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OpenAI backs Animated Feature film “Critterz” to push AI into Hollywood

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Abhijay Singh RawatBy
OpenAI Supports AI-Made Animated Feature Film - Critterz, Hoping To Influence Hollywood's Move Makers

Key Highlights –

  • OpenAI is supporting the AI animated feature film “Critterz,” with its tools, resources.
  • ChatGPT owner aims to demonstrate how gen-AI can accelerate filmmaking and reduce production costs.
  • Film has a budget of less than $30 million, to wrap up in nine months using AI to assist and, not replace humans.
  • OpenAI plans to use “Critterz” as a showcase to accelerate AI filmmaking adoption in Hollywood.

In hopes to accelerate the adoption of AI powered filmmaking in Hollywood, OpenAI is backing a feature-length animated film titled “Critterz.” The project is a collaboration between OpenAI’s creative specialist, Chad Nelson, and London-based Vertigo Films, with a team of about 30 people working to complete the film on a budget of under $30 million. It is interesting to note that the cost of a typical animated blockbuster goes anywhere close to $200 million.

The film, which is already in production, tells the story of forest creatures whose peaceful village is disrupted by an unexpected outsider. The screenplay was penned by the writers behind Paddington in Peru, and human actors will voice the characters. According to a report by Wall Street Journal, OpenAI’s efforts in the project is not with the intent to replace human creativity but instead to augment it. The movie is scheduled to debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2026 before a global theatrical release.

You may also like to read: OpenAI Makes ‘Improved’ ChatGPT Projects Available For Free Users

The Thought Behind the AI Film – Critterz

The “Critterz” project is a rather ambitious AI animated featured film which uses OpenAI’s newest language model, GPT-5. From using the model for script enhancements, creative iteration, as well as its advanced image-generation models to refine and expand on the initial artwork, GPT-5 was put to good use. Rather than producing the entire film, human artists will provide the original sketches, which will then be fed into the AI to produce hundreds of visuals per day. Using this hybrid workflow, one is intended to drastically cut down on the time and cost associated with traditional animation.

Chad Nelson, an OpenAI creative specialist who conceived the idea, explained the project’s purpose.

OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it. That’s a much better case study than me building a demo.

– Chad Nelson to Wall Street Journal
(OpenAI creative specialist)

The Hollywood Dream & AI-Human Collaboration

With actors’ and writers’ unions having already fought for safeguards against AI tools in their contracts, OpenAI’s entry into film production comes at a time of deep-seated tension in Hollywood. The main fear is not just about job displacement but about the devaluation of artistry.

Film critics and directors have voiced a range of opinions on the matter. Felix Dobaire, a film director and critic, argues that films generated entirely by AI “seem empty” and that cinema “needs human vision.” He believes AI could be a shortcut that makes artists stop challenging themselves.

Despite the controversies, the “Critterz” project is designed to showcase how time and cost efficient the “human-led and AI-assisted” model.

The producers of “Critterz” believe this collaboration will open up new doors for storytelling and offer an alternative to traditional, expensive production models, especially if it wins. Moreover, they’ve also established a profit-sharing model to ensure all artists involved in the production get a stake in the earning.

In other recent headlines, OpenAI also shared its plan to launch its own jobs platform, along with Certification program. Meanwhile, Google’s Nano Banana update also garnered good praise for its improved image editing capabilities.

Abhijay Singh Rawat
Abhijay is the News Editor at TimesofAI, who loves to follow up on the latest tech and AI trends. After office hours, you would find him either grinding competitive ranked games, or trek up his way in the hills of Uttarakhand.
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