{"id":625713,"date":"2026-10-09T20:14:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T20:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/625713\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T20:14:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T20:14:10","slug":"danny-boyle-discusses-ink-ai-thatcher-rupert-murdoch-obsession","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/625713\/","title":{"rendered":"Danny Boyle Discusses ‘Ink\u2019 AI Thatcher, Rupert Murdoch, \u2018Obsession\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tDirector and producer Danny Boyle<\/a> discussed his latest film, Ink<\/a><\/a>, which traces Rupert Murdoch<\/a>\u2018s rise on Fleet Street and takeover of the tabloid The Sun, and his film career at an event during the 70th edition<\/a> of the BFI London Film Festival<\/a> on Friday. And he shared some thoughts that surprised audience members.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe filmmaker talked to Puck\u2018s Matt Belloni in a wide-ranging discussion that was partially recorded for his The Town podcast.<\/p>\n

\n\tBoyle recalled an encounter with Murdoch. \u201cI met him, not for this project, but because Slumdog Millionaire \u2026 made him a lot of money,\u201d he said. \u201c[Fox Searchlight] were the studio that picked it up and made a huge amount of money,\u201d so Boyle was invited to \u201ca lunch party in a garden somewhere.\u201d But he acknowledged: \u201cI can\u2019t remember [details], and it was an extremely uneventful meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDiscussing the rise of AI, Boyle had some thoughts to share when asked if he sees the technology as an opportunity, a threat or something else. \u201cIt\u2019s a part of the toolbox that the visual effects companies use now,\u201d the creative offered. \u201cIt just is, and we used it very sparingly [in Ink], and we were very careful to make sure it didn\u2019t replace anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tDanny Boyle<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe Ink team did, however, use AI to recreate late U.K. Prime Minister Margaret \u201cMaggie\u201d Thatcher\u2019s face. \u201cI didn\u2019t want a Thatcher imitator because the points at which she appears in the film, it\u2019s documented that she used to visit [The Sun editor] Larry Lamb\u2019s office late at night after the edition had gone out, and they\u2019d drink whiskey together,\u201d Boyle said. \u201cI didn\u2019t want an impersonator. I wanted her to be it. Of course, we got an impersonator in to play the whole scene\u201d and then used AI to put Thatcher\u2019s face on her.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tIn case you wonder if the filmmaker asked for any rights or flagged this, Boyle shared: \u201cI got to be honest, I declined to ask the estate for permission to do that. I don\u2019t think the estate of people like Margaret Thatcher should have control over our ability to insist on ideas in art about what her influence was on our lives. So that was very important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBoyle also discussed the issue of power in connection with technology giants. \u201cThe danger is when the newspapers are gone and the portals are just our screens,\u201d the filmmaker argued. \u201cWill those journalists be allowed to hold truth to power, because the power then will be [with] the tech giants who control these platforms. And obviously the rise of AI and replacing journalists with AI is another compounding factor of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked about movies that really impressed him this year, Boyle shared: \u201dI loved Obsession and Backrooms, and we obviously really enjoyed The Odyssey. \u2029I\u2019m really looking forward to Dune 3.\u201d<\/p>\n

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