Renowned director Steven Soderbergh recently responded to the criticism he received for planning to employ generative artificial intelligence in his upcoming film project. In an interview with Variety, he explained that he sees the technology as an opportunity to experiment and cut costs, especially in recreating the complex naval battles of the 1898 Spanish‑American War.
“In five years, we might look back and say it was a fun phase”, Soderbergh said, acknowledging the resistance of some industry peers, but emphasizing his curiosity to test new tools.
The project, still without a final title, features Brazilian actor Wagner Moura in the lead role and is in the early stages of development, with financing negotiations and casting underway. The intention is to use AI to generate visual effects more economically, without compromising narrative quality.
So far, there is no confirmed distributor nor a scheduled release date for the film, which promises to bring to the screen a little‑explored chapter of United States history.
