Juno Temple, Joey King and James McAvoy Set for ‘Almost You’

By Daniel Okafor

Juno Temple, Joey King and James McAvoy are set to star in Almost You, now shooting in Glasgow. Matt Lipsey directs the upcoming science-fiction comedy centred on artificial intelligence (AI), which follows a robotics engineer who defies workplace protocols to create a replica of her dead sister.

Temple’s credits include Ted Lasso and Fargo. King starred in We Were the Lucky Ones and The Act. McAvoy’s credits include The Last King of Scotland and Atonement.

What does Almost You ask about AI and grief?

The production’s synopsis identifies Edie as Phoebe’s younger sister. It describes Phoebe as a brilliant robotics engineer struggling to come to terms with Edie’s death. She works for a technology company, then breaks its protocols to build the replica.

Years of messages, videos and social media posts provide the raw material for a lifelike likeness. Her project resembles rebuilding a person from an old phone archive. The title, at least, gets the method straight.

At first, the invention brings Phoebe joy and comfort. Eventually, her extraordinary invention forces her to confront one impossible question. The synopsis asks it directly: “if you could bring someone back, should you?”

Lipsey said: “There’s never been a movie that needed to be made more than this one,” he said. “We thought we were making a film about the future. It turns out it’s about right now. Juno, Joey and James will make you laugh, then break your heart, then make you laugh about it.”

Kelliher said:

“We are incredibly excited to be working with Matt Lipsey and this exceptional cast on ‘Almost You.’ Combining a wonderfully original premise with genuine emotional depth and humour, the film explores the very human desire to hold on to the people we love, in a world where technology increasingly challenges the boundaries of what is possible.

It is a funny, moving and thought-provoking story which we believe will resonate strongly with audiences around the world.”

Who is behind Almost You?

Bankside Films has acquired the feature for worldwide sales. The company also co-represents the film for the UK and North America with UTA Independent Film Group.

Danny Page produces for Homefront Productions and Blazing Griffin. He works alongside Matt Schichter of Scared Goose Entertainment and Rory Stewart. Schichter’s credits include Mother Father Sister Brother Frank and CFNY: The Spirit of Radio.

The film is being produced in association with Parker Films (James McAvoy and Lisa Liberati). Blazing Griffin and Homefront Productions provide financing. Yeti Entertainment and Head Gear Films also provide finance.

Almost You reunites McAvoy with Page, who produced his directorial debut, California Schemin’, recently released in the US. Page also produced McAvoy’s latest feature, Faith, which debuted in Toronto.

Lipsey’s credits include multiple episodes of the Emmy-winning Ted Lasso, plus Inside No. 9 and Little Britain. The résumé suggests a director comfortable changing registers. The synopsis gives him room to do it.

Who represents the cast?

Agencies handle representation for Lipsey and the three principal cast members. The agency lists cover one name for Lipsey, four each for King and McAvoy, five for Temple, with UTA and The Lede Company shared across the cast.

• Matt Lipsey: Curtis Brown Group.
• Juno Temple: UTA, Maison 2, B-Side, Relevant and Lichter, Grossman.
• Joey King: WME, Brillstein, The Lede Company and Hirsch Wallerstein.
• James McAvoy: United Agents, UTA, The Lede Company and Sloane Offer.

Where does Almost You go after Glasgow?

Bankside has acquired the film for worldwide sales while production runs in Glasgow. The premise is simple; the ethics are not. The next test comes after the cameras stop, when the film must answer the moral question embedded in Phoebe’s experiment rather than simply leave its audience to settle the ethics at home.