OpenAI backs AI-animated film for 2026 Cannes debut
OpenAI is providing AI tools and computing power for "Critterz," a feature-length animated film created largely with artificial intelligence. The project aims for a debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026 and a theatrical release later that year.
Chad Nelson leads the project, collaborating with producers Vertigo Films and Native Foreign. The production budget is under $30 million with a nine-month timeline. The film follows forest creatures whose village is disrupted by a stranger.
The production uses a hybrid approach. Human artists sketch characters and scenes while voice actors record dialogue. OpenAI's image-generation tools then iterate visuals and accelerate workflows. OpenAI supplies software and computing resources to the production team.
Vertigo Films in London and Native Foreign in California handle production and distribution planning. The backers aim to demonstrate that AI can deliver feature-quality animation faster and more cost-effectively than standard studio processes. "Critterz" is the first major attempt to apply these methods for a theatrically released feature film.
Nelson previously created a five-minute "Critterz" short using OpenAI's DALL-E image generator. The 2023 short introduced the world and characters that form the foundation for the feature film. Native Foreign has presented the project as an AI-designed work on its website, noting the short has been remastered and expanded into a feature with studio partners.
"It's been magical to watch Chad's creativity flow through DALL-E," said OpenAI's Natalie Summers in 2023, describing the original short that led to the feature project.
OpenAI launched its video model Sora in 2024 and has promoted AI tools for content creation while acknowledging technical limitations. Some filmmakers use these tools for test footage and preview materials. Industry creators have raised concerns about job impacts as AI capabilities advance.
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