How AI Will Transform the Film Industry by 2035

By 2035, artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape filmmaking across production, creative development, and distribution—creating both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges for the industry. The transformation will be driven by three major technologies: deepfakes, AI-generated actors, and script generation systems.

Script Generation and Storytelling

AI will become deeply embedded in the screenwriting process, moving beyond simple assistance to collaborative co-creation. Rather than replacing human writers, AI tools will function as intelligent writing partners that help overcome creative bottlenecks and accelerate development cycles.[1] Writers will use AI to brainstorm plot variations, generate multiple versions of scenes with different tones and pacing, and develop character arcs with emotional consistency.[1]

By 2035, the workflow will likely include AI systems that can generate alternate endings, explore branching narratives, and create modular story templates that adapt to different markets or audience preferences.[17] Screenwriters will input prompts like "act two midpoint with emotional betrayal" and receive structured scenes that maintain storytelling logic rather than generic text.[17] This modular approach means filmmakers could test three versions of the same episode—dark, hopeful, or satirical—without starting from scratch.[17]

However, this democratization of script development raises concerns about creative homogenization. If filmmakers rely too heavily on AI-generated ideas and data-driven insights, there is a risk that stories will become formulaic and lack originality, potentially perpetuating stereotypes or reinforcing existing biases present in training data.[1]

Deepfakes and De-Aging Technology

Deepfake technology will evolve from its current niche applications into mainstream filmmaking tools, particularly for de-aging actors, recreating deceased performers, and creating digital doubles. The technology is already being used in productions like The Irishman and Here, where AI de-aging allows actors to seamlessly portray younger versions of themselves without extensive manual visual effects work.[4][5]

By 2035, deepfake capabilities will be significantly more refined and integrated into standard post-production workflows. Studios will use AI-powered de-aging to extend actors' careers, reduce production costs, and maintain visual consistency across decades-long character arcs.[9] The technology will also enable the creation of digital twins—AI-generated versions of actors that can appear in commercials, sequels, or other productions without the performer's physical presence.[20]

However, deepfakes present profound ethical challenges. Key concerns include:

• Consent and rights: When is it appropriate to use an individual's likeness, and who has the authority to grant permission, especially for deceased historical figures?[2]
• Career impact: If filmmakers can convincingly recreate younger actors or deceased stars, what does that mean for the livelihoods of living performers or the legacy of those who have passed?[2]
• Verification challenges: Deepfake detection techniques will never be perfect, creating an ongoing arms race where detection methods lag behind generation capabilities.[15]

By 2035, the industry will likely have developed clearer legal frameworks and ethical guidelines around deepfake usage, potentially requiring explicit consent clauses in actor contracts and transparency disclosures to audiences.[20]

AI-Generated Actors and Characters

The emergence of AI-generated actors represents perhaps the most disruptive shift in the industry. Companies are already creating fully synthetic performers—like Tilly Norwood, an AI actress promoted alongside human actors.[16] These digital performers have no physical bodies, agents, or need for compensation, fundamentally altering the economics of casting and performance.

By 2035, AI actors will likely fill specific roles in the industry:

• Background and supporting characters: AI-generated extras and minor roles will reduce production costs significantly, allowing filmmakers to populate scenes that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.[3]
• Niche content and lower-budget productions: Independent creators and smaller studios will use AI actors to produce content at near-zero marginal cost, democratizing access to filmmaking.[16]
• Personalized or interactive content: AI actors could adapt their performances in real time based on viewer choices, enabling new forms of interactive storytelling.[1]

However, the rise of AI actors will create significant labor displacement concerns. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio (SAG-AFTRA) have already negotiated protections in their contracts to limit AI usage in scriptwriting and performance, but these safeguards may prove temporary if legal frameworks around AI copyright protection evolve.[3]

Production and Post-Production Transformation

AI will revolutionize the technical aspects of filmmaking. In pre-production, AI tools will accelerate visualization and planning—directors will prompt entire scenes ("sunset-lit rooftop fight in rainy Tokyo") and receive fully realized frames within seconds, replacing weeks of concept art development with hours of iteration.[17] AI will assist in casting by analyzing actors' past performances to determine suitability for specific roles, and in predicting a film's box office potential by comparing scripts to market trends.[6]

Post-production will see even more dramatic changes. AI-powered editing software will analyze hours of footage to perform assistant editor duties, while visual effects tools will upscale low-resolution footage, remove backgrounds without green screens, and enhance CGI realism.[4] Multi-model AI pipelines will automate specific tasks—one model for voice synthesis, another for rotoscoping, another for color grading—giving filmmakers more control and faster iteration.[17]

The Emergence of "Living Movies"

One of the most speculative but significant predictions for 2035 is the rise of "living movies"—interactive entertainment experiences where entire films adapt in real time based on viewer choices and AI-driven content generation. These experiences will blend virtual reality, real-time AI adaptations, and user-generated content, fundamentally redefining what cinema means.[1]

In this model, writers and directors evolve into experience designers who craft initial story frameworks and parameters for AI to develop. Audiences might influence plot outcomes through social media voting, with the live story adapting accordingly.[1] This represents a complete departure from traditional linear storytelling and could reshape audience engagement, fandom, and cultural experiences.

Market Growth and Industry Restructuring

The generative AI market in media and entertainment is projected to reach USD 10.18 trillion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 43.22%.[23] This explosive growth will attract significant investment and competition, but it will also accelerate industry consolidation and potentially disadvantage traditional studios competing against agile independent creators who adopt AI tools faster.

Key Challenges and Uncertainties

By 2035, the film industry will face several critical unresolved issues:

Legal and copyright questions: Current U.S. law does not grant copyright protection to AI-generated material without human authorship, but this may change through court appeals or legislative action, fundamentally altering how studios can use AI.[3] The outcome of these legal battles will determine whether AI-generated scripts and performances can be copyrighted, affecting intellectual property rights and financial incentives.

Job displacement: While AI creates new opportunities for efficiency and creativity, it threatens employment for writers, editors, visual effects artists, and actors—particularly those in routine or technical roles.[1] The industry will need to navigate significant labor disruption over the next decade.

Audience trust and authenticity: Despite AI's technical advances, audiences may continue to value human creativity and emotional authenticity. Films created with heavy reliance on AI may feel sterile or disconnected from genuine human experience.[1] This suggests a bifurcated market where premium, human-created content coexists with cheaper AI-generated entertainment.[22]

Ethical governance: The industry will need to establish clear ethical guidelines around deepfakes, AI actors, and consent, particularly regarding the use of deceased performers' likenesses and the transparency of AI-generated content to audiences.

Conclusion

By 2035, AI will not replace the film industry but will fundamentally restructure it. Script generation will accelerate creative development while risking homogenization. Deepfakes will become standard post-production tools but will require new ethical frameworks. AI actors will democratize filmmaking for independent creators while displacing traditional actors in routine roles. The most likely scenario is a coexistence of AI-generated content and human-created films, with different audiences, price points, and creative philosophies.[22] The industry's success in navigating this transition will depend on how quickly it addresses copyright law, labor protections, and ethical standards while maintaining the human creativity that audiences ultimately value.