Anya Taylor-Joy’s ‘Morgan’ AI Thriller Reaches #7 on Max Streaming Chart

In another interesting turn of events that could only happen because of the streaming landscape, the 2010 sci-fi thriller Morgan has reemerged in popular culture, reaching the #7 spot on the top 10 movies list on the streaming platform Max. Directed by Luke Scott (son of renowned filmmaker Ridley Scott), the movie’s newfound relevance might be attributed to the more prevalent discussions and debates on the use of artificial intelligence in the arts.

Morgan revolves around risk-management specialist Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) as she visits a remote facility responsible for creating Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy), an artificial being who was bioengineered with advanced intelligence and growth. The unpredictable and violent nature of Morgan leads to an investigation by Weathers as she is joined by project leader Dr. Lui Cheng (Michelle Yeoh) and Dr. Simon Ziegler (Toby Jones). Things take a dark turn as Morgan begins killing the scientists, and Weathers enters into a fight for survival.

The movie features a surprisingly stacked cast, with the likes of Rose Leslie, Boyd Holbrook, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Giamatti rounding out Morgan with riveting performances in small amounts of screentime. Unfortunately, the film’s thought-provoking premise and concepts aren’t explored to their fullest, especially according to critics. With a “rotten” 39% critics rating and low audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Morgan didn’t do enough to stand out among other sci-fi projects, such as Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, released a year before Scott’s sci-fi movie.

Renewed Interest in ‘Morgan’ Might Be Due to Socially Relevant Themes

Besides the film’s critical failure, Morgan also struggled at the box office, only grossing $8.8 million worldwide against its $30 million budget. While the film had plenty of action, critics would call it “intriguing but flimsy.” The most intriguing part about the production is the early glimpse of the success the younger actors in the film would later find, especially the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy, as Morgan was only the third movie in her career. M. Night Shyamalan’s Split and Barry were the subsequent two films that would further launch her to stardom.

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Paul Giamatti, who last year gained recognition and several awards nominations for his performance in the 2023 film The Holdovers, also had a small and memorable role in the movie as a psychologist who tests Morgan’s psyche. Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh’s performance as one of the researchers is also an example of the actor’s storied career and diversity in roles. Overall, while Morgan may not have been a hit, it’s a fascinating look back at a relatively unrecognized film that starred immense talent who would only gain even further recognition almost ten years later.

Morgan’s popularity on Max is interesting, especially as people revisiting or watching the film for the first time will more than likely recognize the younger versions of the talent mentioned above. While the movie’s exploration of artificial intelligence and its ethical problems were considered shallow at the time, they nonetheless still ring true today, which could be why it’s resurfacing on Max. The streaming service landscape only continues to highlight underappreciated and older films, which is intriguing because of the almost overwhelming amount of new and exclusive content made for these services.