Google Invests $75 Million in A24 for AI Film Tool Development
The partnership marks Google's first direct equity investment in a film studio and places A24 at the center of a creator-driven approach to AI tool development, a contrast to the cost-reduction narratives that have dominated industry discussions.
Key Facts
- Google invested about $75 million in A24 through a research partnership announced June 22, 2026.
- The partnership focuses on AI tools for storyboarding and production workflows, not content generation or training on A24's library.
- A24 Labs has built an internal AI storyboard application, described as 'completely different' from prompt-based generative AI.
- The deal is Google's first equity investment in a film studio.
- A24's sales have more than doubled in two years, and the studio is proceeding with a live-action 'Elden Ring' adaptation on a $175 million budget.
Reporting from 3 sources: KAI-YOU, GameBusiness.jp, GIGAZINE.
Google DeepMind and film studio A24 announced a research partnership on June 22, 2026, with Google investing approximately $75 million (12.1 billion yen) in A24. The collaboration will focus on developing AI tools to assist filmmakers with storyboarding and production workflows, rather than generating content or training on A24's library. A24 Labs, the studio's technology division, has already built an application that uses AI to create storyboards. Google DeepMind stated that the partnership aims to support artists in developing new workflows through repeated prototyping and testing with A24 filmmakers. The deal is Google's first equity investment in a film studio. A24, known for films like 'Midsommar,' 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' and 'Backrooms,' has seen sales more than double in two years. No specific timeline for the tools' release was announced.
A24 Labs, the studio's roughly 20-person technology division, has already built an internal application that uses AI to generate storyboards, according to the Wall Street Journal. Scott Belsky, who leads A24 Labs, said the tool is intended to assist in rough visual design before filming and to identify issues before production begins. He emphasized that the approach is 'completely different' from prompt-based generative AI that people find uncomfortable. Google DeepMind's vice president of product, Eli Collins, said that breakthroughs come from putting technology in the hands of the best talent. The partnership does not grant Google access to A24's film library, according to Variety. A24's sales have more than doubled over the past two years, driven by expansion into TV, music, and theater. The studio is also proceeding with a live-action adaptation of the game 'Elden Ring' with a $175 million budget. The announcement comes amid growing industry scrutiny of AI: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently introduced rules requiring human authorship for acting and writing categories.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.