Chris Pratt Had An Odd Request For His Sci-Fi Movie Mercy
Soon, we'll likely be living in an A.I.-driven garbage future, much to the delight of people like Joe Russo. Before that terrifying scenario befalls us, however, we can get a glimpse of what it might be like via Chris Pratt's upcoming movie "Mercy." In the sci-fi thriller, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" star plays a character accused of murdering his wife who's forced to undergo a trial overseen by an AI judge. In order to enhance his performance, Pratt requested he be tied into his chair and said that the "claustrophobia" he felt as a result was a big help. Did it actually make for a good movie? We'll have to see when the film finally arrives in 2026, but we at least know Pratt was all-in on this one.
"Mercy" is directed by Russian-Kazakh filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov, who previously directed 2008's "Wanted." (He also produced Ice Cube's "War of the Worlds," one of the worst sci-fi movies in recent history.) The film takes place in 2029 Los Angeles and casts Pratt as Chris Raven, a detective who must argue his innocence during a 90-minute trial presided over by an advanced A.I. judge portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson.
Appearing at the 2025 New York Comic Con (via People), Pratt confirmed that he asked to be strapped into his chair for real in his trial scenes. "I asked them to confine me in it," he clarified during a panel that also featured his co-star Kali Reis and Bekmambetov. "I didn't have to pretend that I was strapped down. I was cuffed to this chair both at the feet and at the hands. And for part of it with my head at the end, when I'm about to be — well, I don't wanna ruin the movie — but, I'm strapped to this thing."
Chris Pratt was physically restrained for most of Mercy
In "Mercy," Chris Raven is tasked with scouring surveillance footage and databases to gather evidence that might exonerate him. The detective has to ensure his guilt falls below 92% on a guilt meter; otherwise, he'll be executed at the conclusion of the trial. The ironic twist is that Raven was an advocate and designer for the Mercy technology and was responsible for sending the first ever suspect to trial. Now, this machine tech acts as a judge, jury, and executioner with the power to decide Raven's own fate.
In order to heighten the tension for this intense sci-fi thriller, it seems Chris Pratt was intent upon being physically restrained throughout. As the actor explained during his NYCC appearance, "There's a certain level of claustrophobia that you just naturally feel when you're strapped down to something, and that was helpful, in fact." He went on to explain that the crew actually tried to show him how to get out just in case he really needed it, but he remained committed. "They said, 'Well, if you want to get out, just, pop, you do this,'" he explained. "Like, I don't wanna get out. I want you to lock me in so I can't get out. That would be helpful to me in giving this performance that I'm completely stuck here."
Whether taking such measures actually helped the movie remains to be seen, but it's an interesting insight into the film. Hopefully, Pratt's commitment will also be enough to ensure "Mercy is better than the last project Timur Bekmambetov was involved in making...
Will Chris Pratt's performance be enough to make Mercy a hit?
While having things play out via footage viewed through Chris Raven's eyes might sound like an effective way to ratchet up the tension in "Mercy," it also sounds a little too reminiscent of "War of the Worlds," which similarly played out via low-res surveillance footage on Ice Cube's desktop. Let's just say that this particularly infamous 2025 sci-fi thriller wasn't the most thrilling thing to watch, though "Mercy" won't have the restriction of being filmed during the COVID-19 lockdowns. We also hope Timur Bekmambetov takes mercy on viewers by keeping this movie free of the same shameless, and frankly bizarre, product placement featured in "War of the Worlds".
On the other hand, having events play out via footage on screens within the movie actually worked well in Aneesh Chaganty's 2018 thriller "Searching" (which Bekmambetov produced) and its familiar but thrilling sequel "Missing." But given the over-the-top and otherwise ridiculous premise for "Mercy," the odds seem stacked against that happening here, regardless of whether Pratt was physically restrained or not. Still, even if "Mercy" doesn't turn out that well, we can at least envisage Pratt being strapped to a chair for 90 minutes as his punishment for starring in "Jurassic World Dominion."
"Mercy" is slated to open in theaters on January 23, 2026.