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Reuters
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
'A.I.' director Steven Spielberg opposed to using AI in front of the camera
LOS ANGELES, June 27 (Reuters) - When Steven Spielberg directed the film "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," the technology was the stuff of science fiction -- a device to tell a story about the ethics of creating sentient machines. Now, AI is a concrete reality in Hollywood - one where Spielberg said he has drawn a line in the sand. "I don't want AI making any creative decisions that I can't make myself," said Spielberg, in an interview with Reuters. "And I don't want to use AI as a non-human collaborator, in trying to work out my creative thinking." Spielberg spoke on Thursday after a ceremony dedicating the Steven Spielberg Theater on the Universal Studios lot. The event acknowledged the director's decades-long relationship with the studio, which released such films as "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." The acclaimed director joked that his career at Universal began in 1967, when he took a tour of the lot as a high school student. He said he hid in the bathroom during a break, and waited for the tour to move on without him, "then I had the entire lot to myself that day." "Our hope and dream is that it's not just the place that is founded on his extraordinary legacy," said Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios. "But it is the place of future hopes and dreams of filmmakers and storytellers who are going to take this company into the next 100 years and the 100 years after that, people who come with a hope and a dream, people who have been inspired by Steven." Spielberg's 2001 modest box office hit "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" was a meditation on love, loss and what it means to be human through the eyes of a discarded humanoid robot. In the Pinocchio-like journey set in a futuristic dystopia, David, the android boy, yearns to be human, searching for love, in a world of machines and artificial intelligence. The film hit screens when AI was still in its nascent stages and predated the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT by 21 years. "It wasn't about artificial intelligence as much as it was about sentient existence, and can you love a sentient entity? Can a mother love a robot child?" said Spielberg. "It was not really where AI is taking us today. Eventually, there will be a convergence between AI and robotics." Spielberg said AI can be a great tool "if used responsibly and morally" to help find a cure for cancer and other diseases. "I just draw a line -- and it's not a line of cement, it's just a little bit of line in the sand -- which gives me some wiggle room to say (that) I have the option to revise this thinking in the future," he said. "But right now, I don't want AI making any creative decisions." He said he has seen, first-hand, how technology can replace human talent while working on the 1993 film, "Jurassic Park." Spielberg initially planned to use renowned stop-motion clay animation artist Phil Tippett to create the dinosaurs roaming the island theme park. Visual effects artist Dennis Muren proposed an alternative method, using Industrial Light & Magic's computer-generated imagery to create realistic dinosaurs. The director is an executive producer in "Jurassic World: Rebirth" which reaches theaters on July 2. "That kind of made certain careers somewhat extinct," said Spielberg. "So, I'm very sensitive to things that AI may do to take work away from people." Spielberg said he has yet to use AI on any of his films so far, though he is open to possible applications of it behind-the-scenes, in functions like budgeting or planning. "I don't want to use it in front of the camera right now," Spielberg said. "Not quite yet."
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Steven Spielberg unveils intense new film footage during Universal's theater tribute
Steven Spielberg was the guest of honour at Universal Studios on Thursday night, where the studio officially named its new, state-of-the-art screening room after the legendary director. The event brought out a star-studded crowd including the Daniels, Seth Rogen, Ava DuVernay, Colman Domingo, and Vin Diesel. Taking the stage at the emotional gathering, Spielberg, 77, reflected on his decades-long relationship with the studio - from directing his first project Duel in 1971 to recent releases like The Fabelmans. 'It feels like we keep getting remarried,' he joked. 'But tonight is definitely a milestone.' As if to prove he's far from slowing down, Spielberg also gave guests an exclusive first look at behind-the-scenes footage from his mysterious upcoming film, slated for release in 2026. While plot details remain under wraps, the cast includes Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson, and Colin Firth. The preview teased high-stakes action: Blunt's character flees ominous black vehicles, a harrowing train collision unfolds, and Firth appears to be a shadowy figure pulling strings from what looks like a high-tech command centre. Although Spielberg hasn't confirmed the film's theme, the chase sequences, underground labs, and eerie suspense suggest a sci-fi edge, possibly even the long-rumoured UFO plot. NBCUniversal's Donna Langley and Comcast's top brass hosted the ceremony, describing the new 'Spielberg Theater' as the heart of their expanded film campus. Fitted with Dolby Vision and Atmos tech, as well as 35mm and 70mm projectors, the venue will be used by future directors to perfect their cuts, a detail not lost on Spielberg. 'This isn't just my past,' he said. 'It's about tomorrow's storytellers too.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Steven Spielberg Says 'I Have No Plans Ever to Retire' at Universal Theater Dedication
Not far from where a replica of Jaws never stops snapping or the Jurassic Park ride always draws a long line at Universal's L.A. theme park, the filmmaker behind some of the other most iconic titles in Hollywood studio history — Steven Spielberg — found himself the main attraction Thursday night as a state-of-the-art theater on the adjacent studio lot was dedicated in his honor. 'It's not just a place that is founded on his extraordinary legacy but it is a place of future hopes and dreams of filmmakers, of storytellers who are you going to take this company into the next 100 years, and the 100 after that,' said NBCUniversal Entertainment chairman Donna Langley, extolling Spielberg's impact not just on the studio, with whom he's enjoyed a rare 50 year-plus relationship, but also his impact on the world of movies and Hollywood. More from The Hollywood Reporter NBCUniversal Will Bring Universal Horror Unleashed Concept to Chicago 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Team "High-Fived Each Other" When They Got Praise From Steven Spielberg How to Stream Tonight's 'Jaws' 50th Anniversary Special Online for Free The roster of notable executives, celebrities, old allies and creators on hand to celebrate Spielberg's legacy included Langley's bosses — Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and president Mike Cavanagh — as well as actors ranging from John Travolta, Vin Diesel and Seth Rogen to Colman Domingo, Dakota Fanning, Jeff Goldblum and Goonies stars Ke Huy Quan and Jeff Cohen, as well as writer-directors such as Jon M. Chu, Daniels and Kevin Williamson. Goonies never say die but Ke Huy Quan and Jeff Cohen do gush to their idol Steven Spielberg as they walk through an exhibit celebrating his career at Universal. — Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) June 27, 2025 Spielberg has witnessed many a change of fortune for the studio during his multi-decade tenure but he described its current state as a rebirth. 'And I don't mean Jurassic World Rebirth opening July 2,' he quipped, plugging the new movie he produced. He also described the studio's era of changing corporate owners as a time of 'many fathers.' But now, he found himself back in a loving family. 'I mean the rebirth of the belief in the people that work as a family, as a community, as a team to make good thing happen,' he said. He ended his remakes by saying 'I'm making a lot of movies and I have no plans…ever…to retire.' As he sees the official opening of his namesake theatre on the Universal lot, Steven Spielberg says he has no plans to retire…ever… from making movies. — Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) June 27, 2025 Indeed, in a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg said he still has 'an appetite for a Western which I will someday hopefully do… It's something that's eluded me for all of these decades.' Beginning with his groundbreaking 1971 debut, Duel, Spielberg has gone on to direct more than 30 feature films and produce hundreds more, many of them for Universal, which was the first major studio to take a chance on a filmmaker who was only in his mid-20s. Thursday's dedication gathering came just days after Jaws — ushering in the era of the summer blockbuster — celebrated its 50th anniversary. Spielberg's next Universal films were 1979's 1941, 1982's E.T. the Extraterrestrial, 1989's Always and and 1993's Jurassic Park. While he started to make movies for other studios, including Indiana Jones at Paramount, his company Amblin has always remained on the Universal lot. Jaws, E.T. and Jurassic Park each soared to become the highest-grossing films of their respective eras. And, in 1994, Spielberg brought home his first best picture Oscar for Universal's Schindler's List. Because Spielberg has been busy shooting his top-secret film, he hasn't been available to focus on the Jaws anniversary. Rather, he's aiming for early fall when an exhibit is installed at the Academy Museum. Thursday's dedication had a big surprise for guests: he showed footage from the untitled event film, which is the filmmaker's first adventure genre outing since 2018's Ready Player One. Little is known about the feature other than it does have alien and sci-fi elements and is based on a story by Spielberg himself. The cast includes Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor, among others, who were seen in footage trying to escape what appeared to be government agents in a black SUV. After the theater dedication, Thursday's guests were treated to an exclusive exhibit featuring never-before displayed props, costumes and behind-the-scenes photos, including clapper boards from Schindler's List and The Fabelmans, the bicycles from E.T. and the alien's animatronic arm, and plenty of merch from over the decades. Guests such as Rogen, Chu and the Daniels took in the exhibit and stopped to talk with the legend in the middle of this shine. Chu showed Spielberg his E.T. socks that he wore for the occasion and thanked him for inspiring his love of movies. Spielberg said that even now, at his age, he still was amazed he gets to pursue his moviemaking dream. The 250-seat Steven Spielberg Theater is nestled within The Commons, a new 84,000 sqare-foot building whose design pays homage to the very roots of cinema by resembling a spinning film reel. It is part of the Campus Project, a sprawling, eco-friendly redesign that Spielberg was closely involved with, just as he has been a partner in the design of Universal's theme parks. It's a star-studded unveiling of the Steven Spielberg Theater on the Universal lot which brought out John Travolta, Vin Diesel, Seth Rogen, Dakota Fanning, Jeff Goldblum, Wicked director John M. Chu, Goonies Ke Huy Quan and Jeff Cohen and more. — Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) June 27, 2025 Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025: Comcast NBCUniversal
The Comcast-owned media conglomerate NBCUniversal had fingers in every pie in 2024. During the Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg donned a dressage-style jacket and made international headlines as a special correspondent covering the games, helping drive 30.4 million viewers on average each day across platforms including its streaming service Peacock. In November it announced it would spin off some of its cable TV networks, including MSNBC, CNBC, and E!, as the giant aims to focus its offerings. Universal Pictures' onslaught of pink-and-green Wicked marketing pushed the film to becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation ever as it raked in over $750 million worldwide. And it opened Epic Universe—the first major theme park to be constructed in 25 years, with an estimated cost of around $7 billion, and its fourth one in Orlando—in May to coincide with the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, released three weeks later. "Our ability to sync up movie releases with big entertainment releases has been a proven formula for us," says Mark Woodbury, CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences. "And we'll do it again."
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: Universal Studios ‘horror experience' planned near Bally's casino
Good afternoon, Chicago. NBCUniversal will open a horror-themed attraction across from Bally's casino, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced this afternoon in what would be the brand's first entertainment venue in the Midwest. The 'year-round immersive horror experience' will be titled Universal Horror Unleashed and sit in the vacant 114,000-square-foot building at 700 W. Chicago Ave., according to city officials. It is slated to open in 2027 and will receive tax credits from a state program. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History In a nearly two-minute video, as well as an in-person kick-off event on Chicago's South Side this morning, JB Pritzker made his third formal pitch to Illinois voters, saying he wanted to 'keep Illinois moving forward' while also presenting himself as a bulwark against President Donald Trump's efforts to reshape America. Read more here. More top news stories: Located at 300 S. Second St., the long-awaited St. Charles outpost of the Austin, Texas-based grocery store fills a space in the downtown that has been empty since 2022: the site of the old Blue Goose Market. Read more here. More top business stories: Without any NCAA playing experience, Noa Essengue is one of the lesser-known names to be selected with a top 15 pick. So why did the Bulls take a swing on him? And what does his future look like in Chicago? Read more here. More top sports stories: On Wednesdays and Fridays, 'Arts on the Move' performers including a dance troupe, musicians and artists, are stationed at stops along the GPTC's Rapid Bus Route along Broadway offering popup performances to uplift riders during their day. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: The Trump administration's new vaccine advisers endorsed this fall's flu vaccinations for just about every American but threw in a twist: Only use certain shots free of an ingredient antivaccine groups have falsely tied to autism. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
