A24, the studio behind hit films like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Backrooms, has signed a research partnership with Google’s DeepMind AI lab. The deal includes a $75 million investment from Google and is designed to develop new AI-powered tools for filmmakers. The announcement has triggered strong negative reactions from fans and filmmakers, with many expressing disappointment on social media.
The partnership marks the first time Google has taken a direct stake in a film studio. It will give A24 access to DeepMind’s research and infrastructure. DeepMind researchers will work with the studio to “build out new workflows” for movie production and distribution. A24 partner Scott Belsky, who leads the studio’s technology division, told The Wall Street Journal that the tools “won’t look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with.” He stated the aim is to preserve creative control and support risk-taking.
The Backlash Begins
The reaction online was almost immediate and overwhelmingly negative. Many fans feel the deal contradicts A24’s brand as a haven for human-driven, auteur filmmaking. Several fans on the r/A24 subreddit and other platforms announced they were cancelling their AAA24 membership service. The studio’s Instagram account has also been flooded with anti-AI comments.
The timing has added fuel to the fire. The deal comes shortly after the massive success of Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, which became A24’s highest-grossing film ever. The film, which cost $10 million to make and grossed over $300 million at the box office, was made without generative AI.
Parsons himself is a vocal critic of AI. Earlier this month, he said, “If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would. Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools.” He also called generative AI “a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot.”
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Hollywood Figures Speak Out
Filmmakers have also voiced their concerns about the partnership. Actor and director Justine Bateman wrote on X, “It’s quite disappointing that a company that just enjoyed the triumphant box office returns of staunchly anti-AI Kane Parsons’ BACKROOMS would make such a deal.” She warned that “All A24 directors should prepare to have your films altered against your wishes with this deal.”
Industry analyst outlets noted that while the investment is significant, the deal intentionally excludes A24’s content library, meaning Google does not get access to its films for training data. The deal is reportedly multi-year and non-exclusive. However, many fans have expressed that the partnership is a betrayal of trust, with some saying they will no longer watch A24 films. One much-liked comment on Instagram stated, “I love A24. Use AI and I will never see another A24 movie again.”
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