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First Look! Melissa McCarthy Says Her New HBO Max Movie Superintelligence 'Feels So Relevant'

Hopper Stone

Melissa McCarthy and husband Ben Falcone have a Thanksgiving-timed treat headed to your small screens.

Their new comedy Superintelligence is the couple's fourth film collaboration starring McCarthy and directed by Falcone. PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the actress in action in the film, along with an official release date: Superintelligence arrives on HBO Max Nov. 26.

McCarthy shares with PEOPLE in this week's issue that the film, which also stars Bobby Cannavale and James Corden as the voice of the Artificial Intelligence character, is about "technology’s dominance over our lives, but also is a lovely reminder that people may be flawed but they’re still worth saving."

She also admits that she might not have been the first choice for the role she plays.

"Our dear friend, Steve Mallory, wrote Superintelligence originally for a male lead, but I loved the heart, humor and humanity of the script so much I pushed my way into the movie," she admits.

RELATED: Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Celebrate Their 15th Wedding Anniversary: 'Here's to 500 More'

Check out more from the exclusive first look in this week's PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday

And how was it being directed by her Mr. Falcone for a fourth time?

"Well, first of all, he did in fact, require me to address him as 'Mr. Falcone,' so it was pretty weird right from the get-go," jokes McCarthy. "Ben is an incredibly collaborative director. Making a movie is an impossible feat, so many moving parts need to sync up at just the right time. Our cast and crew are our second family."

Hopper Stone

Melissa McCarthy in 'Superintelligence'

McCarthy says she compares making movies to having kids (of which she and Falcone have two, daughters Georgette “Georgie”, 10, and Vivian, 13).

"You dream about it, plan and prepare for its arrival, obsess over the name, swear you’ll never make the same mistakes as so and so, love it, lose sleep over it, and hope everyone will be kind to it," she says. "But in the end, it becomes its own entity and has to go out on its own. Our fourth film-baby, Superintelligence, was no exception. So many of my scenes involved me talking to an Artificial Intelligence, played by James Corden, who is deciding to either save, enslave or destroy the world. I spent weeks and weeks talking to inanimate objects. I just never thought I’d be able to say, 'I had the loveliest chat with a toaster oven today.' "

The actress hopes that the film brings a little light into the world during a particularly challenging time.

"In the end Ben, and I want to tell stories that make people laugh, cry and feel hopeful," says McCarthy. "Superintelligence feels so relevant. Love wins in this movie and I think we could all use a little of that right about now."

Superintelligence will be available to stream on HBO Max Nov. 26.