Google DeepMind announced a research partnership with independent film studio A24 on June 22, 2026, investing about $75 million to jointly develop AI-powered filmmaking tools in what both call a "first-of-its-kind" deal.
Research Partnership · Google DeepMind × A24
Google Bets $75M on AI's Future in Hollywood — and Indie Fans Revolt
DeepMind and indie studio A24 launch a multi-year, non-exclusive collaboration to build AI filmmaking tools — starting with pre-production. The catch: A24's "creative" brand and generative AI sit uneasily together.
~$75M
Google's equity stake — its first in A24
$300M+
Worldwide gross of A24's 2026 hit Backrooms
0
A24 films & data used to train models
Inside the Deal
Investment
~$75M equity — scale similar to Thrive Capital's prior round
Structure
Multi-year, non-exclusive research collaboration
Initial Focus
Pre-production support such as storyboard creation
Data Guardrail
A24's IP & library not used for training; led by A24 Labs
Supporters say
Research-only — no production obligation
A "seat at the table" to shape tools under creator leadership
Goal: ease pain in behind-the-scenes workflows
Backlash says
Mismatch with A24's indie/creative brand
Trailer comments filled with tombstones, "the end of A24"
Fear of bland AI "slop" diluting creativity
The bigger picture
AI companies are racing to deepen their grip on Hollywood — even as the WGA negotiates contracts over AI use.
Disney → OpenAI's Sora
Netflix → InterPositive
Amazon MGM AI unit
Google → A24
Continue reading The rest of this article is for AI News Blitz readers. Choose an option below to keep reading.
Already purchased? Sign in ✓ Signed in — this article isn’t included in your current plan.Unlocking the full article…