Debuting on Netflix this weekend is Spiderhead, a surrealist sci-fi thriller that stars Miles Teller as a prisoner who volunteers as a test subject in a state-of-the-art penitentiary run by Chris Hemsworth’s brilliant yet unethical scientist
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, who is coming off this summer's megahit blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, which also starred Teller; Spiderhead promises to be a thought-provoking delve into the limits of the human condition that stars a top-shelf cast. Check out the cast and character guide below.
Chris Hemsworth as Steve Abnesti
Chris Hemsworth stars as Steve Abnesti, a brilliant visionary in charge of the Spiderhead Penitentiary and Research Facility, where he subjects prisoners to experimental mind-altering drugs while in pursuit of changing the human condition. As the warden, Abnesti provides his prisoners with a false sense of security and free will, yet they do not know that Abnesti is playing God with his willing test subjects who are nothing more than unsuspecting lab rats.
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth first broke into Hollywood with his small yet pivotal role as George Kirk in JJ Abrams’ Star Trek reboot. Next would come Hemsworth’s ascent to into the Hollywood A-list when he was cast as the popular Marvel Comics character Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making his debut in the Kenneth Branagh film in 2011. He'll be reprising the role once more in this summer's Thor: Love and Thunder from Taika Waititi. In between portrayals of the Norse god of thunder, the burgeoning Hemsworth would continue to make his mark with performances in Snow White and the Huntsman and its followup The Huntsman: Winter's War, as Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush directed by Academy Award Winner Ron Howard, and as a murderous cult leader in the neo-noir thriller Bad Times at the El Royale from Drew Goddard, who also directed him in The Cabin in the Woods. Spiderhead marks Hemsworth's third project with Netflix after producing in starring in the 2020 action flick Extraction directed by Sam Hargrave and producing the recently released Interceptor starring his wife Elsa Pataky. Projects coming up for Hemsworth include Extraction 2 where he'll reprise his role as Tyler Rake, George Miller's highly anticipated Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa where he'll be playing the villain opposite Anya Taylor-Joy, and the still-in-development Hulk Hogan biopic with Todd Phillips attached.
Miles Teller as Jeff
Miles Teller stars as Jeff, a prisoner who is serving life for a fatal drunk-driving incident. In exchange for a commuted sentence, Jeff agrees to volunteer for an experiment involving mind-altering drugs that are administered from a surgically attached device. This is done at the Spiderhead prison run by Steve Abnesti, a brilliant mind with a god complex. Suspicious of Abnesti’s motives, Jeff tries to outmaneuver the experiment while attempting to save the life of fellow prisoner Lizzy.
Miles Teller made an impact with his debut film role in Rabbit Hole as a teen guilt-ridden over his part in the accidental death of a toddler. Teller would go on to deliver more acclaimed roles in dramas The Spectacular Now opposite Shailene Woodley and starring opposite J.K. Simmons in the Oscar-winning film Whiplash directed by Damien Chazelle. Teller also ventured into more genre blockbuster fare with the Divergent series and the ill-fated 2015 reboot of the Fantastic Four. Teller would continue to impress with roles in biopics Bleed for This, Thank You For Your Service, and Only the Brave, while scoring box-office gold alongside Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick. He recently starred as The Godfather producer Albert S. Ruddy in the Paramount+ limited series The Offer.
Jurnee Smollett as Lizzy
Jurnee Smollett stars as Lizzy, a prisoner at the Spiderhead penitentiary who willingly signs up to participate in experiments involving mind-altering drugs in exchange for a lenient sentence. Kind-hearted yet hiding a damaged mind, Lizzy finds herself trapped in the conflict between fellow prisoner and love interest Jeff and the brilliant yet mad warden Steve Abnesti.
Jurnee Smollett first made her mark as a 10-year-old in the Southern Gothic drama Eve’s Bayou. Ever since then Smollett has continued to impress with acclaimed roles in feature films such as the Denzel Washington-directed drama The Great Debaters, and the superhero movie Birds of Prey where Smollett played vigilante Black Canary. During this time Smollett also starred in popular TV shows Friday Night Lights, True Blood, and Lovecraft Country. Smollett is proving to be one of the biggest rising stars in the industry, coming up she'll reportedly be reprising her role as Black Canary in a spin-off film written by Lovecraft Country creator Misha Green, she'll also be sharing the screen with Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones in the drama The Burial and will be starring opposite another Oscar Winner in the form of Allison Janney in the action film Lou.
Tess Haubrich as Heather
Tess Haubrich stars as Heather, a prisoner at Spiderhead who embraces her reputation as an agitator. Heather’s sessions with Jeff in particular are a standout in the film, and mark the turning point in Jeff’s suspicion towards Abnesti.
An Australian actress and model, Tess Haubrich had minor roles in blockbuster movies The Wolverine and Alien: Covenant before landing a leading role in season two of the Wolf Creek television series. Since then, Haubrich has starred in Australian television programs Pine Gap and Bad Mothers, while also landing a recurring part in the Bourne spin-off television series Treadstone.
Mark Paguio as Mark Verlaine
Mark Paguio stars as Mark Vaerlaine, Abnesti’s dutiful and naïve assistant who is a true believer in his boss’ vision. Vaerlaine also monitors everyone in and out of their therapy sessions.
Spiderhead is a breakthrough film for Paguio, with the Australian actor previously seen in local productions Lonesome and The Unusual Suspects.
Nathan Jones as Rogan
Nathan Jones stars as Rogan, a hulking tattooed man whose fierce, intimidating demeanor masks a keen intelligence.
Jones has long been a fixture in genre cinema especially particular action and horror films with roles in Troy alongside Brad Pitt, Fearless where he traded fists with Jet Li, and Mad Max: Fury Road where he played the role of Rictus Erectus. Prior to working in film Jones made his mark in the WWE where he was a fixture on the Smackdown program. Jones will also be reprising his Fury Road role in Furiosa, once again sharing the screen with Hemsworth.