OpenAI goes to the movies: AI-generated animated film Critterz to be presented in Cannes

OpenAI is actively expanding its business areas and aims to use its own technologies to distribute products and services on a large scale. Currently, the company has attracted attention for a bold experiment in the entertainment industry — a full-length animated film created with the help of AI. The film is called Critterz, and OpenAI plans to change the way Hollywood producers look at film production.

The Critterz movie is based on an idea that was born inside OpenAI. The project involved the following tools GPT-5 and DALL-E, and the process is led by the company’s creative specialist Chad Nelson. He started developing the characters three years ago, planning a short film with visuals generated at DALL-E. The production is being handled by Vertigo Films in London and Native Foreign in Los Angeles. Native Foreign has already experimented with the use of AI in video production. It created a short pseudo-documentary in the style of “Planet Earth”, also called Critterz, using visualizations from DALL-E.

The premiere is scheduled for the Cannes Film Festival, after which the film will be released in wide release in 2026. According to Wall Street JournalCritterz will be the company’s first project of this scale outside of its traditional business. What makes it stand out is not only the use of AI technologies, but also the budget, which does not exceed $30 million, and the quick turnaround time of nine months instead of several years, as is the case with traditional animated films. Thus, creating a movie using AI is several times cheaper and faster than the standard Hollywood format.

If OpenAI manages to meet the deadline and budget, it will prove the effectiveness of AI in the entertainment sector. At the same time, the company emphasizes that it does not plan to completely abandon the human factor. The characters are voiced by live actors, and artists will create sketches of the environment and characters. These sketches are fed into a system that combines OpenAI’s generative tools to create complete scenes. The script was written by authors known for “Paddington in Peru“.

Critterz is conceived as an experiment in combining originality and technology, which should eliminate the risks of copyright infringement. The project looks ambitious, as it has the potential to influence the future of film production. However, its success will depend on the reaction of the audience and the industry itself.

The debate about the role of AI in creativity has been going on for years. Some people fear that algorithms may displace human creativity. In the case of Critterz, it’s all about balance: the film can either prove that AI can enhance the talent of artists and speed up the process, or it can reinforce fears about the loss of the uniqueness of creative work.

Source: wccftech, engadget