Spiderhead is a 2022 American sci-fi psychological thriller film directed by Joseph Kosinski, with a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, based on the dystopian short story "Escape from Spiderhead" by George Saunders and first published in The New Yorker. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, and Jurnee Smollett. The story follows inmates in a luxurious prison who participate in experiments involving mind-altering drugs. Principal photography took place in Australia in 2020.
Promotional release poster
Filming took place at the Hinze Dam in Queensland, Australia
Joseph Kosinski is an American film director, best known for his computer graphics and computer-generated imagery (CGI) work, and for his work in action films. He has directed the films Tron: Legacy (2010), Oblivion (2013), Only the Brave (2017), Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Spiderhead (2022). His previous work has primarily been with CGI-related television commercials including the "Starry Night" commercial for Halo 3 and the award-winning "Mad World" commercial for Gears of War.
Kosinski at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
Christopher McQuarrie, Kenneth R. Whitesell, Tom Cruise, Kosinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer at the Naval Air Station North Island premiere in Top Gun: Maverick