Actors and artists worry about the use of artificial intelligence in upcoming film. The revelation that an upcoming biopic about Bitcoin creator Satoshi will rely heavily on AI has actors and industry creatives worried. An upcoming biopic about the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, starring both Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson, is causing controversy for its willingness to use artificial intelligence, not only to generate backgrounds and scene locations but also to adjust actor performances. The film, Killing Satoshi, will be directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity and 2024’s Road House) but it was producer Ryan Kavanaugh who has been making headlines when he disclosed in a U.K. casting notice that the filmmakers reserve the right to “adjust” actor performances, including the right to “change, add to, take from, translate, reformat or reprocess” those performances, and that the actors themselves will be performing on a “markerless performative capture stage and not in any locations,” according to reporting by Variety.
In response to the public anxiety around the choice to lean into AI use in the making of Killing Satoshi, producer Ryan Kavanaugh had this to say to Variety: We were very cautious, sensitive and overly protective of our actors to make sure we only use performance capture AI which means that we will not have any AI-generated actors that do not exist. AI is a tool we’re using to make the filmmaking process more efficient while maintaining all department heads’ jobs, all actor jobs and hopefully helping to grow the industry in a positive way. Though currently still just in production, Killing Satoshi will be one of the first movies to test these boundaries, so anyone interested in the intersection of AI and creative work should pay close attention to its reception.
The project will use performance capture AI to support the filmmaking process while preserving human actor and crew roles, according to producers. Directed by Doug Liman, the film has sparked debate over AI in cinema after producer Ryan Kavanaugh disclosed the scope of use in a UK casting notice. He says AI is a tool to increase efficiency and scope without creating non-existent actors, stressing that the approach is about augmenting creative work rather than replacing talent.
The movie is still in production, and its reception could influence how studios approach AI in future projects. As AI integration grows in film, observers will watch how audiences respond to Killing Satoshi’s approach and what it means for the balance between technology and human artistry in the industry.
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