Hollywood is facing a new kind of revolution, and not everyone is cheering. Artificial intelligence has taken center stage, dividing the industry and sparking debates about creativity, jobs, and the future of filmmaking. The latest voice to weigh in is Robert Avary, the Oscar-winning co-writer of Pulp Fiction, who admits that AI has become his ticket back into production.
Avary revealed on The Joe Rogan Experience that Hollywood’s traditional system shut its doors to him long ago. But when he introduced his new company, General Cinema Dynamics, as an AI-driven film venture, those doors swung wide open. “I go out there and try to get stuff made, and it’s almost impossible,” he said. “And then I built a technology company over the last year, basically making AI movies, and all of a sudden, boom! Like that, money gets thrown at it.”
Joe Rogan Experience #2452 - Roger Avary
In the lengthy interview, he explains that simply calling his project “AI-based” drew instant investor interest. The result? Three films now in production, one a family Christmas story hitting theaters this holiday season, another a faith-based film planned for Easter, and the third a sweeping romantic war epic. None of these would have been possible, he said, under the old studio model.
Why are investors so attracted to AI-powered films? The answer is simple: they’re cheaper, faster, and bypass much of the bureaucracy that has long defined Hollywood. But what does that mean for writers, actors, and crew members—the people who have kept the film business alive for generations?
That question gained new urgency last week when an AI-generated fight scene featuring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise went viral. Many online mistook it for a real clip. Rhett Reese, the writer of Deadpool, admitted he was stunned, posting, “In next to no time, one person is going to be able to sit at a computer and create a movie indistinguishable from what Hollywood now releases.” He warned that if someone with Christopher Nolan’s skill gets their hands on such tools, the results could be “tremendous”—and devastating for traditional studios.
Those warnings echo fears that first exploded during the 2023 strikes, when writers and actors walked out over concerns that AI could steal their likenesses, replace their labor, and erase their rights. While unions like SAG-AFTRA and the WGA secured limited protections, the fight is far from over. AI doesn’t sleep, and it doesn’t ask for overtime or union benefits. So where does that leave human storytellers?
Hollywood stands at a crossroads. The lure of AI promises cost savings and creative freedom. Yet it also threatens to strip the very soul from the stories that built the industry. As the technology marches forward, a hard question remains: Is Hollywood ready to trade real human imagination for digital convenience? Or will someone finally hit pause before it’s too late?
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English (US) · 