OpenAI is Developing a Feature-Length Animated Movie Using AI Technology

OpenAI plans to produce a feature-length animated film using AI technology, in roughly a quarter of the time normally required for a project of this scale.

The film, titled Critterz, is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release in 2026 following a planned premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, according to The Wall Street Journal. It will be created largely with OpenAI’s own technology, including GPT-5.

Critterz follows a group of forest animals who set out on an adventure after a newcomer disrupts their village. The project originated with Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI, who began designing the characters three years ago while experimenting with the company’s early DALL-E image generator for a short film idea.

Nelson is now collaborating with Vertigo Films in London and Los Angeles-based Native Foreign to produce the feature. Human actors will provide the voices, while artists will create sketches that will be processed through OpenAI tools such as GPT-5 and image models. Native Foreign specializes in combining AI with traditional production techniques.

The film is being made for under $30 million and on a nine-month timeline, compared with the typical three years required for an animated feature. The budget is also far less than what animated films typically cost, according to the report by The Wall Street Journal.

“OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it,” Nelson said. “That’s a much better case study than me building a demo.”

OpenAI hopes the project will demonstrate AI’s capabilities to Hollywood, where adoption has been slow and concerns remain over intellectual property and creative control. In recent months, Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. have sued AI company Midjourney, alleging copyright infringement in cases that could influence future industry rules.

Separately, Amazon announced plans to use AI to reconstruct missing footage from Orson Welles’ 1942 film The Magnificent Ambersons, which was shortened by 43 minutes before release. However, according to Variety, Welles’ estate has objected, stating it was not informed of Amazon’s plans and emphasizing that it retains authority over the use of AI in licensing a voice model of Welles for commercial purposes.

Image credits: Header photo via Vertigo Films.