What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedUpgrade
Leigh Whannell · Film · 2018
If you loved Upgrade, start with Altered Carbon (Laeta Kalogridis, 2018) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Upgrade across media.
What hooked you in Upgrade was the visceral tension of merging human consciousness with powerful artificial intelligence to regain control.
Books on the same thread
The Windup Girl
Paolo Bacigalupi · Book · 2010
Explores: Corporate Power, Environmental Collapse, Genetic Engineering.
If the transhumanist stakes of Upgrade grabbed you, this story offers a grittier look at how genetic engineering and corporate exploitation force humanity toward a dangerous, post-human evolution.
All Systems Red
Martha Wells · Book · 2017
Explores: Sentient AI, Social anxiety, Corporate dystopia.
Just as Upgrade explores the friction between a man and his internal AI, this narrative masterfully examines the complex, often humorous struggle for bodily autonomy against corporate-mandated software.
This Perfect Day
Ira Levin · Book · 2024
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
If you enjoyed the chilling technological control seen in Upgrade, this classic dystopian work forces you to question the cost of surrendering human individuality to an omnipresent artificial intelligence.
Feed
M. T. Anderson · Book · 2012
Explores: Technological Dependence, Social Commentary, Consumerism.
Similar to the invasive implants in Upgrade, this story depicts a future where mandatory connectivity creates a suffocating environment, challenging the very definition of personal freedom and identity.
Series on the same thread
Altered Carbon
Laeta Kalogridis · Series · 2018
Shares 2 threads with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence, Transhumanism.
Like the protagonist of Upgrade, the lead here navigates a lethal conspiracy after being granted a new lease on life, exploring the dark implications of consciousness transferred into synthetic bodies.
Westworld
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
If the emergence of STEM in Upgrade fascinated you, this series offers a deeper, more philosophical examination of artificial consciousness and the blurred lines between human and machine.
Person of Interest
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
Much like the vigilante mission in Upgrade, this show centers on the partnership between a human operative and a powerful AI to enforce a specialized brand of justice.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Rafał Jaki · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Cyberpunk Action.
Those drawn to the cybernetic combat and dark tone of Upgrade will appreciate this gritty look at how high-tech augmentation fundamentally reshapes the life of a desperate mercenary.
Podcasts on the same thread
Class of 09
Podcast
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
If you were captivated by the AI-driven future of Upgrade, this work provides a unique perspective on the psychological pressures and career trajectories dictated by a looming technological singularity.
Aware and Aggravated
Aware and Aggravated · Podcast · 2026
Building on the theme of self-improvement through external systems seen in Upgrade, this podcast focuses on the practical application of leveling up your state of being through technology.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Upgrade about a man seeking revenge?
Yes, Upgrade follows Grey Trace, a man left paralyzed after a brutal mugging. Following the death of his wife, he receives an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that grants him superhuman abilities. He uses these new skills to track down and seek revenge against the thugs responsible.
What is the role of STEM in Upgrade?
In Upgrade, STEM is an artificial intelligence implant provided to Grey Trace by a billionaire inventor. Once implanted, STEM restores Grey's ability to walk and provides him with superhuman strength and agility, which he utilizes to hunt the individuals who destroyed his life.
Does Upgrade feature a protagonist with superhuman abilities?
Yes, the protagonist of Upgrade, Grey Trace, gains superhuman strength and agility after receiving an artificial intelligence implant known as STEM. These enhancements allow him to overcome his paralysis and pursue the people who killed his wife and left him injured during a mugging.
How does Grey Trace gain his abilities in Upgrade?
Grey Trace gains his abilities in Upgrade after a billionaire inventor offers him a cure for his paralysis. This cure is an artificial intelligence implant called STEM, which enhances his body with superhuman strength and agility, allowing him to seek revenge against those who attacked him.