We’ve been hearing about the impending AI revolution in filmmaking for years, but we are about to get our first look at what a fully AI-generated, studio feature film actually looks like this summer.

According to a bombshell exclusive from TheWrap (announced via X here), director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow) recently wrapped principal photography on Bitcoin: Killing Satoshi.

The film is a globe-trotting conspiracy thriller that stars Casey Affleck, Gal Gadot, Pete Davidson, and Isla Fisher.

But what everyone is talking about is that the film was shot entirely using a custom-built, AI-driven soundstage.

Let’s dive in.

Enter the “Gray Box”

According to the report, Killing Satoshi skipped shooting on any locations entirely. Instead of traveling to the 200 different locations written into Nick Schenk’s (Gran Torino) script, the production set up shop in London for a brisk 20-day shoot inside what producers have dubbed “the gray box.”

This isn’t your traditional Volume or LED wall setup like we’ve seen on The Mandalorian.

TheWrap article describes the set as a storage-facility-like room with giant walls covered in tracking Xs. They’ll use that to then both perform capture and drop in sets into the finished movie.

We have no clips or images of how it will look, so that’s all up for speculation.

The wildest detail is that the cinematic lighting, environments, and background elements will be entirely generated and painted in during post-production by AI.

They lit each scene specifically for the AI program by using “consistent, neutral lighting.” They utilized traditional wardrobe and props departments, and a construction team built physical proxy sets (like stairs and platforms)

They’ll also use AI to “tweak” lip, facial, and body movements of actors in post to avoid having to do any reshoots.

Liman and his cast have reportedly compared the experience to stage acting because they have to place all focus on the raw performance rather than the physical environment.

The $300 Million Question

The film is being produced by Acme AI & FX (founded by Ryan and Matt Kavanaugh, Garrett Grant, and Lawrence Grey), who are making a rather staggering financial claim.

And one that I think is probably impossible to verify without reading the script or getting a real line producer to break it down.

Producer Ryan Kavanaugh told TheWrap that budgeting the film in the usual ways and traveling to all 200 locations would have pushed the budget north of $300 million. Since they are utilizing AI tools, they brought the final price tag down to $70 million.

Let’s pause and put our logic hats on for a second.

Killing Satoshi is a thriller about a journalist investigating the true identity of Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto. While globe-trotting is expensive, a $300 million budget is strictly reserved for massive, VFX-heavy superhero blockbusters or Avatar sequels.

Unless Liman planned to literally blow up most of the world, it is incredibly difficult to fathom how a journalistic conspiracy thriller would ever touch $300 million.

Again, I haven’t read the script. But it begs the question: Are these inflated numbers being used as a marketing tool? Is this film essentially a $70 million tech demo meant to sell Acme AI & FX’s services to cost-cutting studio executives?

These are big questions we don’t have answers to, but it has everyone talking about this movie. Maybe all press is good press?

Summing It All Up

Bitcoin: Killing Satoshi is set to be shopped to distributors at the Cannes International Film Festival next week. So we’ll soon see if audiences and buyers are ready to accept the “gray box” or if the lack of human touch leaves this thriller feeling too artificial.

What do you think? Is this markerless AI capture stage the future of indie filmmaking, or just a studio excuse to slash crew budgets?

Let us know in the comments.