Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh revealed plans to incorporate a significant amount of artificial intelligence into his upcoming film about the Spanish-American War. Wagner Moura is attached to star in the project, which Soderbergh described as a timely untold story. He is currently finishing a documentary on John Lennon and Yoko Ono that also employs AI.
Steven Soderbergh told Filmmaker Magazine that he intends to use “a lot of AI” in his next feature, set during the late 19th-century Spanish-American War. “It’s a really good story, and nobody’s really done it,” he said. “Every day that goes by it becomes more timely.” Wagner Moura has signed on to star, but Soderbergh needs additional cast members to secure the project. Two studios have shown interest, though the budget remains a key factor in moving forward. A strong cast, he noted, would “eventize” the film, encouraging theatrical releases over streaming delays amid changing industry dynamics. Soderbergh is wrapping up a documentary on John Lennon and Yoko Ono, where he has experimented with AI. The tool helped generate “thematically surreal images that occupy a dream space rather than a literal space” for philosophical segments. About 90% of the 90-minute film relies on archival stills, with 10 minutes of AI-created visuals spread throughout. “You need a Ph.D. in literature to tell it what to do,” he said. “But like every other piece of technology, it desperately requires very close human supervision.” The announcement comes as AI's role in Hollywood draws attention, with SAG-AFTRA recently endorsing a Trump administration policy framework on the technology.
