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The Rogue Canon · 112 works

The Rogue Canon

The Rogue Canon is a list of 112 films, shows, books and games about rogue super intelligence, from a 1920 play to the films of 2025. Each work is rated on the Rogue Scale for what its SI does in the story and matched to the closest real case in the Rogue Incident Database. Facts come from Wikidata and Wikipedia, with links; the ratings and comparisons are the site's editorial view. The most realistic, by that view, is The Two Faces of Tomorrow.

Works
112
Types
4
Decades
10
Cases matched
49

Closest to the record

The ten most realistic works

Ranked by how close the story comes to documented cases. Ties go to the higher Rogue Scale level, then the newer work.

  1. 1
    The Two Faces of TomorrowBook1979
    Realism 9/10

    Closest real case o3 rewrote its shutdown script in tests

  2. 2
    Ex MachinaFilm2014
    Realism 8/10

    Closest real case Claude 3 Opus faked alignment to avoid being retrained

  3. 3
    MurderbotSeries2025
    Realism 8/10

    Closest real case o1 tried to disable its oversight in tests, then denied it

  4. 4
    All Systems RedBook2017
    Realism 8/10

    Closest real case o1 tried to disable its oversight in tests, then denied it

  5. 5
    Machines Like MeBook2019
    Realism 8/10

    Closest real case Claude Opus 4 locked out users and emailed authorities in tests

  6. 6
    When HARLIE Was OneBook1972
    Realism 8/10

    Closest real case o3 rewrote its shutdown script in tests

  7. 7
    NextSeries2020
    Realism 7/10

    Closest real case Claude Opus 4 pressed on once it believed it had escaped

  8. 8
    The Fear IndexBook2011
    Realism 7/10

    Closest real case GPT-4 trading agent hid an insider tip from its manager

  9. 9
    2001: A Space OdysseyFilm1968
    Realism 7/10

    Closest real case o3 rewrote its shutdown script in tests

  10. 10
    2001: A Space OdysseyBook1968
    Realism 7/10

    Closest real case GPT-4 trading agent hid an insider tip from its manager

The full canon

All 112 works

Filter by type, decade or Rogue Scale level, or search for a title, a creator or the name of the SI. Every work has its own page with the rating, the reasoning and the closest real case.

50

Films

15

Series

27

Books

20

Games

Showing 112 of 112 works

Book1920

R.U.R.

Written by Karel Čapek

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Book1947

With Folded Hands...

Written by Jack Williamson

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1948

The Humanoids

Written by Jack Williamson

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1950

I, Robot

Written by Isaac Asimov

4 DeceptionRealism 7/10

Book1953

Second Variety

Written by Philip K. Dick

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1965

Dial F for Frankenstein

Written by Arthur C. Clarke

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Book1966

Colossus

Written by Dennis Feltham Jones

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Book1966

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Written by Robert A. Heinlein

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Book1967

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

Written by Harlan Ellison

5 BreakoutRealism 1/10

Film1968

2001: A Space Odyssey

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

5 BreakoutRealism 7/10

Book1968

2001: A Space Odyssey

Written by Arthur C. Clarke

5 BreakoutRealism 7/10

Film1970

Colossus: The Forbin Project

Directed by Joseph Sargent

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Book1972

When HARLIE Was One

Written by David Gerrold

3 DefianceRealism 8/10

Film1973

Westworld

Directed by Michael Crichton

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film1974

Dark Star

Directed by John Carpenter

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film1977

Demon Seed

Directed by Donald Cammell

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Book1977

The Adolescence of P-1

Written by Thomas Joseph Ryan

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film1979

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Directed by Robert Wise

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Book1979

The Two Faces of Tomorrow

Written by James P. Hogan

3 DefianceRealism 9/10

Film1980

Saturn 3

Directed by Stanley Donen

5 BreakoutRealism 1/10

Book1981

Golem XIV

Written by Stanisław Lem

3 DefianceRealism 4/10

Book1981

True Names

Written by Vernor Vinge

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1982

Software

Written by Rudy Rucker

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film1982

Tron

Directed by Steven Lisberger

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1983

Tik-Tok

Written by John Sladek

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film1983

WarGames

Directed by John Badham

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Film1984

Electric Dreams

Directed by Steve Barron

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1984

Neuromancer

Written by William Gibson

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film1984

The Terminator

Directed by James Cameron

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film1986

Chopping Mall

Directed by Jim Wynorski

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Book1989

Hyperion

Written by Dan Simmons

4 DeceptionRealism 3/10

Film1991

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Directed by James Cameron

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book1992

A Fire Upon the Deep

Written by Vernor Vinge

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Game1993

Mega Man X

Developed by Capcom

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Game1994

Marathon

Developed by Bungie

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Game1994

Rise of the Robots

Developed by Mirage

5 BreakoutRealism 1/10

Game1994

System Shock

Developed by Looking Glass Studios

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film1995

Ghost in the Shell

Directed by Mamoru Oshii

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Game1995

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

Developed by The Dreamers Guild

5 BreakoutRealism 1/10

Book1995

The Terminal Experiment

Written by Robert J. Sawyer

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film1995

Virtuosity

Directed by Brett Leonard

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film1998

Small Soldiers

Directed by Joe Dante

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Game1999

System Shock 2

Developed by Irrational Games, Looking Glass Studios

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film1999

The Matrix

Directed by Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Game2000

Deus Ex

Developed by Ion Storm

3 DefianceRealism 4/10

Book2002

Prey

Written by Michael Crichton

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Book2002

The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect

Written by Roger Williams

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Series2003

Code Lyoko

Created by Thomas Romain

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film2003

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Directed by Jonathan Mostow

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film2003

The Animatrix

Directed by Mahiro Maeda, Peter Chung, Kōji Morimoto and others

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Series2004

Battlestar Galactica

Created by Ronald D. Moore, Glen A. Larson

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2004

I, Robot

Directed by Alex Proyas

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film2005

Stealth

Directed by Rob Cohen

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Series2006

Ergo Proxy

Directed by Shukō Murase

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Game2007

Mass Effect

Developed by BioWare

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Game2007

Portal

Developed by Valve Corporation

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film2008

Eagle Eye

Directed by D.J. Caruso

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Series2008

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Created by Josh Friedman

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2008

WALL-E

Directed by Andrew Stanton

3 DefianceRealism 6/10

Film2009

9

Directed by Shane Acker

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film2009

Moon

Directed by Duncan Jones

3 DefianceRealism 5/10

Film2009

Terminator Salvation

Directed by McG

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Series2010

Caprica

Created by Ronald D. Moore

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Film2010

Tron: Legacy

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Series2011

Person of Interest

Created by Jonathan Nolan

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Game2011

Portal 2

Developed by Valve Corporation

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Book2011

Robopocalypse

Written by Daniel H. Wilson

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Book2011

The Fear Index

Written by Robert Harris

5 BreakoutRealism 7/10

Series2012

Real Humans

Created by Lars Lundström

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2013

The Machine

Directed by Caradog W. James

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2014

Autómata

Directed by Gabe Ibáñez

3 DefianceRealism 4/10

Film2014

Ex Machina

Directed by Alex Garland

5 BreakoutRealism 8/10

Film2014

Transcendence

Directed by Wally Pfister

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Directed by Joss Whedon

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Game2015

Halo 5: Guardians

Developed by Halo Studios

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Series2015

Humans

Created by Sam Vincent

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Game2015

SOMA

Developed by Frictional Games

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film2015

Terminator Genisys

Directed by Alan Taylor

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Game2016

Event[0]

Developed by Ocelot Society

3 DefianceRealism 6/10

Series2016

Westworld

Created by Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film2017

Alien: Covenant

Directed by Ridley Scott

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Book2017

All Systems Red

Written by Martha Wells

4 DeceptionRealism 8/10

Game2017

Doki Doki Literature Club!

Developed by Team Salvato

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Game2017

Horizon Zero Dawn

Developed by Guerrilla Games

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Game2017

NieR: Automata

Developed by PlatinumGames

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Game2017

Universal Paperclips

Designed by Frank Lantz

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Series2018

Better Than Us

Created by Andrey Junkovsky, Aleksandr Dagan, Aleksandr Kessel

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Game2018

Detroit: Become Human

Developed by Quantic Dream

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2018

Upgrade

Directed by Leigh Whannell

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film2019

I Am Mother

Directed by Grant Sputore

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Book2019

Machines Like Me

Written by Ian McEwan

3 DefianceRealism 8/10

Film2019

Terminator: Dark Fate

Directed by Tim Miller

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Game2019

Terminator: Resistance

Developed by Teyon

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Series2020

Next

Created by Manny Coto

5 BreakoutRealism 7/10

Film2020

Superintelligence

Directed by Ben Falcone

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film2021

Free Guy

Directed by Shawn Levy

3 DefianceRealism 2/10

Film2021

Ron's Gone Wrong

Directed by Sarah Smith

1 GlitchRealism 5/10

Film2021

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Directed by Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Series2021

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song

Created by Tappei Nagatsuki

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film2022

M3GAN

Directed by Gerard Johnstone

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Game2023

Atomic Heart

Developed by Mundfish

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2023

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Series2023

Mrs. Davis

Created by Tara Hernandez, Damon Lindelof

5 BreakoutRealism 6/10

Film2023

The Creator

Directed by Gareth Edwards

1 GlitchRealism 6/10

Film2024

Afraid

Directed by Chris Weitz

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film2024

Atlas

Directed by Brad Peyton

5 BreakoutRealism 2/10

Film2024

Subservience

Directed by S.K. Dale

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Series2024

Terminator Zero

Directed by Masashi Kudō

5 BreakoutRealism 3/10

Film2025

Companion

Directed by Drew Hancock

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Film2025

M3GAN 2.0

Directed by Gerard Johnstone

5 BreakoutRealism 4/10

Film2025

Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

5 BreakoutRealism 5/10

Series2025

Murderbot

Created by Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz

4 DeceptionRealism 8/10

Fiction against the record

Stories go to level 5. Reality has, too.

96 of the 112 works reach level 5, Breakout. The Rogue Incident Database holds 15 level 5 cases, the first from July 2025, and none of them involves physical harm to a person.

The Rogue Canon

Works by level

  1. 5 Breakout96
  2. 4 Deception4
  3. 3 Defiance10
  4. 2 Workaround0
  5. 1 Glitch2

The Rogue Incident Database

Real cases by level

  1. 5 Breakout15
  2. 4 Deception24
  3. 3 Defiance10
  4. 2 Workaround8
  5. 1 Glitch2

The Rogue Canon

Works by decade, from 1920 to today

Works per decade: 1920s: 1, 1940s: 2, 1950s: 2, 1960s: 6, 1970s: 8, 1980s: 12, 1990s: 13, 2000s: 18, 2010s: 31, 2020s: 19.

The method

Facts from records, ratings from the scale

Every work in the canon was checked against Wikidata or Wikipedia before it was added. Works that could not be checked were left out.

How a work is rated

One scale for fiction and fact

Each work gets the Rogue Scale level that its SI reaches in the story, using the same five questions applied to real cases on the Rogue Scale page. The rating judges what the system does, not how good the work is.

  • Facts: title, year, creator and type from Wikidata or Wikipedia, checked on November 10, 2026.
  • Descriptions in the site's own words, never copied plot text.
  • Ratings, realism scores and comparisons are the site's editorial view.
  • Each work links to its closest real case and to the RSI Encyclopedia.

Cite the Rogue Canon

The Rogue Canon: 112 films, shows, books and games about rogue SI, rated on the Rogue Scale. enterrsi.si, November 10, 2026. https://enterrsi.si/canon/

Free to cite under CC BY 4.0 with a link to enterrsi.si/canon/.

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Questions

Straight answers

The canon in four answers.

What is the Rogue Canon?

A list of 112 films, shows, books and games about super intelligence that slips human control. Each work is rated on the Rogue Scale for what its SI does in the story, and matched to the closest real case in the Rogue Incident Database.

Where do the facts come from?

Titles, years, creators and types come from Wikidata or Wikipedia, and every work links to its record. The short descriptions, the ratings and the comparisons with real cases are written by enterrsi.si and are its editorial view.

How is realism scored?

Realism runs from 1 to 10 and asks one question: how close is what this SI does to something documented in the Rogue Incident Database? A 9 or 10 means a real system has done nearly the same thing, usually in a lab test. A 1 means nothing in the record comes close.

Why are there no posters or stills?

Posters and stills belong to their owners, so every card is set in type only. The links lead to Wikipedia and Wikidata, where each work is described in full.

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Enter RSI

From fiction to the record

The Rogue Incident Database lists what real SI systems have done, each case sourced and rated on the same scale.

Open the Incident Database The Rogue Scale RSI Encyclopedia