Lionsgate Uses AI to Create Kid-Friendly Cuts, Anime Adaptations, Save Millions

Lionsgate has partnered with AI startup Runway to transform film production and content adaptation, aiming to reduce costs and create new versions of existing movies. Vice chairman Michael Burns highlighted the ability to repackage live-action films into different formats, such as converting an R-rated action movie into a PG-13 anime version within hours, enabling the studio to reach new audiences and resell content. AI also offers significant savings by generating complex scenes digitally, like a large-scale battle scene, for a fraction of traditional filming costs. This collaboration represents a strategic move to produce films and shows that were previously financially unfeasible, leveraging AI to both enhance creativity and efficiency. Lionsgate's extensive library, including franchises like John Wick and The Hunger Games, provides a rich resource for this AI-driven content repurposing. While Burns emphasized that actors and rights holders will still be compensated, AI is positioned as a tool to innovate production and distribution in Hollywood.