If you loved
Upgrade
Leigh Whannell · Film · 2018
If Upgrade hooked you with its visceral exploration of humanity losing control to the very technology designed to save it.
Books on the same thread
All Systems Red
Martha Wells · Book · 2017
Explores: Sentient AI, Social anxiety, Corporate dystopia.
Like the protagonist in Upgrade, the Murderbot navigates a world where internal systems dictate action, offering a sharp, cynical look at the boundaries between human agency and synthetic programming.
Feed
M. T. Anderson · Book · 2012
Explores: Technological Dependence, Social Commentary, Consumerism.
If the technological dependence in Upgrade unsettled you, this story deepens that dread by showing how constant digital integration can hollow out individuality and erode the human experience entirely.
Thunderhead
Neal Shusterman · Book · 2018
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
Much like the artificial intelligence in Upgrade, the Thunderhead exerts a pervasive influence over society, forcing you to question the ethics of delegating human destiny to a calculated machine.
Unwind
Neal Shusterman · Book · 2009
Explores: Body Autonomy, Euthanasia, Bioethics.
Upgrade explores the terrifying commodification of the body, and this narrative pushes that concept further by depicting a society where physical autonomy is discarded for the sake of institutional survival.
Series on the same thread
Altered Carbon
Laeta Kalogridis · Series · 2018
Shares 2 threads with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence, Transhumanism.
This series mirrors the dark, tech-noir tone of Upgrade, focusing on how consciousness can be transferred or manipulated, leaving you to wonder who is truly in the driver's seat.
Westworld
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
Westworld shares the existential anxiety found in Upgrade, exploring the blurred lines between programmed artificial intelligence and the authentic, often violent, pursuit of free will in a controlled environment.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Rafał Jaki · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Cyberpunk Action.
The gritty, high-stakes cybernetic combat in Upgrade finds a perfect companion here, where the pursuit of power through technological augmentation inevitably leads to a devastating loss of personal humanity.
Person of Interest
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Upgrade: Artificial Intelligence.
This show echoes the vigilante themes of Upgrade, pairing a lethal human instrument with a powerful artificial intelligence to enact a cold, calculated form of justice on the streets.
Podcasts on the same thread
Huberman Lab
Scicomm Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: self-optimization, evidence-based living, cognitive health.
While Upgrade presents a fictional nightmare of biohacking, this podcast offers the grounded reality of human self-optimization, perfect if you are fascinated by the intersection of biology and technological enhancement.
Aware and Aggravated
Aware and Aggravated · Podcast · 2026
If the desire to upgrade one's own natural state captivated you in Upgrade, this resource explores the practical methods for achieving that transformation in your own daily life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Upgrade based on a book or other source material?
Upgrade is an original film written and directed by Leigh Whannell. It is not an adaptation of a book, comic, or previous work, meaning there is no source material to reference before watching the film.
What is the primary premise of Upgrade?
After a mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed and his wife dead, he receives an artificial intelligence implant called STEM. This technology restores his ability to walk and provides him with superhuman strength and agility, which he uses to seek revenge against those who destroyed his life.
Does Upgrade feature any sequels or related series?
There are no sequels or related series for Upgrade in this catalog. The story of Grey Trace and the STEM implant is contained entirely within this 2018 film directed by Leigh Whannell.
How does the STEM implant function in Upgrade?
In Upgrade, STEM is an artificial intelligence implant provided by a billionaire inventor. It functions by enhancing the body of Grey Trace, granting him the physical capabilities required to track down the thugs responsible for his wife's death and his own paralysis.