Google DeepMind has invested approximately $75 million in A24, the independent film studio behind Everything Everywhere All At Once, Hereditary, and The Whale. But this is no ordinary Hollywood deal - it's structured as a deep research collaboration, not a content licensing agreement.
Unlike Netflix's purchase of Ben Affleck's AI startup InterPositive or Lionsgate's expanded partnership with Runway AI, DeepMind researchers will work side-by-side with A24 filmmakers in a shared R&D environment, testing AI tools in real production workflows.
Importantly, the deal explicitly does not grant Google access to A24's content library or proprietary data - a clear signal that A24 negotiated hard to protect its creative assets.
What Each Side Gets
A24: Direct access to DeepMind's research labs and computational infrastructure. DeepMind: Unfiltered, real-world feedback from working filmmakers on what actually works on set versus what doesn't in the lab.
The AI Tools
The partnership emphasizes assistive tools over generative AI - a deliberate departure from text-to-video generators like OpenAI's Sora. The initial application will be AI-generated storyboards for pre-visualization, replacing expensive pre-production renders. Future tools are expected to funnel back into Google's video generator Veo.
Why This Matters
A24 acts as a powerful validator for AI adoption in a skeptical industry. With an 85% under-35 audience for its recent releases and a fiercely loyal fanbase, A24's stamp of approval could shift public perception of AI in filmmaking. Scott Belsky, A24 Partner & Head of A24 Labs stated: "We think there are better uses that preserve creative control and support risk-taking. The resulting tools won't look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with."
Originally published on TekMag
