| The Pod Generation | |
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 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Sophie Barthes |
| Written by | Sophie Barthes |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Andrij Parekh |
| Edited by |
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| Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 109 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Box office | $31,569[3][4] |
The Pod Generation is a 2023 science fiction romantic comedy film written and directed by Sophie Barthes.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2023.
Plot
[edit]A New York couple, Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor), live in a not-so-distant future. A rising tech company executive, Rachel lands a coveted spot on the waitlist for the Womb Center, which offers couples maternity by way of detachable artificial wombs, or pods. Alvy, a botanist with an affection for nature, prefers a natural pregnancy. Despite their different perspectives, they decide to go forward with the Womb Center's services in order to conceive a child.
Cast
[edit]- Emilia Clarke as Rachel Novy
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Alvy Novy
- Megan Maczko as Elena; Novy Household "Cognitive Assistant"
- Vinette Robinson as Alice; Rachel's colleague and friend
- Matthieu Sys as Ben; Alice's Husband
- Eliza Butterworth as Masha; a new generation of "Cognitive Assistants"
- Rosalie Craig as Womb Center Director
- Kathryn Hunter as post office clerk
- Jean-Marc Barr as Pegazus founder
Production
[edit]It was announced in October 2021 that Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor would star in the film, which was to be written and directed by Sophie Barthes.[5] In May 2022, Rosalie Craig, Vinette Robinson and Kathryn Hunter were reported as added to the cast.[6] Rita Bernard-Shaw and Megan Maczko were reported as part of the cast in November 2022.[7]
Filming took place in March 2022 in Belgium.[8]
Release
[edit]The Pod Generation premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2023.[9] In March 2023, Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment acquired North America rights and released the film in limited cinemas on 11 August 2023.[10][11]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 41% of 76 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The website's consensus reads: "With its roundabout script undermining solid performances from Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor, The Pod Generation stimulates the mind but not much else."[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Pod Generation de Sophie Barthes (2022)". Unifrance. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "The Pod Generation (12)". British Board of Film Classification. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "The Pod Generation". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "The Pod Generation (2023) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (25 October 2021). "Emilia Clarke, Chiwetel Ejiofor to Star in Sci-Fi Romance The Pod Generation, MK2 Films Boards Sales – AFM (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (4 May 2022). "The Pod Generation: Anatomy Of A Scandal Star Rosalie Craig And Boiling Point Breakout Vinette Robinson Board Sci-Fi Romcom Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor & Emilia Clarke". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ 2023 In Film: 10 Highly Anticipated Sci-Fi Movies Coming in 2023
- ^ Appel à candidatures: envie de figurer aux côtés d’Emilia Clarke («Game Of Thrones») et Chiwetel Ejiofor («Twelve Years A Slave»)? (in French)
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (7 December 2022). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors; More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (28 March 2023). "Sundance Prize Winner The Pod Generation Starring Emilia Clarke & Chiwetel Ejiofor Set For Release By Roadside Attractions & Vertical". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Rath, Katy (4 August 2023). "The Pod Generation: Release Date, Trailer & Everything We Know". Screen Rant. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "The Pod Generation". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "The Pod Generation". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
