Looking at the promotional art for AGC Studios‘ Critterz, two things immediately stand out. One: Are we still putting a “z” at the end of words to make them sound cooler? Two: Why do the characters look like a not-so-distant cousin of the Ice Prince sidekick from Fortnite? I’m not calling a foul; I’m just saying that when you make your film with AI-assistant tools, you run the risk of comparisons to mainstream IP. Anyway, a new animated feature written by Paddington in Peru duo James Lamont and Jon Foster, and Tom Butterworth (Birthday Girl, Ashes to Ashes) is coming to the upcoming Cannes film festival. Well, sales and first-look test footage anyway.
Why is this film special? AGC says it’s the “first mainstream commercial family feature film created with artificial intelligence integrated throughout the production pipeline.” Nik Kleverov, co-founder of Native Foreign, directs Critterz, with Chad Nelson, creative strategist at OpenAI, serving as producer, alongside Allan Niblo and James Richardson from Vertigo Films. Additionally, Pascal Breton, Lionel Uzan, Jane Moore, Ford, and Aghi Koh executive-produce.
What is Critterz about?
Based on the 2023 short film of the same name, Critterz “follows an anxious but brave little woodland creature who unites with a group of eccentric outcasts — each with their own peculiar quirks and hidden strengths — on a high-stakes quest to find her long-lost brother.”
Kleverov compares Critterz to ’80s fantasy classics
“‘Critterz’ will be a timeless film — a world that feels truly its own,” said Kleverov. “It will carry the wonder of the ’80s fantasy movies I grew up on — the scrappy, adventurous spirit of ‘The Goonies’ and the mythic, emotional scope of ‘The NeverEnding Story…’ combined with the scale of early ‘Star Wars.’ It’s grounded in something deeply human: a fractured world finding its way back together. At the center is a character whose greatest power isn’t force — it’s believing in herself, and her family.”
The slippery slope of AI
Wow! Those are some weighty titles you’re throwing out there, Nik. If you can capture anything close to the magic of ’80s classics like The Goonies, The NeverEnding Story, and Star Wars, my hat is off to you and your team. I worry about the precedent an AI-assisted animated film sets for the rest of the industry, even if some of my most beloved studios dabble with AI on the down low. As I’ve said before, AI is a slippery slope. I loathe the idea of using AI to the point of replacing artists or undermining a project’s authenticity. Can I offer you one piece of advice? Check your work. Too many times have I seen video game studios get burned for “accidentally” leaving AI assets in the final product. That’s the kind of mistake that could blow up your spot real good. Finally, while I’m not a fan of AI, I’m curious to see what Critterz brings to the table, even if the project feels sacrilegious from the jump. I welcome the opportunity for Critterz to put me at ease.
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