In the not‑so‑distant future — one that already feels like it’s knocking at our door — an artificial intelligence‑based justice system replaces human courts. It’s efficient, incredibly fast, free of emotion and, above all, convinced it is one hundred percent correct.
At the center of Mercy, a new sci‑fi thriller starring Chris Pratt that opens in theaters Thursday, a police detective is accused of murdering his wife (played by Annabelle Wallis of Peaky Blinders). He is tried in a rapid‑fire, 90‑minute trial before a judge who is herself an AI (portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson). The same system he once enthusiastically supported must now decide whether to sentence him to life or death.
Chris Pratt on Mercy
What makes the film feel less like a distant apocalypse and more like a familiar future is that artificial intelligence is already emerging not as a theoretical concept but as a force entering some of the most sensitive decision‑making systems in society. Even in Israel, a country that has traditionally followed American legal models, AI tools are beginning to make their way into courtrooms, igniting debate over responsibility, transparency, expertise and risk.
Speaking to ynet ahead of the film’s release, Pratt agreed that the story doesn’t feel like it’s set in some futuristic dystopia, saying: “This near-to-distant future seems a little more near than distant.”
Asked how he feels as an actor in an industry on the brink of profound AI‑driven change, Pratt offered cautious optimism. “I'm cautiously optimistic around the industry,” he said. “I think my industry, and almost every industry, is going to be affected by this intellectual revolution that we're going through. So, I'm cautiously optimistic there."
Pratt’s professional optimism contrasts with his personal caution as a father. He is married to Katherine Schwarzenegger — the daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and author and media personality Maria Shriver — and they share three children: daughter Lyla, 5, Eloise, 3, and son Ford, 1. Pratt also has a 13‑year‑old son, Jack, from his previous marriage to actress Anna Faris. Parenthood, he says, acts as a filter through which everything else is scrutinized.
“With my children, I'm really trying to be cautious,” he said. “We're a no-screen family, so our kids aren't on any tablets or any iPads or anything like that. We're really careful about what we show them. I think until more data emerges around whether or not this is safe for kids to be around, we're going to err on the side of caution.”
He also expressed reservations about artificial intelligence, noting that the media landscape is increasingly saturated with content that’s hard to verify, especially as AI tools become more prevalent.
“It's interesting because I think I'm developing an eye for being able to tell what is real and what isn't, but even my mom will send me a video, be like, 'Can you believe this?' I go, 'Mom, I don't think that's real.' She's like, 'Ah well, it was fun to watch anyways,’” he joked.
Pratt, 45, no longer has much to prove in Hollywood, and it seems he has scaled back the time he spends on film sets in recent years since his second marriage, opting to prioritize family life. He was born in Virginia, Minnesota, and raised in a small town in Washington state, the son of a supermarket worker and a father in the construction industry. His path to Hollywood was far from planned: Pratt worked as a bartender, once slept in a van in Hawaii and landed his first auditions almost by accident.
His big break came in his 30s with a likable role on the sitcom Parks and Recreation. After that, following a much‑talked‑about physical transformation, he entered the Marvel superhero universe, becoming a leading figure in the highly successful and steady Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and appearing in other Marvel films as his character Peter Quill/Star‑Lord.
His role in the Marvel universe turned Pratt into a superstar, but it was not the only major franchise he’s been part of. He also chased dinosaurs in the Jurassic World films and lent his voice to The Lego Movie and its sequel, as well as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its upcoming follow‑up due in April. Beyond that, Pratt has spent time in space with Jennifer Lawrence in the sci‑fi movie Passengers and starred in high‑budget streaming science fiction titles — The Tomorrow War on Amazon Prime and The Electric State on Netflix.
In Mercy, Pratt takes on a very different kind of role from those he has played before. It is among his most dramatic performances and one of his most physically constrained: for much of the film, his character is confined to an electric chair, without the ability to flee, fight or deploy the physical charm and humor that have become his trademark. The focus instead shifts to his face, carrying much of the film’s weight for long stretches of the 90‑minute runtime — mirroring the 90 minutes his character has to prove his innocence.
When discussing artificial intelligence and futuristic themes, it’s hard not to notice a broader family connection. Some 35 years before AI became a household term, Pratt’s father‑in‑law, Arnold Schwarzenegger, played a central role in The Terminator and its sequels — films that portrayed one of pop culture’s great nightmares: a world where machines develop consciousness and turn against their creators. What once seemed far‑fetched now feels a bit less so. Still, Pratt refuses to be pessimistic.
“There's a dystopian pessimism around Terminator that I don't really feel about our current day,” he says with a smile. “I don't feel like the machines are going to rise up and we're going to have to revolt against them. I personally don't think that's going to happen. But there are more imminent dangers that have me concerned, but I'm optimistic around humanity. I think that this might free up our time to allow for our humanity to emerge a bit more, to give us moments to care for one another and be present with one another. There's always a backlash to this type of thing, and I think the more people get swept up into the world of algorithm-driven entertainment, the more they're going to realize it's not quite good for us and move away from it back towards something more pure.”
At the start of the film, it is revealed that Pratt’s character is named Chris — a small but amusing detail. “It didn't really have a bearing,” he says. “I usually don't even identify too closely with whatever name the character is. I just imagine it's me anyways and I just put myself in the shoes of the character, so it's not so much about the name. I often don't even really think of myself as a name. It's just me. People have a name they call me periodically. Chris or CP or Pratt or whatever, but it doesn't affect my ability to create.”
As for whether he’ll return to the role of Star-Lord, Pratt confirmed that he will be back. "That's what we told you at the end of volume 3. We said the legendary Star-Lord will return and we will make good on that promise."