The iconic long-running Australian soap opera *Neighbours*, which wrapped its decades-long broadcast run in 2023, is at the center of a heated creative and ethical debate after rights holder Fremantle announced a partnership with U.S.-based RoseBerry Media to produce AI-assisted vertical micro-dramas tailored for mobile audiences. The project, framed by its creators as a way to breathe new life into the beloved series for Gen Z and mobile-first viewers, will deploy proprietary AI software to scan over 9,300 archived episodes, map out character journeys, plot beats, and fan-favorite moments to streamline the curation of short-form content. The first slate of micro-episodes will center on the character Donna Freedman, portrayed by Oscar-nominated star Margot Robbie during her breakout three-year tenure on the show from 2008 to 2011. Representatives from both Fremantle and RoseBerry Media have emphasized that the AI tool will not generate synthetic performances, alter actors’ likenesses, or fabricate new storylines: all clips featured in the micro-dramas will be pulled directly from original, previously aired footage, with every step of the editing process overseen and signed off by human creative staff. The companies maintain the initiative will unlock untapped value from the show’s vast catalogue, introducing *Neighbours* to a whole new generation of fans who never watched its traditional linear broadcast. But a cohort of former cast members and production crew who worked on the series for years have pushed back, raising urgent concerns that they were never consulted, nor gave explicit consent, for their images, voices, and original creative labor to be repurposed for this unannounced project. Matt Werkmeister, who was 13 when he joined the *Neighbours* cast as regular character Zeke Kinski in 2005 and shared dozens of scenes with Robbie’s on-screen persona, noted that his original 20-year-old contract was drafted long before streaming, short-form social media content, and AI-powered media repurposing were even conceivable, leaving him unclear on his legal rights to the footage he appeared in. Sam Clark, who portrayed Ringo Brown, the on-screen love interest who marries Robbie’s character Donna, echoed that sentiment, stating he only learned of the micro-drama plan via a social media post from a friend, and that while he is not opposed to the show’s legacy finding new audiences, he draws the line at unapproved reconfiguration of the original narrative. Veteran sound recordist Bruce Findlay, who worked on the very first episode of *Neighbours* and dedicated decades to the production, compared the AI-assisted curation process to slicing up a Picasso painting and rearranging the fragments, arguing it trivializes the years of meticulous, collaborative effort the entire team poured into making each episode. While Fremantle has confirmed it is in active negotiations with industry unions including the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), and has committed to paying residual royalties to cast and writers for the reuse of their work, no such compensation framework has been extended to behind-the-scenes crew. MEAA acting CEO Adam Portelli stressed that all creative workers deserve transparent consultation before their likeness and professional output are exploited for commercial use cases that did not exist when they signed their original employment agreements. As of press time, Margot Robbie has not made any public statement regarding the project, and the BBC has reached out to her talent agency for an official comment.
‘Like cutting up a Picasso’: AI microdrama edit of Neighbours worries actors and crew
