CHATSWORTH, Calif.—Wicked Pictures has returned to the world of science fiction on a grand scale with director Brad Armstrong’s new movie 2040.
Available in stores now, 2040 features five of the current Wicked contract girls in a story about the high-tech business of porn in the future. Armstrong in 2001 directed the sci-fi themed Euphoria and said that his latest concept was inspired by that experience.
“It has always fascinated me to wonder where would porn be in the future and I batted a couple scripts around and just never got one done. Then the idea reared its ugly head again this [past] fall, and we said let’s start thinking about that again and 2040 came from that,” said Armstrong, whose movie Euphoria earned the AVN award for Best Video Feature in January 2002.
The premise for 2040 involves an industry talent pool that consists mostly of droids, or sex robots, because a pandemic has wiped out the majority of the human performers. Armstrong plays the lead villain Duncan Caldwell, who heads Real Doll Industries, the main supplier of sex anibots to adult movies.
But Caldwell’s former protégé at Real Doll, Morris Lanning (Marcus London), rolls out a prototype anibot named Mira (Alektra Blue) that is so perfect that it could take over adult. Caldwell thinks Lanning, whom he had previously fired, committed corporate espionage by stealing information from him to make Mira. The struggle for Mira drives the conflict, along with her romance with human performer Ryan Spears (Randy Spears), who in the movie plays the son of Randy Spears.
Blue watched the mainstream movies A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) and Bicentennial Man to prepare for the role. She also practiced her sexy robot stare in the mirror.
“I didn’t say a lot. It was mainly expressing myself emotionally,” Blue told AVN. “I’m proud of the fact that I actually pulled off the robot character because it’s a big deal for me. It's a lot of pressure for me because if I don’t pull it off then the whole movie kind of sucks. So I’m proud that I made that work.”
There are 13 sex scenes in the movie highlighted by three threesomes and an orgy with eight girls and six guys that unfolds during the opening of the 2040 AVN Adult Expo.
The five Wicked Girls – Jessica Drake, Kirsten Price, Kaylani Lei and Mikayla Mendez and Blue – all perform along with Tory Lane, Jayden Jaymes and Kayla Carrera in the group scene. Orgies are always a challenge to shoot, Armstrong admitted.
“It’s different every time and I’ve done a few of them. It’s definitely a game between keeping the heat and having enough cameras on the action, and for this one we had three cameras running,” he said. “It’s definitely a dance between talent, cameraman and editor.”
Drake plays Caldwell’s sexy assistant Monica Sweet whose character becomes entangled in both sides of the conflict before it’s over. Drake, who does a rare d.p. during the orgy scene, said the dynamics of playing Ms. Sweet made it interesting for her.
“A lot went into making Monica a believable character and I had fun doing it,” said the reigning AVN Best Actress, who recently represented Wicked at an adult expo in Johannesburg, S. Africa. “There was a lot of heavy dialogue. It was a part that enjoyed a lot.”
Drake continued, “The reviews are starting to come out now and we’re really excited because they’ve all been super positive. People are really getting the fact that we tried to put something together with all of us in this big movie. I think everybody plays a great part and I’m so happy to have been a part of it.”
Kaylani Lei steps up for Armstrong as a hit-woman for hire named Myoto, who knows how to make a memorable entrance. Her costumes and mysterious makeup help her look the part.
“Brad has a really good way of describing what he wants so he has this vision and I just tap into his head and add my own little characteristics to it,” said Lei. “I like to take on mainstream actors in any movie I do and think about how they do would do the scene, and imitate them in my head. In this particular movie I went for a little bit of like a sexy Angelina Jolie and a bad ass Lucy Liu. Plus the makeup helps. I had the dramatic makeup and the bangs to create the villain.”
Kirsten Price, meanwhile, played Morris Lanning’s likable assistant Kimmie. The high-energy role entailed Price wearing futuristic, tribal-themed makeup.
“I called myself Rainbow Not So Bright,” Price joked. “Every time I get to dress up and get to step outside of the norm and do something different it’s fun. Usually it’s like you’re the pretty girl next door or the super slut. Kimmie was a funky, underground kind of chick, with the leather and the different colored hair."
Price gets boned by Eric Masterson in one of her sex scenes. In another sequence, she is also seen teaching Alektra Blue’s character how to dance.
“To make [2040] was such an amazing experience, working with all the Wicked Girls at the same time, especially the newer girls Mikayla and Alektra. I haven’t gotten to work with them too much, except in House of Wicked. We get along so well,” Price said. “... My character I think totally suited me. I think Brad did a really good job making sure each character suited each girl.”
Mikayla dons glasses to play Armstrong’s head lab tech Danielle, and she performs a big three-way with droids Mick Blue and Jerry midway through the movie. Armstrong said he is happy with Wicked’s current combination of exclusive girls.
“I think we definitely are at the peak of where we’ve ever been, they are all so talented and so different,” he said. “They are at peace with one another for the most part and they are all very much wanting to push the envelope with their acting and their sex. It’s a very strong time for us right now.”
