Can AI make a good movie? That question will soon be put to the test as Open AI announced this week that they are backing an animated film called “Critterz” with a targeted release date of May 2026 at the Cannes Film Festival. The film will be made in nine months (as opposed to the typical three years) at a cost of under $30 million (compared to the $100+ million typical budget). The process they are using is increasingly being known as “vibe movie making,” in reference to the speed and automation with which these films are made. The space is growing fast:

“According to new research from FBRC.ai, at least 65 AI-centric film studios have launched globally since 2022, with 30 appearing in 2024 alone. The economics are compelling and dangerous. “Critterz” demonstrates production timelines compressed by 70% and budgets reduced by 75%. For independent creators, AI tools do more than democratizing access to studio-quality production capabilities, it replaces “Lights, Camera, Action” with a prompt.”

As this trend continues, it brings up an interesting case study about what pieces of the process are getting automated first (the animation itself) versus which are the last to be replaced (the film still used a human team to write the screenplay and story). Are the jobs of storytellers more secure than those who bring that story to life on screen? Can a movie ever really be produced at the touch of a button or will it always need some sort of a visionary storyteller at the helm guiding the prompts and controlling the output?

We will see when Critterz comes out in May next year … and it’s unlikely to be the only such project we’ll see in the coming year.