Promise Bets AI Can Cut Film Costs 20% to 50% as Hollywood Pushes Into Mid-Budget Movies
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 16
Promise Bets AI Can Cut Film Costs 20% to 50% as Hollywood Pushes Into Mid-Budget Movies
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 16
Summary
Promise used Chinese model Seedance 2.5 on an early shoot for horror film "Touch the Grass," generating backgrounds and effects in real time on a low-million-dollar budget.
George Strompolos, Promise’s chief executive, said hybrid AI productions with human actors can run 20% to 50% cheaper than conventional shoots, reducing reliance on major studio sound stages and financing.
The push is spreading beyond one startup: Netflix said AI touched 300 of its 1,000 titles in 2026, while Ron Howard’s Obsidian venture estimates 30% to 40% savings on AI-enabled projects.
Resistance remains sharp as Christopher Nolan, Emily Blunt and labor groups warn of job losses and weakened human connection, with a California lawmaker cautioning that tens of thousands of workers could be displaced.
Supporters argue cheaper tools could revive $40 million to $90 million mid-budget films and empower smaller studios, even as fears grow that a handful of tech companies could capture the gains.