Doug Liman uses AI for his next film… and saves $230 million

“It’s over for us…”regretted Rhett Reese, screenwriter of Deadpoolin February. Just before writing these dramatic words, the American had just discovered images of a fight between Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise at the top of a building. A scene of striking realism… entirely created by artificial intelligence. Today, Reese’s fears came true. AI recently resurrected Val Kilmer, produced a Bollywood film from scratch and will soon allow director Doug Liman to release the film Bitcoin : Killing Satoshishot in just 20 days thanks to the” amazing ” help of technology.

In the columns of The Wrap, the filmmaker (Mr. et Mrs. Smith, Jumper, Edge of Tomorrow) confided that he was in the midst of preparing a thriller around the identity of the creator of Bitcoin with an XXL cast made up of Gal Gadot, Casey Affleck, Pete Davidson and Isla Fisher. To set up this ambitious project, Doug Liman made extensive use of artificial intelligence, a tool still shunned by a large majority of his colleagues. According to production studios Acme AI & FX, this decision allowed it to make immense savings. The film’s budget, estimated without AI at 300 million dollars, would ultimately reach 70 million. Around 300 people are involved in the project.

200 decorations reproduced by AI

“We realized we could reduce costs by using these tools”admitted the director, who wants to find a potential buyer during the Cannes Film Festival film market, from May 12 to 20. To record the different scenes of the feature film, the teams of Bitcoin : Killing Satoshi only needed one hangar. The AI ​​transformed this vast space into some 200 settings, including Antarctica, the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda and Las Vegas. “These landscapes are obviously impossible to reproduce usually”notes Doug Liman.

The director’s enthusiasm is shared by one of the producers, Ryan Kavanaugh, who worked on The Immortals et Kisses of Anger. “Actor performance is uniquely captured using AIhe explains to The Wrap. We shoot a scene and the technology builds everything else. » Garret Grant, another producer, said he approached the film with “an ethical approach, taking into account each member of the team”. The actors say they are cheerful. Casey Affleck, Oscar-winning hero of Manchester by the seacompared the gaming process to a play. « Doug Liman reinvented the spy film with Memory in the skin, he praised. It was there that I discovered his incredible genius. » For the moment, no release date for the film has been made official.