Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with The Electric State’s Stanley Tucci, Ke Huy Quan, and Giancarlo Esposito.

The Russo Brothers bring an alternate post-war 1990s US to life with Netflix’s The Electric State.

During this interview, the trio discusses Pasta Fridays, the Russo Brothers’ vision for the film, the epic VFX, and future projects the The Devil Wears Prada sequel and Zootopia 2.

The Russo Brothers, directors, producers, and writers Anthony and Joe, took the MCU to a whole new level with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Now, in their continued collaboration with Netflix, the duo are bringing a new IP to the screen with The Electric State.
Inspired and adapted from Simon Stålenhag’s graphic novel, The Electric State brings to life an alternate US in the ’90s that’s war-torn after an epic battle between humans and robots. The story centers around Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown) and wanderer Keats (Chris Pratt), who set out on a mission to locate the girl’s younger brother. Along the way, they encounter friends and foes alike, rounded out by an A-list cast including Stanley Tucci, Giancarlo Esposito, Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan, Anthony Mackie, and 2025 Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo.
In the lead-up to the movie’s Netflix premiere, Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the opportunity to sit down with Tucci, Quan, and Esposito to find out who really got invited to Tucci’s Pasta Fridays. The trio discusses the film’s next-level VFX, how Netflix collaborated with the Russo Brothers on their vision, and their upcoming projects, including Zootopia 2, The Residence, and an update on The Devil Wears Prada sequel.
So, Who Was Invited to Pasta Fridays, Stanley?

“It’s a little bit of a lie.”

Image via Netflix

COLLIDER: This is one of those days that I love my job. I’m a huge fan of all three of you. You’re great in the movie. I heard that when you were filming, on Fridays, you did something called Pasta Fridays at your house. A.) The most important thing is, why wasn’t I invited? And then B.) what the hell was it like to go to Pasta Fridays at his house?
KE HUY QUAN: I’m going to ask the same question. How come I wasn’t invited?
GIANCARLO ESPOSITO: I’m going to second that. Why wasn’t I invited?
STANLEY TUCCI: Here’s the thing: it’s not true. I don’t know who said that, but it’s not true. We met briefly on the set. We worked together for, like, one day. He and I worked together one day. I didn’t have a house. I had a hotel room, so I wasn’t able to cook anywhere.
So this is a lie?
TUCCI: It’s a little bit of a lie. But there was one Friday when these guys were not around at that point, where I went over to one of the crew members, and we cooked together and a few other people came over. But there was no cast there. A lot of times, we were very separated. I didn’t meet Millie and Chris until the very last day of filming when I wrapped, and I went and said hi to them. Then, that was it. You just met Millie and Chris yesterday?
ESPOSITO: Yesterday, yeah.
TUCCI: So, unfortunately, it’s a little not true. I’m so sorry.
I’ll forgive you on this.
TUCCI: Thank you.
But I’m still a little angry I wasn’t invited.
QUAN: You know, this movie is so massive, even when I watched it for the first time, I went, “Wait, he’s in this?”
TUCCI: Yeah, I know.
QUAN: There are a lot of surprises.
TUCCI: Jason Alexander.
ESPOSITO: Yeah, Colman Domingo? What’s he doing in this movie?
‘The Electric State’s VFX Take the Movie to the Next Level

“The VFX really push it over the top.”

That actually leads to something I want to ask you guys. This is one of those films that has been in post for a while because of the massive amount of VFX needed to bring this story to life. You guys obviously all knew aspects of the film, but what was it actually like seeing the finished film? For me, the VFX were unbelievable. I’m normally the one who notices and nitpicks little things, but my god, the VFX in this are incredible.
ESPOSITO: I have to totally agree. I had three daughters come and join me last night, and my daughter turned to me and whispered, “This is the best VFX movie I’ve seen, ever.” So, the care and meticulous nature of how that is put together was worth taking the time to do it the right way, because it’s all very believable. Coupled with a story that is so profound and so much fun and a journey movie that encompasses such a very deep emotional connection, the VFX really push it over the top to be a movie not only to be enjoyed in a delicious visual sense but also in an incredible emotional sense, as well.
QUAN: I agree. The robots are incredible, the film is incredible. I just have to give a shoutout to our mo-cap actors because they worked so hard. They went to classes. They really spent a lot of time learning those movements. It’s really, on set, the camera capturing the way the robots move, and I think that was really beneficial to our visual effects team. You look at the end credits, and it gives a certain group of people credit, but for a movie of this size and scale, so many people work on it. For me, I just love our motion capture actors.

TUCCI: And they’re very helpful because they’re there when we’re there, so we’re acting with them, and it’s incredibly helpful. I mean, sometimes they’re not there, and you’re just sort of acting with a ball or an X on a stick or something, but when they were there, it was very, very helpful.
QUAN: I love how they move, too.
Netflix Allowed the Russo Brothers to Make the Movie They Wanted

“It is just a great support for a filmmaker who knows what their message is.”

Image via Netflix

I have a million things I could ask you, but one of the things I really want to commend Netflix on is original stories like this. Really, a lot of studios are afraid to take big swings on something like this, and I just want to shoutout to how original the story is and Netflix for making it.
ESPOSITO: They do such a great job in hiring the best to make it and leave them alone to do it. This film was basically shot in parts all over the world, and it kept going until they really perfected it the way they wanted it. And for Netflix to be supportive of filmmakers in doing so, all the way from the very beginning, the inception of the Simon Stålenhag novel, it is just a great support for a filmmaker who knows what their message is, knows which way they want to go, and knows how creatively they want to put all the pieces together. So, it’s great to have a company who understands that and allows that to take place, and supports it all the way through the process.
QUAN: Also, when they were thinking about greenlighting this movie, when they found out that, “Okay, we have Stanley Tucci, Giancarlo Esposito and Ke Huy Quan, that’s it! Done!” [Laughs]
That’s absolutely true. It definitely wasn’t Millie or Chris. 100%.
TUCCI: Who are Millie and Chris?
They’re not actors you worked with.
TUCCI: Oh. I’m looking forward to seeing the film and meeting them.
Are We Really Getting a ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Sequel?

“We’re planning on doing it.”

Image via Fox 

Before I run out of time, I do have to ask you an individual question. You might look at me and not think so, but I absolutely love The Devil Wears Prada.
QUAN: Who doesn’t?
TUCCI: Why wouldn’t I think that?
Maybe you look at me and not think so, but the movie is amazing. There’s a lot of talk about a sequel. Are you actually filming it? Is it being filmed soon?
TUCCI: I cannot answer that question on the grounds that it will incriminate so many people. No, look, we’re planning on doing it. When and if it comes to fruition, I’ll be thrilled. That’s all I can say. I’m sorry.
No, it’s totally fine. I’m a fan of all three of you. What are you all working on this year? What can you share?
ESPOSITO: Well, I’ve just had a really wonderful movie come out called Captain America 4, Anthony Mackie starring in that. That was a really wonderful ride with the Marvel Universe, which is a fantastic thing. I have Electric State, of course, which is going to premiere soon on Netflix. I also have another Netflix project premiering in the next two weeks called The Residence with Paul William Davies, who wrote it, and Shonda Rhimes, who’s producing it, Shondaland. I’m currently shooting a movie in Salt Lake City called Kill Me with Charlie Day. I could go on.

Image via NBC

QUAN: I love all those projects.
TUCCI: Bragging and bragging.
ESPOSITO: Yeah, baby! I’ve got to. Who else is going to toot my own horn?
TUCCI: We’re unemployed.
QUAN: [Laughs] Yeah! Zootopia 2. I’m currently working on that. Very, very, very excited about that.

14:23

Related

“This Will Be My Last Action Movie”: Ke Huy Quan Not Only Led the Action-Packed ‘Love Hurts’ But Helped Choreograph the Fights… And He’s Exhausted!

He also teases ‘The Goonies’ sequel, the “epic” ‘Electric State,’ and his role in ‘Zootopia 2.’

I’m all in on that.
TUCCI: I’m in the process of editing. I shot 10 more episodes. I’m going through Italy and eating and stuff like that, but this time for NatGeo and Disney+. We’re just about to finish editing the first five, and then we’ll finish up editing the second five. And then, I don’t know.
Hopefully a sequel.
The Electric State is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.

The Electric State

Release Date

March 14, 2025

Writers

Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely