分类： entertainment

For years, Hollywood viewed artificial intelligence with deep suspicion, but a quiet shift is underway across the global film and television industry. What began as a source of widespread anxiety, triggering major labor unrest just two years ago, has evolved into growing collaboration between major studios, streaming platforms, and AI startups – with industry leaders uniformly emphasizing that human-led creative work will remain at the heart of filmmaking. As recently as 2025, Shadowbox Studios COO Mike Mosallam acknowledged to entertainment outlet Variety that the industry is still coming to terms with AI’s expanding role. The initial reaction to generative AI in Hollywood was defensive, rooted in widespread uncertainty about the technology’s impact. Major studios feared their vast libraries of copyrighted intellectual property would be exploited without permission, while actors raised alarms that AI could reduce human performers to mere source data for digital replications. These concerns became a core negotiating issue that drove the 2023 Hollywood actors’ strike, one of the longest work stoppages in the industry’s recent history. Early adopters who experimented with early AI tools also encountered clear technical limitations: from digital characters with misformed six-fingered hands to disjointed, unnatural mouth movements that pulled audiences out of stories. The tide began to turn dramatically in early March of this year, when streaming giant Netflix announced its acquisition of little-known AI startup InterPositive for an impressive $587 million. The small firm, founded just three years prior in 2022 by industry veteran Ben Affleck (who boasts credits as a producer, director, and actor), has built an AI platform specifically designed to streamline and support film and television production workflows. The wave of industry investment continued into early June, when major studio Lionsgate took a strategic stake in Runway, one of the most prominent developers of AI-generated video technology. The pair have since partnered to develop original creative projects that leverage Runway’s tools. Just days after Lionsgate’s announcement, tech giant Google made a similar complementary move, investing in acclaimed independent production studio A24 to support AI integration in its slate of projects. Recent industry projects, from national ad campaigns to independent short films, demonstrate that AI video technology has crossed a key quality threshold – even when generating human characters for on-screen stories. As Runway stated in a public update back in May, “In many cases, if the story is strong enough, the technology is now good enough to become invisible.” Runway Chief Creative Officer Jamie Umpherson explained that as the technology has advanced at a pace “unimaginable a couple of years ago,” industry professionals have rapidly improved their ability to use AI tools effectively. “There’s more familiarity than there was even a year ago,” he noted, adding that this growing comfort frees up creative teams to dedicate more time and energy to refining core story and visual style rather than grappling with logistical production hurdles. Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos echoed this sentiment during the company’s mid-July earnings presentation, highlighting that AI is already delivering tangible production benefits. “We’re making higher quality output more quickly and efficiently than we could have using traditional methods,” he said. Sarandos confirmed that generative AI workflows have already been deployed across roughly 300 Netflix original titles, with most use cases concentrated in post-production. “We’re leveraging GenAI for really complicated shots and sequences that would be far more time-consuming or costly to create through traditional methods,” he added. To date, Netflix has focused AI integration primarily on the peripheral stages of production, from visualizing creative concepts during pre-production to handling color grading after principal photography wraps – a hybrid approach that leaves core creative work in human hands. Independent director and producer Jon Erwin, a leading adopter of new AI production methods, shares the view that the core of cinematic craft will remain untouched by automation. “Actors drive all the performances, and we use these tools to amplify the sets and the scope of the shows,” Erwin explained. “But we preserve the core of the filmmaking process, which is the relationship between the actor, the director and the camera. These tools do not replace that.” Back in April, Erwin’s production company Wonder Project launched a joint venture named Innovative Dreams with Luma AI, a Runway competitor specializing in AI-generated visual content. Together, the partners developed a revolutionary new production process that eliminates the need for green screens and motion capture suits entirely, allowing actors to perform naturally on a minimal set before AI generates a hyper-realistic surrounding digital environment. Erwin dubs the approach “hybrid” or “nonlinear” filmmaking. The technology is fast enough that the AI-generated backdrop can be processed and added to a scene just minutes after filming wraps, giving directors an instant preview of the final shot and allowing them to reshoot immediately if adjustments are needed, rather than waiting until post-production to catch flaws. The first full-length feature film created with this method, *Young Washington* starring William Franklyn-Miller alongside Oscar winner Ben Kingsley and two Golden Globe winners, has already earned more than $40 million at the global box office – double its entire production budget. While the new AI-augmented production ecosystem still relies on skilled technicians, actors, and camera crews, the question of how many traditional roles will remain in demand as AI adoption grows remains unresolved. High-profile actor Matt Damon has publicly voiced concern about the long-term impact of cost-cutting driven by AI, noting that big-budget location shoots like Christopher Nolan’s upcoming *The Odyssey*, which filmed across three continents, may become a thing of the past. “I don’t think people are going to be given the resources to shoot movies that way for much longer,” Damon warned. To date, Hollywood’s biggest traditional studio powerhouses – including Paramount, Universal, Sony, Walt Disney, and Warner Bros. – have not announced major public investments or partnerships in AI production technology, staying officially on the sidelines of the current AI shift. But Tanya Porquez, CEO of Generated Group, which recently launched a searchable database of AI-generated video content for the industry, predicts that this public hesitation will not last. “Studios will have to get on board. Not because they necessarily want to, but I think it’s just the wave,” Porquez said. The industry’s shift from AI anxiety to gradual integration is well underway, with early results already proving the technology’s ability to cut costs, speed up production, and expand creative scope – even as open questions remain about its long-term impact on jobs and traditional filmmaking practices.

One of the most anticipated film releases of the year has made a historic splash at the global box office, as Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic *The Odyssey* has sailed straight to the top of North American weekend box office rankings, delivering the strongest opening for any live-action movie in 2024. Industry data published Sunday confirms the epic feature pulled in $124.5 million in ticket sales across North America during its debut three-day weekend, far outpacing pre-release projections that predicted an opening haul of less than $100 million.

Produced by Nolan’s longtime collaborator and wife Emma Thomas and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film boasts a star-studded ensemble cast headlined by A-list actors Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. It also earned an additional $139 million from international theaters over the opening weekend, bringing its total global launch revenue to $263.5 million — a figure that already covers the project’s full reported $250 million production budget in just its first three days on screens.

A groundbreaking creative project, *The Odyssey* marks the first feature film ever to be shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film stock. For his retelling of Homer’s 3,000-year-old poem, Nolan leaned into traditional analog filmmaking techniques to reimagine the classic story of hero Odysseus, who battles countless mythic and natural obstacles on his decade-long journey home following the end of the Trojan War.

Veteran entertainment industry analyst David A. Gross highlighted the unique appeal of Nolan’s work in a commentary on the opening weekend results, noting: “Nolan is the only filmmaker working today who could take an ancient story like this, attract a cast as sprawling and accomplished as this, and make it a pop culture event.”

The rest of the top five on the North American weekend box office charts saw holdover titles from major studios maintain solid traction with audiences. Disney’s animated hit *Moana* held steady in second place, adding $19 million in its second weekend of release to push its North American total to $82 million and global cumulative sales to $178 million. Universal’s *Minions & Monsters* followed closely behind in third, earning $14.8 million domestically to bring its three-week global total to nearly $357.6 million. Disney’s *Toy Story 5* dropped one spot to fourth in its fifth weekend on screens, pulling in an estimated $13 million domestically for a global total approaching $958 million. Warner Bros.’ horror release *Evil Dead Burn* rounded out the top five with a $5 million domestic haul, pushing its two-week global total to $51 million and domestic total to more than $24 million.

The remaining positions in the weekend’s top 10 highest-grossing films were filled by: *The Invite* at $3.9 million, *Young Washington* at $3.7 million, *Obsession* at $2.5 million, *Supergirl* at $1.5 million, and *Disclosure Day* at $1.45 million.

For the first time in the history of soccer’s biggest tournament, the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina featured a blockbuster Super Bowl-style halftime show on Sunday, bringing together A-list music superstars, soccer legends, screen actors and beloved children’s entertainment characters to deliver a 12-minute spectacle focused on charitable action. Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the event united dozens of big names for a good cause, drawing a projected global audience of billions while honoring the legacy of one of the sport’s greatest icons.

The show kicked off with a dramatic entrance: pop icon Madonna was carried through the underground tunnels of New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on a dune buggy, driven by two Brazilian soccer legends, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. She followed her opening performance of her hit *Music* with a transition to a cross-border collaborative performance of the White Stripes’ rock anthem *Seven Nation Army* — a track that has become a staple chant in soccer stadiums across the world. Conducted by renowned maestro Gustavo Dudamel, the ensemble featured musicians from the United States, Venezuela, and Iran, including the New York Philharmonic, Venezuela’s Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, and celebrated Iranian violinist Bijan Mortazavi.

Next, viral footage of Norway fans’ iconic “Viking row” celebration from the 2026 tournament led into a performance of global K-pop sensation BTS’s smash hit *Dynamite*, reworked with custom soccer-themed lyrics. The surprise continued when *Ted Lasso* lead actor Jason Sudeikis and his co-star Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard, took the stage to introduce Canadian pop megastar Justin Bieber. Bieber delivered an emotionally charged, World Cup-adapted version of *Everything Hallelujah* before Colombian star Shakira and Nigerian artist Burna Boy raised the energy with the tournament’s official anthem *Dai Dai*, accompanied by a troupe of Ugandan dancers.

A moving interlude paid tribute to Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, who passed away in late 2022 just months after the previous World Cup. Giant stadium screens broadcast archival footage of Pelé addressing a crowd at the old Giants Stadium — the same New Jersey site where MetLife Stadium now stands — from his 1977 final professional match, giving audiences a moment to honor his enduring legacy in the sport.

The 12-minute performance closed with a joyful collaborative number that brought together Coldplay, viral New York elementary school group PS22 Chorus, and iconic puppet characters from *Sesame Street* and *The Muppets*. This brought the total halftime break, including player warm-up time, to 27 minutes, a length that drew some pre-event criticism from observers concerned that the extended pause would disrupt player rhythm and impact on-pitch performance. For context, the 12-minute show is actually slightly shorter than the typical 13 to 14 minute runtime of most recent Super Bowl halftime performances, making the break far from unprecedented in major televised sporting events.

Organizers framed the event as the most significant collective gathering of artists for a charitable cause since the iconic 1985 Live Aid concert, and predicted it would become the most-watched live music broadcast in history, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino estimating a global viewership of around 2 billion people. The entire show was organized to raise funds and awareness for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, the driving force behind the event, which works to expand access to education and sports programming for children from underprivileged communities around the world.

The fund has set a total fundraising goal of $100 million, and had already surpassed the $60 million mark ahead of the halftime show. Funding comes from multiple sources: a $1 donation from every ticket sold for the 2026 World Cup, corporate contributions, government donations from participating nations, and gifts from private donors. To date, FIFA has announced grants for 58 community organizations across the globe, with programming expected to reach more than 400,000 children in nations ranging from Ghana and South Africa to France and the United Kingdom.

The star power extended beyond the halftime show itself, with a pre-match closing ceremony that featured additional A-list performances. Rapper Post Malone headlined the pre-match event, while Hollywood star Tom Cruise delivered a unifying monologue on soccer’s power to bring the world together — though his speech was largely drowned out by cheering, singing fans in the packed stadium. Additional performers included Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Jennifer Hudson, rounding out a historic day of music paired with soccer’s biggest match.

Beloved British-Australian screen and stage performer Terence Donovan, whose decades-long career cemented his status as a staple of Australian television and film, has passed away at 90, his family has confirmed. The actor drew his final breath peacefully on Saturday night in Melbourne, Australia, according to a joint statement shared by his sons — fellow actor Jason Donovan and Paul Donovan.

In an emotional public tribute posted to social media, the pair remembered their father as an unforgettable, larger-than-life presence that anchored their family. “Our Dad was a huge character, larger than life. He was our best friend … our world! We will desperately miss him but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days,” they wrote. They added that the family finds peace in the knowledge Donovan lived fully, embracing his core mantra: “in life it’s either a daring adventure or nothing at all. How lucky are we to have a Dad like you.”

Born in London, Donovan moved to Australia as a teenager, launching his entertainment career first as a vocalist before making his on-screen debut in the early 1960s. A decade into his career, he landed two of his most iconic television roles: first as Detective Mick Peters in the hit 1970s Australian police procedural *Division 4*, followed by a turn as Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron on another popular police drama, *Cop Shop*, which ran through the 1980s.

In the 1990s, Donovan joined the cast of Australia’s most famous long-running soap opera *Neighbours* as Doug Willis, stepping into the role shortly after his son Jason — a former *Neighbours* star who rose to global fame on the show — departed the series. He later took another well-known soap role, playing Al Simpson on fellow Australian drama *Home and Away*. Beyond his 60-year television career, Donovan built an impressive resume in film, with memorable supporting turns in iconic Australian features including *The Man from Snowy River* and *Breaker Morant*, and he also appeared in dozens of stage productions across the country.

Beyond his work in front of the camera, Donovan was a passionate advocate for the Australian screen industry. In the early 1970s, when local production was being crowded out by an influx of imported content from the U.S. and UK, Donovan used his public profile to rally support for domestic storytelling. Jason Donovan noted in his tribute that his father famously joined public marches demanding local content, carrying banners that read “T.V. MAKE IT AUSTRALIA NOW.”

That advocacy delivered lasting change: campaigning by Donovan and other supporters led to the introduction of rules requiring commercial Australian broadcasters to air a minimum quota of local content. “Without people like my Dad we might not have seen the growth in the industry during the 70s and 80s, and indirectly, Australian films such as *The Man From Snowy River*, *Breaker Morant*, *Picnic at Hanging Rock*, *Priscilla*, *Muriel’s Wedding*, *Crocodile Dundee* [and] *Strictly Ballroom*,” Jason added, highlighting the far-reaching impact of his father’s activism that continues to benefit Australian entertainment today.