Key facts
- Director Christopher Nolan believes younger generations are rejecting AI-generated content in filmmaking.
- Nolan described AI-generated content as "AI slop" and noted a "rapid wholesale dismissal" of the technology by young filmmakers.
- He cited young directors Kane Parsons and Curry Barker as examples of filmmakers embracing practical effects.
- Nolan's own children have shown an "immediate and harsh" judgment of AI content.
- The director is known for his preference for physical reality and avoiding digital tools like email and smartphones.
- Nolan's new film, 'The Odyssey,' is an adaptation of Homer's epic and is his most expensive to date.
Director Christopher Nolan has voiced strong criticism of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, asserting that younger generations are actively rejecting what he terms "AI slop." In an interview prior to the release of his latest film, 'The Odyssey,' Nolan expressed optimism for the future of cinema, believing that emerging filmmakers and audiences will continue to favor practical effects and tangible storytelling.
Nolan noted a "rapid wholesale dismissal of a supposedly foundational jump in technology" among younger filmmakers, citing 21-year-old director Kane Parsons and 26-year-old director Curry Barker as examples of a new wave embracing practicalities. He shared that his own four children have an "immediate and harsh" judgment of AI-generated content, finding it easier to identify due to their familiarity with the online world.
The filmmaker argued that after years of virtual environments, there is a growing interest in more "tactile, more real forms of storytelling." This stance contrasts with an industry increasingly pursuing generative AI, a trend that was a key issue in the 2023 Hollywood strike. Nolan himself is known for eschewing modern digital tools, preferring to keep his private life and filmmaking grounded in physical reality.
'The Odyssey,' an adaptation of Homer's epic, is Nolan's most expensive film to date with a $250 million budget and the first shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras. The film has faced pre-release controversies, including criticism from figures like Elon Musk regarding casting choices and the use of modern English dialogue, to which Nolan responded that such pre-release discussions are "always irrelevant."