The Darkest Minds

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The Darkest Minds

Theatrical release poster

Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson

 Shawn Levy
Produced by
 Dan Levine

Screenplay by Chad Hodge

Based on The Darkest Minds

by Alexandra Bracken

Starring  Amandla Stenberg

 Mandy Moore
 Gwendoline Christie
 Music by Benjamin Wallfisch

Cinematography Kramer Morgenthau

Edited by Maryann Brandon

Production 21 Laps Entertainment

company

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

Release date  August 3, 2018

Running time 105 minutes

Country United States

Language English

Budget $34 million[1]

Box office $2.3 million[1]

The Darkest Minds is a 2018 American science fiction thriller film directed by Jennifer Yuh
Nelson and written by Chad Hodge, based on Alexandra Bracken's young adult novel of the same
name. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Mandy Moore, and Gwendoline Christie, and follows a
group of teenagers who are on the run from the government after mysteriously obtaining
superpowers. The film was released in the United States on August 3, 2018, by 20th Century Fox,
and received generally unfavorable reviews from critics.

Contents

 1Premise
 2Cast
 3Production
o 3.1Casting
o 3.2Filming
 4Reception
o 4.1Box office
o 4.2Critical response
 5References
 6External links
Premise[edit]
An adolescent girl name Ruby Daly lives in a futuristic world where a pandemic called IAAN has
killed 98% of children under the age of twenty. The ones who have survived the virus mysteriously
develop amazing psychic/superhuman powers and are declared a threat by the government and
placed in internment camps. After Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday with these same powers, her
frightened mother Molly calls the police and has her sent off to Thurmond, a government
"rehabilitation camp" for children like her. Five years later, Ruby is one of the most powerful
teenagers anyone has ever encountered, classified as an "Orange". But after the truth of her
strength comes out, Ruby is barely able to escape the brutal Thurmond with her life, helped by an
anti-government doctor there, Cate Connor.
Now on the run from a vicious bounty hunter known as "Lady Jane", Ruby is desperate to find the
only safe-haven left for kids of all ages just like her in East River, eventually stumbling upon a group
of other similar kids who have escaped their own camp led by the rugged Liam, who soon falls in
love with Ruby.

Cast[edit]
 Amandla Stenberg as Ruby Daly, a superpowered teenager who runs away from her
government camp and joins a large group of of other kids and teens
 Lidya Jewett as Young Ruby
 Mandy Moore as Dr. Cate Connor, a doctor and member of a fight against the government
 Gwendoline Christie as Lady Jane, a bounty hunter of superpowered teens who escape from the
camp
 Harris Dickinson as Liam Stewart, a superpowered kid who runs away with Ruby. Ruby’s love-
interest.
 Skylan Brooks as Chubs, a superpowered kid who runs away with Ruby.
 Miya Cech as Suzume "Zu", a superpowered kid who runs away with Ruby.
 Patrick Gibson as Clancy Gray, the president’s handsome son, whose posters are all over the
camp and who had a power of getting into people’s minds
 Golden Brooks as Molly Daly, Ruby's mother and Paul’s wife
 Wallace Langham as Dr. Viceroy
 Bradley Whitford as President Gray, Clancy’s father
 Mark O'Brien as Rob Meadows

Production[edit]
On September 15, 2014, it was announced that 20th Century Fox had bought the film rights
to Alexandra Bracken's young adult novel The Darkest Minds, the first book in her The Darkest
Minds series. Shawn Levy would produce the film along with Dan Levine and Dan Cohen through
his 21 Laps Entertainment, while the television writer Chad Hodge was hired to write the
adaptation.[2] On July 12, 2016, it was reported that animation director Jennifer Yuh Nelson had been
hired to direct the film, and it would be her first live-action project.[3]
Casting[edit]
On September 26, 2016, Amandla Stenberg joined the film to play the lead role of Ruby Daly, a 15-
year-old girl who runs away from her government camp and joins a group of teens.[4] On January 17,
2017, it was reported that newcomer Harris Dickinson had signed on to play Liam, who also
develops superpowers surviving the disease.[5] In February 2017, Miya Cech was cast in her debut
film to play Zu, and Skylan Brooks was cast in the film to play Chubs.[6][7] In March 2017, Mandy
Moore was cast to play Cate, a doctor and member of a organization who is fighting against the
government, and Patrick Gibson was cast to play Clancy Gray, the president's handsome son,
whose posters are all over the camp for being “cured” of his powers. He also has the power of
seeing into people's minds.[8][9] Gwendoline Christie was also cast in the film to play a bounty hunter
of teens who escape from the camp.[10] In April 2017, Golden Brooks joined the film to play the
mother of Daly.[11]
Filming[edit]
Principal photography on the film began in April 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia.[12][13][14]

Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
In the United States and Canada, The Darkest Minds was released on August 3, 2018,
alongside Christopher Robin, The Spy Who Dumped Me and Death of a Nation: Can We Save
America a Second Time?, and was originally projected to gross around $10 million from 3,127
theaters in its opening weekend.[15] However after grossing $2.3 million on its first day, including
$550,000 from Thursday night previews, weekend estimates were lowered to $6 million.[16]
Critical response[edit]
On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of 19% based on 63 reviews,
with an average rating of 4.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Darkest Minds does little
to differentiate itself in a crowded field of YA adaptations, leaving all but the least demanding viewers
feeling dystopian déjà vu."[17] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 38 out of 100,
based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[18] Audiences polled
by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[16]
William Bibbiani of The Wrap praised film and the cast, but concedes "it’s not quite thrilling enough
[...] so it plays a bit more like a manifesto than a sci-fi thriller."[19] Alex Hudson from Exclaim! criticized
the film's pacing and underdeveloped story, saying, "The Darkest Minds is just a schlocky teen
romance with a post-apocalyptic backdrop."[20]

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