Oh darlings, Hollywood’s latest plot twist might just be its most audacious yet. In a move that would make even the most seasoned studio exec reach for their smelling salts, artificial intelligence is stepping into Orson Welles’ directorial shoes.
Remember those fabled 43 minutes of “The Magnificent Ambersons” that vanished faster than a starlet’s career after a box office bomb? That holy grail of cinema that’s had film buffs combing through dusty vaults from Pomona to São Paulo? Well, Showrunner (the tech world’s latest “it girl” who’s branded herself the “Netflix of AI”) has decided to wave her digital wand and — honey, hold onto your vintage Valentino — recreate the whole thing.
The delicious irony would make even the most jaded critic crack a smile. Here we are, using 2025’s cutting-edge tech to restore a film that practically screamed “careful what you wish for” about technological progress. Somewhere, Welles is either applauding or ordering a very stiff drink.
Edward Saatchi — Showrunner’s CEO who’s got more chutzpah than a young Weinstein (minus the ick factor, thank heavens) — has declared Welles “the greatest storyteller of the last 200 years.” Honestly, sweetie, why stop at 200?
Now, before you start clutching those vintage pearls, here’s where it gets interesting. They’ve assembled quite the odd couple: Brian Rose, who’s spent five years recreating the film through charcoal drawings (darling, how delightfully analog), and Tom Clive, fresh from working his AI magic on Zemeckis’ “Here.” It’s like pairing Audrey Hepburn with a Kardashian — shouldn’t work, but somehow…?
Showrunner’s playing it smart, mind you. They’re calling this an “academic project” — the same clever little loophole they used to play in South Park’s sandbox without getting Matt and Trey’s blessing. (Speaking of which, have you seen their latest NFT venture? But that’s tea for another time.)
The technical mumbo-jumbo is enough to make your head spin faster than Linda Blair’s — AI keyframe generation, face transfer, voice synthesis… It’s either brilliant innovation or cinema’s most elaborate cosplay, depending on which side of the velvet rope you’re standing.
But here’s the real showstopper: Saatchi’s team is hinting at a future where movies become “playable experiences.” Imagine “Citizen Kane” where you decide what “Rosebud” means. Actually, don’t — some mysteries are better left in their vintage packaging.
As we barrel toward what Saatchi calls “a scary, strange future of generative storytelling,” one can’t help but wonder: Are we preserving art, or are we simply playing dress-up with algorithms? Then again, darling, isn’t that what Hollywood’s always done — just with different tools?
The Ambersons themselves might appreciate the irony. After all, they too struggled to adapt as their world transformed around them. Now here we are, watching AI try to piece together their story, one digital frame at a time. How’s that for a plot twist?
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