What happens when the world’s most beloved actor becomes the man watching your every move?
The internet is buzzing following the high-stakes release of the official trailer for The Circle, and fans are already calling it the most relatable—and terrifying—movie of the year.
At the center of the viral storm are two of Hollywood’s biggest powerhouses: Tom Hanks and Emma Watson.
The Harry Potter alum stars as Mae Holland, a wide-eyed recent graduate who lands a “dream job” at a Silicon Valley tech giant called The Circle. But as the footage teases, that dream quickly turns into a digital nightmare.
While Emma Watson leads the charge, it’s Tom Hanks who has social media users doing a double-take.
Known for playing honorable heroes like the titular pilot in Sully, Hanks is pivoting to a role that mirrors the likes of Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. He plays Eamon Bailey, the charismatic company head whose “sermons” about the power of knowledge feel eerily familiar to anyone who has ever watched a tech keynote.
The buzz on X (formerly Twitter) is largely centered on the film’s “SeeChange” cameras—tiny glass eyeballs that can be placed anywhere to transmit real-time footage.
Fans have been quick to point out the similarities to our everyday devices, with many noting how the film reflects our modern obsession with sharing everything. “Is it just me, or is The Circle basically a documentary about our iPhones?” one fan joked in a viral post.
The film is an adaptation of Dave Eggers’ best-selling novel and marks a reunion of sorts, as Hanks previously starred in another Eggers adaptation, A Hologram for the King.
But The Circle feels different. It’s a social commentary on the “modern state of technology” and the disappearance of privacy.
Director James Ponsoldt, known for his work on The Spectacular Now, has assembled a supporting cast that reads like a “who’s who” of fan favorites.
Star Wars hero John Boyega and Boyhood star Ellar Coltrane join the fray, alongside Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Patton Oswalt (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
While recent tech-focused films like Snowden or The Fifth Estate have struggled to capture the public’s imagination, the combination of Watson’s relatability and Hanks’ authoritative charm might be the boost this genre needs.
As Bailey says in the trailer, “Knowing is good, but knowing everything is better.”
Whether that philosophy leads to a better world or a total loss of freedom is the question that has moviegoers everywhere hitting the replay button on the trailer.
The Circle is shaping up to be a real eye-opener that challenges us to look at our screens—and our privacy—a little bit differently.
Will you be joining The Circle when it hits theaters, or are you staying off the grid? Let us know your thoughts on Emma and Tom’s new pairing!
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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