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.
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Amazon has made a strategic move to cement its presence at the intersection of entertainment and AI, backing Fable Studio’s new platform, Showrunner. This subscription-based service—ranging from $10 to $40 a month—enables users to create original animated TV episodes or remix existing shows, even inserting themselves into scenes. With early buzz fueled by a user-generated “South Park” episode in 2023, Showrunner has already captured the curiosity of Hollywood executives and creators.
Founder Edward Saatchi, a former Oculus engineer, sees the platform as a bridge between celebrity IP and mass creativity. Showrunner is actively courting major studios—including unnamed parties reportedly in talks with Disney—to license well-known franchises for user-generated content. Through licensing deals, studios could gain revenue share and promotional visibility, effectively turning passive IP into interactive experiences.
The platform’s appeal extends beyond fans. Fable offers revenue-sharing options—users can earn up to 40% of proceeds if someone builds on their creations, incentivizing collaboration and remix culture. Behind the scenes, Showrunner reportedly has one studio partner locked in already, with several others exploring deeper integrations.
What sets Showrunner apart is its blend of AI and celebrity engagement. It isn’t just about fan-made parody—it’s positioning itself to bring star voices, likenesses, and story worlds into user-generated formats with proper rights and monetization models. As AI tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo gain traction, Hollywood’s gatekeepers are watching closely.
Critics remain cautious. There are existing controversies over AI-generated deepfakes and unauthorized celebrity likeness—just last week, Disney and Universal sued Midjourney over unlicensed character output. But Saatchi argues Showrunner prioritizes legal structures: licensed IP, user consent, and clear revenue splits.
The timing is critical. With SAG-AFTRA and WGA securing new protections around AI use, especially voice and likeness rights, platforms like Showrunner must navigate these labor waters thoughtfully. Amazon’s backing provides clout, but also expectations: to uphold ethical AI deployment in storytelling that involves celebrity figures.
Financially, Showrunner taps into a growing market. Analysts project global spending on AI-powered media tools to exceed $15 billion next year, while celebrity-backed startups increasingly draw venture capital. If Showrunner successfully licenses major IP and delivers quality animation tools, it could become a new creative ecosystem—one where fans, creators, and studios coexist.
That said, the road ahead has challenges: Who owns spin-off stories? Who moderates user content for inappropriate or defamatory uses of celebrity voices and likenesses? Showrunner’s early agreements reportedly include vetting processes and rights-holder review panels.
For Hollywood, Showrunner represents a test case: what happens when fans, publishers, and tech converge to give consumers creative license. If handled transparently—with proper licensing, celebrity oversight, and equitable profit-sharing—it may offer a template for participatory storytelling in the AI era.
As Fable prepares to launch, all eyes are on whether celebrity IP can power user-generated innovation without compromising artistic integrity—or whether the platform becomes another AI controversy in the making.