Featured Articles
Reel AI: Erik Barmack’s biweekly article for The Ankler
Sora 2 Shook Hollywood. This AI CEO is Helping the Industry ‘Take a F-ing Stand’
Erik Barmack’s Reel AI Column from The Ankler
INTRO TO AI
Quick Explainers on Basic AI Terms and Tools
ALL ARTICLES
OpenAI’s Sora Tops One Million Downloads in Five Days, Igniting the Fastest AI Video Boom Yet
Marketers and indie filmmakers rush to use the new generative-video app as regulators scramble to define what authenticity means in an age of instant cinematography.
OpenAI’s $30M Animated Film is Coming. Pixar Should Be Worried
‘Critterz’ will be made in 9 months and debut at Cannes ’26. The existential stakes couldn’t be higher
OpenAI-Backed “Critterz” Aims to Prove Generative Animation Can Carry a Movie, Not Just a Meme
With a budget under $30 million and a tiny crew, the film’s hybrid pipeline could redefine mid-tier animation economics if audiences embrace its algorithm-assisted artistry.
Musk’s X-Integrated Insta-Deepfakes: More Insidious Than You Imagine
Grok Imagine’s hellish ecosystem where writers, actors, directors — and copyright itself — cease to matter
Showrunner to Recreate Orson Welles’ Missing 43 Minutes: AI Meets Film History in a Risky Experiment
The Amazon-backed AI studio behind user-generated TV episodes turns its tools toward The Magnificent Ambersons, blending live action and generative reconstruction to restore what Hollywood once destroyed.
Sphere’s ‘Wizard of Oz’: Hollywood’s Dazzling Future or Dark Warning?
Sphere’s ‘Wizard of Oz’: For audiences, it’s breathtaking; for the workforce, it’s a test
‘What’s Ethical AI?’: The AI CEO Netflix, A24 & Disney Rely On (But Can’t Control)
Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela tells me regulation will ‘stifle’ innovation, and he won't put the genie back in the bottle: ‘You take the responsibility’
European Voice Actors Rally Against AI Dubbing, Warn of Artistic Decay
Voice performers across Europe—including veteran dub actor Boris Rehlinger—are mobilizing against the unregulated use of AI for content localization, arguing that emotion and nuance can’t be automated.
Amazon Banks on Celebrity Creativity with AI Platform Showrunner
The Amazon-funded startup Showrunner lets fans and creators generate custom animated series using celebrity IP or original ideas, blending star power and AI storytelling in a rapidly evolving platform.
Why CAA Bet on This AI Startup: ‘Consent and Control’ for Clients
The agency's Alexandra Shannon and Moonvalley CEO Naeem Talukdar tell me about the tech trained entirely on licensed video data
Neil Newbon Slams AI Voice Acting in Gaming, Backing Human Performance
Neil Newbon, celebrated for voicing Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, dismisses AI as emotionally hollow and insists that synthetic voice actors cannot replicate spontaneous human realism.
Actor Ike Barinholtz Eyed to Play Elon Musk in Guadagnino’s AI Satire Artificial
Actor Ike Barinholtz may take on the role of tech titan Elon Musk in Artificial, Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming comedic drama about OpenAI’s tumultuous real-life power struggle.
Matthew Lawrence Proposes AI Revival of Robin Williams’ Voice—Daughter Objects
Matthew Lawrence, who starred alongside Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire, suggests resurrecting Williams’ iconic voice via AI for assistance technology, sparking heated debate over consent and posthumous portrayal.
The AI Making Indie Sci-Fi Budgets Possible (James Cameron’s Team Agrees)
Actor Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic’s Wonder Dynamics streamlines VFX, cuts costs and is backed by the software giant that helped power ‘Avatar’
Creative Artists Agency Invests in Moonvalley to Build Hollywood‑Friendly AI Video Tools
CAA joins a $84 million funding round for Moonvalley’s Marey platform, aligning with a growing push for licensed, ethical AI tools in filmmaking and Hollywood’s fight against unauthorized generative content.
Natasha Lyonne Leads Hollywood’s Fight Over AI Copyright as Creators Demand Protections
Natasha Lyonne rallied over 400 industry figures to pressure the White House on AI copyright reform, pushing Hollywood to assert control over generative models and protect creator value.
The $2K Ad That Shook the NBA Finals — and Put Hollywood Production on Notice
JOB KILLER? Google’s Veo 3 update raises the gen-AI video threat level for Hollywood. (The Ankler illustration; Gorodenkoff Productions/Getty Images, Mutlu Kurtbas/Getty Images)
Steven Spielberg Draws Clear Line: No AI in Front of the Camera
Academy Award‑winning director Steven Spielberg voices caution over artificial intelligence taking on creative or acting roles, while acknowledging AI’s utility behind the scenes in Hollywood operations.
Calum Worthy and Producer Russell Geyser Launch 2wai, Letting Celebrities Control Their AI Doppelgängers
Disney Channel alum Calum Worthy and veteran producer Russell Geyser unveil 2wai, a platform for users—including entertainers—to own AI chat avatars that mimic their likeness and voice across 40+ languages, aiming to beat deepfake risks.
VFX Legend Ed Ulbrich Joins AI Firm Moonvalley to Bridge Tech and Hollywood
Oscar-winning visual effects veteran Ed Ulbrich leaves traditional studios for Moonvalley, aiming to integrate AI ethically into entertainment visual workflows and support creator-friendly tools.