[AIbase News] OpenAI is collaborating with a film production company to release an animated feature film titled "Critterz," aimed at demonstrating the significant potential of generative AI in accelerating and reducing the cost of movie production. The film is expected to be released in cinemas worldwide next year, with its production process, cost, and time far lower than traditional Hollywood models.
According to reports, the budget for "Critterz" is less than 30 million U.S. dollars, while the production cycle of traditional Hollywood animated films usually takes three years. The production team plans to complete it in just nine months and aims to premiere its full-length version at the Cannes Film Festival this May.
The film's concept originated from OpenAI's creative expert Chad Nelson, who began conceptualizing these forest animal characters three years ago. The story follows a group of forest animals who embark on an adventure after their village is disrupted by strangers. The screenplay was written by part of the team that worked on "Paddington in Peru." Production has already started, and voice actors will be finalized in the coming weeks.
The film's production team consists of about 30 staff members from London and Los Angeles, who will use OpenAI's GPT-5 and image generation models to transform human creative elements such as hand-drawn sketches and actor voiceovers into the final movie scenes. Nelson said, "Letting people truly see the results produced by AI is more convincing than any demonstration."
The funding for "Critterz" comes from Federation Studios, the parent company of London-based Vertigo Films. Nelson pointed out that if the film is successful, it will strongly prove that AI is capable of supporting theatrical-level works and push Hollywood to adopt this technology faster. Additionally, OpenAI's tools will lower the barriers to creation, allowing more people to participate in movie production.
Although original animated films carry high market risks and have not yet found a distribution partner, the producers believe that due to the combination of human voice acting and artists' hand-drawn sketches, the film has the potential to secure copyright protection. This film is not only a technological experiment but also a reflection of OpenAI's advocated spirit of creativity and exploration.
