What does it mean to be in love when technology is in control?

“Companion,” a breakup story like no other, explores this question through a blend of sci-fi, romance, horror and comedy. The film calls into question the boundaries of human relationships and technology, while navigating topics of love and control.

At a Warner Bros. virtual roundtable on Jan. 26, five days prior to its United States debut, Director and Screenwriter Drew Hancock was joined by the cast to speak with college journalists about the film’s themes and creative processes.

Set to release on Jan. 31, “Companion” follows Iris, a socially anxious young woman played by Sophie Thatcher, who believes she’s organically fallen in love with Josh, portrayed by Jack Quaid. However, her seemingly idyllic relationship unravels when she learns the truth: she’s an AI robot designed to meet his every desire. 

“This is a story about a breakup,” Hancock said. “If you stripped away all the Sci-Fi, if you stripped away all the technology, Iris’s story is something that I think everyone can kind of relate to, which is discovery of self and escaping the trappings of being in a bad relationship.”  

The film flips traditional tropes by making Iris a relatable character despite her intrinsic lack of humanity as a robot while also delving into the very human aspects of toxic relationships and unease surrounding technology, Hancock said.

Hancock said the story originated following classic horror-thriller tropes, but evolved into something much deeper than the archetypal genre. 

“It’s all about [how] we’ve all found ourselves in positions where we’re in relationships where we feel like we’re programmed,” Hancock said.

Thatcher said she related to the struggles Iris faced, being in a relationship “where you lose yourself and you don’t know yourself going in.”

“That’s sad, but it’s very real,” Thatcher said, “I went in with a lot of empathy for Iris, and I saw myself in her.” 

Iris undergoes a gradual transformation, from someone unaware of her own lack of control to a character who reclaims her autonomy, Thatcher said. 

For Quaid, portraying the film’s charming yet controlling antagonist meant peeling back layers of insecurity. He said he realized Josh “commits the cardinal sin of entering a relationship for a very selfish reason.” 

“I think a lot of the human characters in this movie have forgotten what it is like to be human a long time ago,” Quaid said.

Megan Suri, who plays Kat, noted the relevance of the topics discussed in the film. 

“There is a loneliness epidemic, and I do think that it directly parallels with our growing connection to technology,” Suri said. “We need to focus on human connection.”

For Suri, the relationships between characters mirror larger questions about society’s connection — or disconnection — from humanity, especially in the age of advanced technology.

“It’s an interesting conversation about male loneliness in particular, both in a straight and a queer relationship, and the power dynamics that we create in those relationships,” said Lukas Gage, who plays Patrick. 

In the end, “Companion” reveals the devious intentions and hidden truths of its characters, leaving Iris as the unlikely hero — and the most human of them all, said Hancock.

“It’s just a possible future that could exist,” Hancock said. AI is something that could be used for good. It could be used for bad. I do have faith in humanity, and I do think unconditional love is attainable.”

Thatcher agreed with this sentiment, noting how Iris’s story resonates with contemporary audiences, particularly women, sometimes feeling out of control and at a power deficit. 

“She has that lack of power and control in the beginning, and she gains that over herself,” Thatcher said. “And I feel like that is so relevant…I think this is coming out at a really good time, that it will resonate with a lot of women.”