Sci-fi might be one of the most popular movie genres, but that doesn’t mean that these are movies without controversy — particularly when it comes movies that are adaptations of books and other, pre-existing media. Fans, particularly of books, come into these adaptations with very specific expectations that don’t always quite get met which in turn can cause a movie to maybe not be met with the best response. That’s the case with a 2004 Will Smith blockbuster that’s about to head back to streaming in May.
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May 1st will see the arrival of I, Robot on Hulu. The film had previously streamed on the platform back in February. Directed by Alex Proyas and starring Smith along with Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, and Alan Tudyk, I, Robot may share the name of Isaac Asimov’s 1950 short story collection, but the film is actually nothing like the written material. Asimov’s work served as a framework for something else entirely and while critics didn’t quite come to a consensus about the film, it’s actually a lot better than it was given credit for at the time.
I, Robot Hits Different Two Decades After Its Initial Release
Part of what makes I, Robot surprisingly better than it was given credit for at the time of its release is how it fits into the current state of technology and the rise of AI. The world of I, Robot is set in 2035 Chicago where highly intelligent robots fill public service positions but operate under the Three Laws of Robotics in order to keep humanity safe. However, when the founder of a robotics company allegedly ends his own life, Detective Del Spooner (Smith) suspects that a humanoid robot named Sunny (Tudyk) is actually responsible for the murder. Yet, as Spooner investigates, he finds himself uncovering a much larger and more sinister conspiracy.
The themes and questions in I, Robot are very timely now in 2026. We’re seeing AI become more and more integrated in our lives. It isn’t hard to imagine artificial intelligence driven robots becoming a real threat for humanity or even used to control humanity, which makes some of the turns in the film particularly interesting to watch now. However, at the time the film was released, while the film did appeal to audiences, there was some divisiveness in terms of how faithful of an adaptation of Asimov’s work it was. There were also criticisms of the film’s CGI action scenes — though it is worth noting that the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. You can check it out for yourself when it returns to Hulu on May 1st.
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