The Creative Challenge of Bringing Companion to Life

Pre-release marketing for Warner Bros.’s Companion might have given away the entire game, but that’s not entirely true. Writer/director Drew Hancock and his leads, Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, faced a creative challenge in bringing this sci-fi thriller to life.

The Robot Reveal and the Twist

Shortly after the robot reveal, it turns out that Iris (Thatcher) is a pawn in a scheme by her boyfriend Josh (Quaid) and his friend Kat (Megan Suri) to kill Kat’s boyfriend Sergey (Rupert Friend) and steal the cash in his vault. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hancock revealed that Iris would have originally killed Sergey with an automatic wine cork. However, when it came time to kill Josh, he swapped the plan, and now Josh would get the wine cork, while Sergey took a pocket knife to the throat, a weapon Josh placed into Iris’s things.

The Final Scene and the Cast’s Reaction

As for Thatcher and Quaid, they both felt a bit nutty shooting Josh’s demise, which was done at 5 am. Thatcher admitted to EW that she was "pretty fucking exhausted" by that point, which "added to the madness of it all." Quaid echoed that sentiment, calling it "one of the most creative ways I’ve ever died in something." The final scene was so funny that the cast and crew clapped as the movie was over.

The Ending and the Future of Companion

Companion ends with Iris driving off with Sergey’s money and now with full self-control thanks to a technician from her creator, Empathix. Hancock told Variety that he has tiny ideas for a follow-up, but they’re just small thoughts about what Iris sees when she’s asleep, potentially finding love again, or giving human life a spin. Alternatively, there’s always the Smile route and focusing on a new protagonist. However, such plans will have to wait, as Hancock is now working on a reboot of The Faculty.

What’s Next for Companion and io9

Let us know what you thought about Companion, and if it should come back for more sci-fi thrills, in the comments below. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.