The Specter Optimus (2021 film)

The Specter Optimus is a 2021 American-Canadian science fiction psychological comedy-drama film produced and directed by William Renschen. Starring Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Elle Fanning, Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Mark Wahlberg, Ben Schwartz, Jennifer Aniston, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Sophia Lillis, Brad Pitt, Zac Efron and Ned Beatty, it follows an astronaut who ventures into space in search of his lost father, whose experiment threatens the solar system.
The project was announced in early 2016, with Spielberg saying he wanted to feature "the most realistic depiction of space travel that's been put in a movie". Carell signed on to star in April 2017 and the rest of the cast joined later that year. Filming began around Los Angeles that August, lasting through October.
The Specter Optimus premiered at Peacock, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 5, 2021 by Universal Pictures. It received positive reviews from critics, with praise Carell's performance, Renschen's direction, visual effects, and the cinematography. However, the film was a box office bomb, grossing $135 million worldwide against an $80–100 million budget.
== Cast ==
* Steve Carell as Jonathan Kurt "John" Edwards
* Kristen Wiig as Emily Jennifer McBride
* Elle Fanning as Catherine Ingrid "Kathy" Houston
* Tom Holland as Daniel Jordan Stone
* Amanda Seyfried as Karen Latcham
* Mark Wahlberg as Timothy Shaw
* Ben Schwartz as Chuck MacDuff
* Jennifer Aniston as Paige Collins
* Arnold Schwarzenegger as Russell "Triple H" Houston
* Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Lana Stone
* Benedict Cumberbatch as Hulk Hogan
* Robert Downey Jr. as Professor Michael Watts
* Sophia Lillis as Jane Brodsky
* Brad Pitt as Mr. McMahon
* Zac Efron as Randy Collins
* Ned Beatty as The Undertaker
Trevor Devall voices Brains, one of the Boldville. Jack McBrayer voices Ratchet, a Dog-eared crime boss in Peldertown. Ariel Winter, Kyle Rideout, and Scott McNeil as respectively perform as three of Chuck's Human-made crew: Molly, Fred and David. Andrew McNee, Tegan Moss, Anna Cummer, Maryke Hendrikse, Rhona Rees, and Sam Vincent all feature as assorted citizens of Boldville. Richard Ian Cox, Michael Diangerfield, Keith Ferguson, Mark Ballou, Ian Hanlin, and Nicole Oliver also perform as denizens of Peldertown. Additional voices are provided by Alistair Abell, Caitlyn Bairstow, Julia Benson, Christine Chatelain, Veena Sood, Harland Williams, Isla Andrews, Christopher Gaze, Sarah Troyer, Kari Wahlgren, Doug Taylor and Raphael Wagner