"Transcendence" (2014), an American science fiction thriller film, was directed by Wally Pfister (in his directorial debut) and written by Jack Paglen. The film stars Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy and Cole Hauser; it follows a group of scientists who race to finish an artificial intelligence project while being targeted by a radical anti-technology organization.

In the film, Dr. Will Caster (Depp), the world's foremost authority on artificial intelligence, is conducting highly controversial experiments to create a sentient machine. When extremists try to kill the doctor, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed. Will's wife, Evelyn (Hall), and best friend, Max (Bettany), can only watch as his thirst for knowledge evolves to an omnipresent quest for power. His loved ones soon realize that it may be impossible to stop him.

With Paglen's initial screenplay, it had been listed on the 2012 edition of "The Black List", a list of popular unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. "Transcendence", as a movie, ended up being a box office flop, grossing just $103 million against a budget of as much as $150 million. Initially, the film received mixed-to-negative reviews; it was criticized for its plot structure, characters, and dialogue. Still it was nonetheless mostly praised for its acting (especially by Depp, Bettany, Freeman), the cinematography, and the score.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org