A London cinema has cancelled the world premiere of a film following backlash it received over being written by ChatGPT. The film, “The Last Screenwriter,” shows the saga of a screenwriter faced with the task of working with an AI system whose skills match his own.
The movie’s human director, Swiss filmmaker Peter Luisi, said his film is meant to start a conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on the entertainment industry.
However, when Prince Charles Cinema posted on social media it would be screening the “first feature film written entirely by AI,” the theater was hit with comments denouncing the decision.
“The feedback we received over the last 24 hours once we advertised the film has highlighted the strong concern held by many of our audience on the use of AI in place of a writer which speaks to a wider issue within the industry,” the cinema said in an update on June 18.
In 2023, Hollywood actors and screenwriters went on strike, and one of the main sticking points was the role of AI in entertainment.
In an interview with Screen Daily, Luisi said he had hoped the London theater hadn’t been scared off from holding the screening “just because a few people are upset.” The filmmaker added, “you can never do anything that everyone likes, especially with this subject.
Luisi said he will be releasing the full film online, along with the script that was fully generated by AI. He will also include the step-by-step process of how the film all came together.
“As a screenwriter, I have worked hard to craft characters that are complex and relatable, with dialogue that is both sharp and natural,” ChatGPT — the screenwriter — posted in a statement on the film’s website. “Ultimately, I hope that this film will be a reminder that while technology can augment and improve our work, it can never replace the unique and irreplaceable qualities of human creativity.”
Despite the cancellation, Luisi thinks it is important for everyone to take a look at the movie. He said it should help the cause of screenwriters, and noted that “people might be astonished that you can write a movie already without a person.”
