‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ Writer-Producer Chris Miller Shuts Down Rumors of Generative AI Use

Chris Miller, the co-writer and producer of the animated Spider-Man “Spider-Verse” trilogy, has denied rumors that his team utilized generative artificial intelligence in the production of the upcoming installment, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”

Miller took to social media to address the speculation, stating, “There is no generative AI in ‘Beyond the Spider-Verse’ and there never will be. Our main objective with these films is to create innovative visual styles that have never been seen in a studio CG film. We are not interested in copying the average, unoriginal work of other artists.”

These rumors surrounding the use of GAI on the film come amidst a growing backlash against the emerging technology in Hollywood and popular culture. This backlash has been particularly evident since the strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) last year, where writers and actors voiced concerns about the potential replacement of their artistry by algorithms.
However, generative AI is not the only type of technology being utilized in the entertainment industry. Other machine-learning tools have also been adopted by Hollywood animation productions to assist animators rather than replace them.

For example, in films like “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” released in 2018 and its upcoming sequel “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” set for 2023, machine-learning technology was employed to replicate the hand-drawn style of comic books in a CGI animated format. The goal was to explore new ways of expressing this style through color and design, including replicating the ink lines commonly found in comic book line art.
However, manually adding ink lines to each frame of the movie and aligning them with the characters’ movements would have been an incredibly laborious and time-consuming task for the animators. In order to alleviate this challenge, Sony Pictures Imageworks devised a machine-learning program. This innovative program enabled the ink lines to automatically adjust from frame to frame and move seamlessly with the characters. As a result, the animators were able to dedicate their time and energy to perfecting the expressions, movements, and other crucial elements of the film’s protagonist, Spider-Man Miles Morales, and the other characters in the “Spider-Verse.” This efficient solution spared them from spending countless hours meticulously refining these intricate details.
This machine-learning technology, which aims to save animators time by automating a task that would typically take weeks or even months, is not the same as generative AI. Unlike generative AI, it still relies on the work done by animators on the specific project it is being used for, with their supervision. Generative AI, on the other hand, can create content using images, video, and words from sources outside of the project, without significant human involvement.

The future of machine learning, generative AI, and other emerging technologies is expected to play a significant role in contract negotiations between Hollywood studios and The Animation Guild. The guild has recently formed a task force to gather input from its members regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the projects they have worked on or have been pitched.
The Animation Guild is seeking input to shape its proposals for regulating the use of AI in Hollywood animation. The guild’s negotiating committee is actively developing a formal set of demands and is anticipated to commence contract negotiations in August.

The production of “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” is currently underway, although no specific release date has been announced. Originally slated for March 2024, the film was removed from Sony’s schedule last year due to the strikes by Hollywood writers and actors.