Yesterday Warner Bros. released the first two teaser trailers for Wally Pfister’s upcoming directorial debut Transcendence.  The film revolves around a group of scientists trying to build the first self-aware supercomputer, and when lead researcher Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) becomes the target of anti-technology extremists, he unexpectedly becomes a participant in his own transcendence.  A new viral video released today introduces us to said anti-technology extremists, who go by the name RIFT—Revolutionary Independence from Technology.  It’s clear that Pfister isn’t just trying to make a fun sci-fi film with Transcendence, but he’s also exploring some big ideas about how technology wholly encompasses our daily lives.

Hit the jump to watch the viral video.  The film also stars Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy, Clifton Collins Jr., and Morgan FreemanTranscendence opens in 2D and IMAX on April 17, 2014.

Via Warner Bros.  Visit the viral site EvolutionWithoutTechnology.com for more.

Here’s the official synopsis for Transcendence:

Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed—to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can…but if they should. Their worst fears are realized as Will’s thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

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