Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Adam Daniel, Associate Lecturer in Communication, Western Sydney University

From HAL 9000 to M3GAN: what film’s evil robots tell us about contemporary tech fears

© 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Filmgoers have long been captivated by stories about robots. We are fascinated by their utopian promise, their superhuman intelligence and, in the case of the cyborg, their often uncanny resemblance to humans.

But it is the evil robot – the machine that malfunctions, rebels or was built to harm – that has most powerfully gripped the collective imagination of audiences.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.