AI vs. ‘Star Wars’: Creator of Wes Anderson-inspired fake trailer expects ‘plethora of reimagined characters’ coming to the space franchise
Posted May 4, 2023 by: Admin
Curious Refuge, a video production company, created an AI-generated trailer of a Wes Anderson-directed Star Wars film, named The Galactic Menagerie. The project aimed to examine how AI tools could be used in the filmmaking context. It was created using an AI image generator, Midjourney, to produce the visuals and ChatGPT, an AI language model, to write the script. The trailer was edited by the director, Caleb Ward, who described himself as having played a supporting role, with AI being the director.
Ward asked ChatGPT to write the script whenever it was needed. Ward was inspired by the success of Harry Potter by Balenciaga videos, an AI-generated series of Harry Potter clips that went viral in April. The Galactic Menagerie trailer was viewed almost 2 million times on Twitter and 1 million times on YouTube since its release on 29 April, prompting thousands of retweets and comments.
The video begins with an AI-generated voiceover saying: “In a galaxy far, far away, prepare for a reboot like never before.” This is layered over an AI-generated shot of Scarlett Johansson as Princess Leia, with the signature hair buns made famous by Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: A New Hope. The trailer is presented as a side of the Star Wars universe that has never been seen before.
It follows the story of a ragtag crew of unlikely heroes who challenge the empire, navigate the absurdity of the cosmos and reveal what it means to be a rebel. It features a star-studded cast, including Edward Norton as Han Solo, Bill Murray as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jeff Goldblum as the Emperor, Willem Dafoe as Grand Moff Tarkin, Adrien Brody as Chewbacca and Timothée Chalamet as a reimagined Luke Skywalker. The trailer concludes with the voiceover saying, “Coming to theaters this summer. May the force be with you.”
While the trailer certainly has elements of Anderson’s offbeat sense of humor and handmade production design aesthetic, it has drawn mixed reactions on social media. Some fans and industry professionals have criticized AI-generated filmmaking, arguing that AI will never be able to grasp the sincerity of human emotions, and that the clip does not give justice to Anderson’s vision and body of work.
However, Ward says that the general response he has received from Star Wars fans has been overwhelmingly positive, with many people inspired and excited by the project. He argues that AI will undoubtedly have an impact on the industry, and that filmmakers will need to adapt to this new technology.
