Companion (2025) Needs a Comic Book Sequel

This movie feels like reading an indie comic.

Warning! You should go into this movie blind, turn away now if you want to avoid information about the plot and premise. Save this for later.

Companion is a must watch sci-fi thriller killer robot movie with a badass android final girl that feels like you’re reading an indie comic book. Companion premiered January 31st, written and directed by Drew Hancock starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid— rightfully keeping a steady “A” score on rotten tomatoes opening weekend.

If they do decide to make a sequel, and I hope they do, Companion would brilliantly work as a comic book following an android, Iris, fighting for robotic liberation. Luckily, Companion is a Warner Bros. movie meaning that, presumably and hopefully, DC Comics or even Vertigo would have first dibs when it comes to bringing this story into the world of comics.

Spoilers ahead.

We first meet Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher) in a romantic meet-cute setting— bumping into each other at the grocery store. Things take a dark turn when Iris, through narration (seen in the trailer), reveals “There have been two moments in my life when I was the happiest. The first was the day I met Josh. And the second— the day I killed him.” If you hadn’t watched the trailer, you wouldn’t know at first that Iris is a robot. But if you did know, you’re left wondering who knows, and if Iris herself even knows that she isn’t human. There are clues, though, like Sophie’s off-putting mannerisms, her making Josh thank his self-driving car, reciting the weather as if she is Siri (which could be perceived as a joke), and even the way Josh says “Iris, go sleep.” which feels like a Siri command (though, not an uncommon tone men use with women).

Josh plans a vacation with Iris for a weekend away at an isolated off-grid mansion with a group of friends. We see Iris express anxiety around the social aspect of hanging out with his friends and the disdain that Josh’s friend Kat (Megan Suri) has for her thus fleshing out her character and making us question if she actually is a robot, and if she is, is she sentient? Everything changes when she finds a knife in her pocket. She looks puzzled when she discovers it. Why does she have a knife and where did it come from? Issac Asmiov’s three laws of robotics have been widely incorporated in science fiction stories for decades, and it's safe to assume that a robot, like Iris, created to serve humans would adhere to these rules. Though, we know from the opening narration that Iris can harm people. But how? Why?

“A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” The first law of robotics by Issac Asimov.

We see rule number one broken when Sergey (Rupert Friend), the mysterious host of this weekend trip, forces himself onto Iris. He says something along the lines of ‘this is what you’re made for’ indicating that he knows she is a companion robot. This further adds to Iris’s struggles— Iris in this moment is objectified both as a robot and a woman. The intersectionality between these two identities is a major theme explored throughout the movie. Ultimately, In an act of self defense, Iris walks away from this encounter covered in Surgey’s blood thus kickstarting the “thriller” aspect of this movie.

“A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.” The second law of robotics by Issac Asimov.

At this point the audience still doesn’t know that Iris is a robot. This first shot we see of Iris after the encounter shows her completely covered in blood walking into the house looking for Josh, her “boyfriend”, and the others. All people involved in this scene are panicking until Josh says, in the same cadence as before, “Iris, go to sleep” and Iris’s eyes turn white as she shuts down. Iris then wakes up restrained, Josh now has to say goodbye to his companion as they wait for the police to arrive. This is the moment he reveals to Iris that she is a robot. What a brutal awakening. He demonstrates this to her through an app on his phone that controls her. This is when we learn that she is sentient—she is confused and heartbroken to learn everything is a lie. Her memories, her meet-cute with Josh— everything. Even through these feelings she, unfortunately, is still programmed to love, obey, and be obsessed with Josh because she is a companion robot— a “sex bot”, which she has been referred to as in the movie. Then we, the Audience and Iris, learn that Josh essentially “jailbroke” Iris to be able to kill Sergey. But why?

“A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.” The third law of robotics by Issac Asimov.

While the others are distracted, Iris frees herself against Josh’s commands and takes his phone and punches him in the process—representing the beginning stages of her liberation. Now she is in control of herself from her eye color, to her voice, to her intelligence, to what language she speaks. She knows they’ll have to wipe her clean to hide the evidence and shut her down. Her desire to survive goes beyond the third law of robotics. Through self-awareness and sentience she now values her “life”, and she’s going to fight to keep it. She uses the app on Josh’s phone to crank up her intelligence level from about 40% to 100%. Now it’s Iris against Josh and his friends, who will make it out alive?

I won’t give away the whole movie but after the bodies pile up and we get some exciting twists and turns—like another killer robot introduced, Iris makes it out alive thus becoming my new favorite android final girl. This is a story about exploring the morality that comes with creating sentient artificial intelligences, who society deems deserves personal autonomy, and dismantling the patriarchy. Jack Quaid plays that nice guy finishes last secret misogynist incredibly well. Josh is a great villain because he isn’t a blindly heinous or evil character— but rather a man lacking empathy who’s driven by entitlement. He thinks he is owed everything for being a “nice guy” and believes he is such, even in the end. We have all known or met a man like Josh, he’s a normal guy who is capable of committing atrocities against (in this case android) women.

Iris exists to serve Josh and their “relationship” falls into harmful real life stereotypical gender roles in which women serve their male partners. This is exaggerated to a dangerous degree considering Iris exists to serve Josh and has no autonomy at first. We see this physically represented when we first meet Iris as she wears vintage clothing that is reminiscent of a 60s or 70s housewife. Like many women from this era, Iris a stay-at-home girlfriend who cooks for Josh and gives her body to Josh when he demands it. As she fights for her independence throughout the film, she begins to craft her own identity and dresses herself in more modern and less feminine clothing. Her final outfit choice represents her being fully free— she wears a sporty bomber jacket, tight black pants, and tall boots. Additionally, Iris embraces her identity as a robot when she peels the burnt flesh from one of her hands (an injury caused by Josh), exposing her robotic metal skeleton. She smiles at this and proudly keeps it uncovered as she drives off enjoying her freedom and beginning her new life.

It was Iris’s final costume design coupled with her robotic hand that made her a visually iconic character that would fit perfectly in the world of comics. This final version of Iris would fit perfectly in her own serialized story. The stylized title card and end credit graphics made me see that this entire movie felt like reading an Image comic book. I’m hooked, I want more Iris! What is next for her? Will she find more like-minded androids and people and begin a robot revolution? Will she free more androids and create a community?

I hope we see Iris again, but I do respect that the movie had a clean beginning and end leaving Iris’s new life up to the imagination. If they do choose to continue on the story, it would do best in the form of a serialized comic book. The point of sci-fi is to intensify real world problems and put them in technologically advanced settings, and this movie does just that. This story explores important themes and topics relevant to the real world—Companion is a brilliant concept that was well executed and entertaining. This is a must watch movie for women, comic books fans, and sc-fi enthusiasts.