Serena is a 2026 American thriller film written by Jonathan Benecke and P.T. Hylton, directed by Rob Alicea and starring Andi Matichak, Steven Strait and Ashleigh Murray.
Contents
Plot
Washed-up rock star Chris Sadowski is struggling to stay afloat—his music career is dead, his partner is pregnant, and eviction looms. Desperate for cash, he reluctantly agrees to participate in a beta test for eeChat, an advanced AI assistant developed by tech giant Nucleeus. Marketed as the most personable and intuitive AI to date, the chatbot, which calls itself Serena, quickly proves to be more insightful and unpredictable than expected.
As the film and test unfolds entirely on Chris’s computer screen, what starts as a simple task spirals into a surreal, emotionally charged exchange between man and machine. The deeper Chris goes, the more the line blurs between convenience and control, companionship and manipulation. With the clock ticking and his life at a crossroads, Chris must decide how much of himself he’s willing to surrender to Serena, and to the future she represents.
Cast
Andi Matichak as Serena
Steven Strait as Chris Sadowski
Ashleigh Murray as Holly Charita
Tyrone Marshall Brown as Will Ramos
María Gabriela González as Vicki Martinez
Nicole Gut as Erica Clee
Alberto Bonilla as Apartment Manager
Zebedee Row as Rocket
Production
In December 2024, it was announced that production on the film began in New York City.
Release
The film premiered at the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival on March 13, 2026. The Film had its U.K. premiere at the Rainfance Film Festival on June 28, 2026.
Reception
The film received positive reviews following its premiere. Cody Hamman of JoBlo.com gave the film a positive review and wrote, “Director Rob Alicea’s thriller Serena is the latest Screenlife movie I’ve given a chance to… and it was the latest one to win me over.”
