Atlas: Jennifer Lopez to lead Brad Peyton’s Netflix sci-fi thriller

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

When she's not rekindling an old flame with Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez is making movie deals. After signing a first-look deal with Netflix, Lopez has been cast as the lead of Brad Peyton's (Rampage, San Andreas) Atlas, an upcoming sci-fi thriller. Peyton is set to direct while Aron Eli Coleite is busy writing the most recent draft of the script based on Leo Sardarian's original script. In addition to taking on the lead role, Lopez will also produce.

The film follows Atlas, a woman fighting for humanity in a future where an AI soldier has determined the only way to end war is to end humanity. To outthink this rogue AI, Atlas must work with the one thing she fears most — another AI.

I can't say that I blame Atlas for finding AI untrustworthy. It's only a matter of time until our robot overlords rise and finish what a worldwide pandemic started. What's that? You don't believe me? Well, we'll see who's got a top-level position in the big tower during the robot apocalypse and who gets turned into a human battery, won't we? Now, if you'll excuse me, my tinfoil hat needs reshaping.

“I’m so honored to be working with Jennifer, Elaine, and the rest of the team at Nuyorican Productions along with our partners Joby and Tory at Safehouse,” Peyton said. “Having the chance to direct Jennifer in the title role of this movie is a dream come true, as I know she’ll bring the incredible strength, depth, and authenticity we’ve all come to admire from her work. Furthermore, Jeff and I are so excited to be back working with Scott, Ori, and the entire team at Netflix. They have been nothing short of amazing to work with and we are blessed to have the opportunity to make another movie on the service.”

The Atlas film project falls under the newly-established creative partnership forged between Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Netflix where Lopez, producing partner Goldsmith-Thomas, and longtime manager Medina will produce a slate of films, television series, scripted and unscripted content. Each project aims to highlight female actors, writers, and filmmakers. So far, Lopez has two other projects that fall under the new umbrella, including The Mother from director Niki Carpo and The Cipher, based on the novel by Isabella Maldonado.

Having grown up in a Lopez-positive household, I know two women who are going to be very excited to hear about these upcoming projects. My mom even called me from a Jennifer Lopez concert sometime before the pandemic broke. I couldn't hear a damn thing above all the screams.