I.F.E.), aims to use Serena to explore the moral dilemmas and vulnerabilities tied to AI’s unchecked potential.
