OpenAI backs AI-animated film “Critterz” with $30M budget

OpenAI is backing “Critterz,” an AI-generated animated feature film set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival before hitting theaters worldwide in 2026. The company hopes this low-budget production will demonstrate AI’s viability in Hollywood and convince skeptical film executives to embrace generative artificial intelligence for movie production.

The big picture: OpenAI is making a strategic push into entertainment with a full-length animated film produced primarily using its AI tools, including the recently launched GPT-5 model.

Key details: “Critterz” represents a dramatic shift in how animated films could be made, with production costs and timelines that challenge industry norms.

• The film is being produced on a budget of less than $30 million, a fraction of typical animated feature costs.
• Production is scheduled to complete in just nine months, significantly faster than traditional animation timelines.
• OpenAI is partnering with LA- and London-based production companies Native Foreign and Vertigo Films.

Why this matters: Hollywood has been slow to adopt AI technology due to concerns from talent, audiences, and executives about intellectual property rights and creative control.

• The film industry is wrestling with resistance from creators who fear AI will replace human talent.
• Studios remain wary about potential legal issues surrounding AI-generated content.
• A successful AI-produced film could accelerate adoption across the entertainment industry.

The technology behind it: The production will rely heavily on OpenAI’s latest AI tools to create the animated content.

• GPT-5, OpenAI’s flagship model that launched last month, will be central to the production process.
• The film will serve as a real-world test case for AI’s capabilities in creative industries.

What’s at stake: The success or failure of “Critterz” could significantly influence how Hollywood views AI’s role in film production, potentially opening the door for more AI-assisted movies or reinforcing industry skepticism about the technology’s creative capabilities.