The triumphs and challenges of 2024
The Brutalist is a period drama directed by Brady Corbet, starring Adrien Brody as a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrates to the US in pursuit of the American Dream. His life takes a dramatic turn when a wealthy client offers him an opportunity that changes everything, with a supporting cast that includes Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, and Joe Alwyn.
Lead actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones's voices were enhanced using AI software to perfect their Hungarian dialogue, ensuring authenticity even for native speakers. Innovative Respeecher technology was employed to refine specific vowels and letters during the Hungarian language editing process.
The narco-musical used AI voice cloner Respeecher to blend lead actress Karla Sofia Gascon’s voice with French singer-composer Camille to help the former hit the high notes.
According to Variety, the film features three AI-generated images used as 1970s-style title cards to enhance the ’70s aesthetic. This sparked a heated debate over the role of AI in replacing jobs traditionally held by talented graphic designers.
'Late Night with The Devil' is a supernatural horror film set around a late-night talk show episode aired on Halloween night in 1977. In an effort to boost ratings, the host invites an allegedly possessed girl onto the show, setting the stage for terrifying events.
'Alien: Romulus' is a science fiction horror film set between 'Alien' (1979) and 'Aliens' (1986). The film follows six young space colonists, played by Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu, as they encounter hostile creatures while scavenging a derelict space station.
The filmmakers used artificial intelligence to create an android character resembling Ash, portrayed by the late Ian Holm in the original 'Alien.' With permission from Holm's estate, the production team hired actor Daniel Betts to voice Rook, but AI was used to modify the dialogue, making his voice sound more like Holm's.
The Megalopolis trailer sparked controversy when it was revealed that a marketing consultant used AI to generate fake critic quotes, leading to their firing and the recall of the trailer.
The movie faced controversy when distributor A24 released promotional posters depicting war-torn American cities featuring cataclysmic events on Earth. The scenes did not appear in the film and the images were later identified as AI-generated.
'Civil War' is a dystopian action thriller starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, and Nick Offerman. The film follows a team of war journalists traveling from New York City to Washington, D.C. during a civil war between a despotic federal government and secessionist movements, aiming to interview the president before rebels take the capital.
'The Irishman' is a masterful gangster film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. The story follows Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a truck driver turned hitman, as he becomes entangled with mobster Russell Bufalino (Pesci) and his crime family, eventually working for the powerful Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino).
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is a visual effects company founded by George Lucas in 1975. ILM developed an AI-based engine that used facial recognition and machine learning to analyze past performances and create younger versions of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino.
Respected and celebrated for his authentic approach to food, culture, and travel, this 2021 documentary explores the life and career of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who passed away in 2018.
Ahead of its release, director Morgan Neville revealed to The New Yorker that he contacted a software company to create an AI model of Bourdain's voice, allowing it to recite words he had written before his death, including an email to his friend, David Choe.
Kilmer worked with the software company Sonantic to synthesize a model of his voice using AI and archived audio recordings. Despite this, director Joseph Kosinski revealed to USA Today that Kilmer spoke with his actual voice in the final cut, but that it had been "digitally altered and blended a little bit just for clarity."
'Top Gun: Maverick' is the thrilling sequel to the 1986 classic, starring Tom Cruise as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who returns to train a new generation of elite fighter pilots for a high-stakes mission. The movie features Val Kilmer reprising his role as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. However, years prior to filming, Kilmer underwent treatment and surgery for throat cancer, which left him without his natural speaking voice.
Williams provided the vocals for the songs, but according to a tweet from Respeecher's X account, the team behind 'Better Man' enlisted the software company's help to create Williams' voice in the film. The extent to which Respeecher's AI technology was used to model the singer's voice is unknown.
'Better Man' is a biographical musical about British pop star Robbie Williams, uniquely portraying him as a CGI chimpanzee to reflect his feelings of being a "performing monkey" early in his career. The film explores his rise with Take That, solo success, personal relationships, and mental health struggles.
'The Midnight Sky' was directed by and stars George Clooney. Based on the novel 'Good Morning, Midnight,' the film follows Clooney’s isolated Arctic scientist as he tries to warn the crew of a Jovian space mission that they are returning to a post-apocalyptic, radioactive Earth.
AI was employed to enhance the film’s visual effects through virtual production, LED volume technology, and performance capture. Virtual production allows for the creation of detailed 3D environments for scene planning, while AI-driven LED walls adjust backgrounds in real time for dynamic lighting and scenery. Performance capture uses AI to replicate actors' facial expressions and movements, which was essential for creating the realistic zero-gravity scenes.
While AI technology is central to the story, set in a future where AI and robotics shape daily life, it’s also used in production to create lifelike androids, with AI-driven visual effects ensuring realistic movements and interactions.
Subservience is a science fiction thriller film directed by S.K. Dale from a screenplay by Will Honley and April Maguire. It stars Megan Fox as an artificially intelligent robot who gains sentience and becomes hostile.
'The Lion King' is a photorealistic animated remake of the 1994 classic. After his father Mufasa's murder, young lion prince Simba flees his kingdom. Years later, a chance encounter with lioness Nala prompts him to return and reclaim his rightful place.
AI was crucial in creating lifelike animal animations. Animators would first hand-animate a specific movement style, such as a lion with a limp and a shifty demeanor. The AI would then study this animation, learn the unique style, and apply it to other actions, like running or climbing a tree. This process allowed the AI to maintain the same expressive and realistic movements as if an animator had done it manually, enhancing the overall realism and emotional depth of the characters.
AI was used to create a digital double of Will Smith, allowing the film to feature a younger version of the actor. The AI technology helped in de-aging and creating realistic facial expressions and movements.
'Gemini Man' is a science fiction action film starring Will Smith in dual roles. The film follows Henry Brogan (Smith), a seasoned hitman, who is targeted by a younger clone of himself, created by a secret government project. The movie explores themes of identity, aging, and the consequences of advanced cloning technology.
The director positions the film as a warning and an example of the quality, or lack thereof, of a film written by AI.
Sources: (Screen Rant) (Tatler Asia) (IMDB) (Indie Wire) (The Guardian) (Disney) (Pocket-lint)
See also: Study shows AI is already taking jobs
The Last Screenwriter is a Swiss science fiction drama film directed by Peter Luisi and written by ChatGPT. It is one of the first films written using artificial intelligence. According to the film's website, the story began with the following prompt: “Write a plot to a feature-length film where a screenwriter realizes he is less good than artificial intelligence in writing."
'Megalopolis' is an epic science fiction drama written directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola, set in an alternate New York City called "New Rome." The film follows architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) as he clashes with corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) over plans to build a utopian city. The film also features Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Dustin Hoffman.
No matter your opinion on AI, one thing is clear: it is becoming an integral part of our lives, influencing everything from daily tasks to entertainment. Its growing presence, especially in movies, has sparked widespread debate, with discussions ranging from its potential to revolutionize storytelling to concerns about ethical implications and its impact on creativity and employment. Despite these debates, artifical intelligence has been creatively leveraged on the big screen in various ways, from correcting accents to making animals and utopian worlds look lifelike.
In this gallery, we explore 15 films that put the role of AI in the spotlight. Click to get started.
'Emilia Pérez' is a musical crime comedy based on the 2018 novel 'Écoute' by Boris Razon. The film follows a Mexican cartel leader (Karla Sofía Gascón) who hires a lawyer (Zoe Saldaña) to help her disappear and transition into a woman, with Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Édgar Ramírez in starring roles.
Groundbreaking movies that innovatively use AI
Artificial intelligence in the spotlight
MOVIES Technology
No matter your opinion on AI, one thing is clear: it is becoming an integral part of our lives, influencing everything from daily tasks to entertainment. Its growing presence, especially in movies, has sparked widespread debate, with discussions ranging from its potential to revolutionize storytelling to concerns about ethical implications and its impact on creativity and employment. Despite these debates, artifical intelligence has been creatively leveraged on the big screen in various ways, from correcting accents to making animals and utopian worlds look lifelike.
In this gallery, we explore 15 films that put the role of AI in the spotlight. Click to get started.