Pulp Fiction Co-Writer Roger Avary Shares Exciting News About Three Films Powered by AI in Production
Filmmaker Roger Avary has announced a new partnership between his production company, General Cinema Dynamics, and Massive AI Studios, entering the realm of generative AI for film production. This collaboration represents a significant shift in Avary’s approach to filmmaking.
The Oscar-winning co-writer of Pulp Fiction disclosed that his Texas-based company currently has three AI-driven films “in active production.” He noted the challenges he faced in securing funding as an independent director. “I found it almost impossible to get a movie going,” he explained.
Avary elaborated on his recent shift towards technology in filmmaking: “And then I built a technology company over the last year, basically making AI movies. And all of the sudden, boom! Like that, money gets thrown at it. Just by attaching the word AI, and that it’s a technology-based company, all of the sudden, investors came in.” He emphasized the dramatic change in fortunes, adding, “Just put AI in front of it, and all of the sudden, you’re in production on three features.”
Upcoming Projects
The upcoming slate includes a family Christmas film slated for release later this year, a faith-based feature set for Easter 2027, and a “big romantic war epic.”
Through his technology company, Avary is collaborating with Massive AI Studios to bring feature-length AI productions to theaters. “So many people are against AI,” he stated. “But all it is, is visual effects. And I have experience, like with that Beowulf movie, doing it. And what used to be a million dollars a minute is now $5,000 a minute, to do it really, really well. It looks kind of amazing, actually.” He expressed optimism about the implications of AI for independent cinema, describing these as “super exciting times.”
Avary’s transition into the world of AI follows closely after Darren Aronofsky’s studio, Primordial Soup, released an AI-animated Revolutionary War series titled On This Day … 1776 on YouTube’s Time channel.
In legislative developments, Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and John Curtis (R-UT) are proposing the Copyright Labeling and Ethical AI Reporting Act. This bill would require companies to notify the Register of Copyrights about the copyrighted works utilized to train AI models. The bill has garnered endorsements from SAG-AFTRA, the Writers Guild of America, and the Directors Guild of America, among others. However, it stops short of mandating that AI companies obtain licenses for copyrighted materials, a concern that has led to litigation from various authors and creators.
Moreover, major film studios like Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Co., and NBC Universal are involved in legal action against Midjourney regarding these issues, reflecting the growing tension between traditional media and the evolving landscape of technology in filmmaking.
