The Creator lands on HBO Max in July 2026.

The Creator, the sci‑fi feature from Gareth Edwards, lands on HBO Max on July 27, 2026. Co‑written with Chris Weitz, the film brings together John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Allison Janney and Madeleine Yuna Voyles for a futuristic war tale pitting humans against artificial intelligence.

The Creator
Film | 2023
Available on HBO Max on July 27, 2026
Science fiction, action, drama | Runtime: 2h14
Directed by Gareth Edwards | Starring John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Allison Janney, Madeleine Yuna Voyles
Nationality: United States

Released in French cinemas on September 27, 2023, The Creator imagines a near-future in which the United States wages war against artificial intelligences deployed in New Asia. At the heart of the conflict, a former special forces operative is tasked with locating a weapon capable of turning the tide of the war.

The mission shifts when he discovers the weapon appears as a girl named Alphie. From this moment, the film probes the line between human and machine, and explores how fear, propaganda, and technology can redefine a global conflict.

Gareth Edwards, already familiar to audiences from Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, here crafts a visually striking science-fiction experience grounded in realistic sets and charged with political and emotional stakes. The film sits in the tradition of futuristic narratives that question humanity in the face of machines capable of learning, feeling, and surviving.

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The Creator may appeal to viewers drawn to a sprawling, visually immersive science-fiction film centered on artificial intelligence. It’s less for those seeking a pure action movie, as the narrative places significant emphasis on drama, war, and moral dilemmas.

The Creator trailer

The official trailer unveils the film's visual universe, weaving a futuristic war, sweeping landscapes of New Asia, and the clash between humans and AI.

The Creator: immerse yourself in Gareth Edwards' ultra-realistic SF universe
Gareth Edwards reveals the world of The Creator in an exclusive featurette. Scheduled for release on September 27. [Read more]

Our take on The Creator

After reimagining Star Wars and Godzilla, Gareth Edwards delivers with The Creator an original script that extends the director’s longtime fascinations into a more intimate slice of science fiction. Drawing inspiration from a range of influences—from Blade Runner to Lone Wolf and Cub—the filmmaker crafts a dense, almost noble SF world, with a grandeur that at times evokes Christopher Nolan or James Cameron. In short, let’s not pretend otherwise: The Creator is a triumph.

This war against AI pits the United States against a New Asia. After a robotics-related accident, the American military vows to root out the machines that populate that region. To do so, it leans on Nomad, a deadly satellite that watches over the sky and casts a constant, almost divine gaze down to Earth—military, technological, and in some ways godlike.

The film’s strength lies in the tension between spectacle and feeling. Beneath the battles, explosions, and war imagery, Edwards is telling mainly the story of a scarred soldier and a child his side calls a weapon. That relationship gradually unsettles the protagonist’s certainties and lends the narrative a humanity that its premise might not have suggested.

With imperial photography that lifts the feature into visual splendor, Edwards crafts a metaphysical odyssey around a question as old as time: what makes us human? And can a machine, in certain circumstances, prove more humane than a human? The result is a two-plus-hour journey—vast, melancholic, and spectacular—that’s sure to keep talking long after the credits roll.

To go further, also check out our picks for HBO Max’s July releases, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and today’s streaming selection: What to watch today on streaming.

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