Futuristic Prediction

By 2035, AI will reshape the film industry across the entire value chain:

• Deepfakes and Visual Effects: Deepfake-style technology will become a standard tool for everything from de-aging actors to creating photo-realistic digital doubles for action sequences, stunts, and historical reenactments. Studios will rely on AI-driven face and voice synthesis not just for post-production fixes but to “cast” digitally resurrected or entirely fictional characters with lifelike nuance while maintaining control over likeness rights through contractual, ethical, and regulatory mechanisms.

• AI Actors and Virtual Performers: Fully AI-generated performers—often hybrids of synthesized imagery, motion-captured body doubles, and neural rendering—will take on speaking roles in lower-budget films, episodic content, and interactive experiences. Established human stars will still dominate marquee blockbusters, but AI actors may headline animated or sci-fi projects, offer diverse cultural representation without the constraints of traditional casting, and provide continuous availability without scheduling conflicts or labor negotiations.

• Script Generation and Story Design: AI will accelerate script development by generating drafts, suggesting plot arcs, and modeling audience responses before a scene is shot. Writers’ rooms will still exist but will be augmented by AI copilots that propose dialogue variants, optimize pacing, and ensure continuity across franchises. Knowledge graphs trained on successful narratives will help studios identify novel combinations of genres and character journeys, supporting faster greenlighting while preserving human creative direction and oversight.

• Implications for Talent and Business Models: The division of labor will shift—writers, directors, and VFX artists will collaborate with AI partners rather than be replaced outright. New roles (e.g., AI narrative designers, ethicists overseeing synthetic performers) will emerge, while unions and regulators define rights for digital likenesses and AI-generated performances. Smaller producers may benefit from lower production costs, democratizing filmmaking, but major studios will invest heavily in proprietary AI ecosystems to protect their brands.

Overall, by 2035 the industry will blend human artistry with AI efficiency, using deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation not to replace creators, but to expand storytelling possibilities and production scalability under a framework of new creative, legal, and ethical norms.