Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is expanding its reach from short online videos to feature-length films as another fully generated movie heads to local theaters.
The shift comes as industry experts say that cinema is entering a transition period where AI tools are rapidly pushing moviemakers to figure out how and where to use the technology. At the same time, growing fears over creator rights have sparked heated debate across the industry.
Previous AI releases have also shown that technical novelty on its own does not translate into box office success.
“Raphael,” a science fiction movie created entirely using generative AI, will open on Nov. 25. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the movie follows Alexey, an android weapon built in the image of a dictator, who discovers his humanity after meeting an unregistered child and the last human bride.
Co-directed by Yang Ik-june, Moon Shin-woo and Jung Joo-won, the movie is produced by Mateo AI Studio and MBC C&I AI Content Lab. The team used generative AI to build characters and backgrounds and create massive war scenes without traditional live-action filming. The 138-minute movie required 14 months of editing to maintain consistent appearances and natural movements for the characters.
“Raphael” was the opening film at the 2nd Busan International AI Film Festival last year and was featured at the Cannes Film Market in May.
Its upcoming release comes shortly after another AI-generated feature, “Steelay,” opened in theaters last month. Directed by Seol Woo-in, the 90-minute action film also relied entirely on generated visuals without live actors or physical sets.
- ‘Steelay’ opens new era for AI feature films
Renowned filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho also experimented with the technology, releasing a short four-part spin-off series titled “Paradise Lost Universe” created entirely with generative AI in two weeks.
Yeon said during an interview in Seoul, Oct. 14, that he had wanted to create spin-off content since his hit film “Train to Busan,” but delayed it due to quality issues — until AI made it possible.
“The quality is surprisingly decent and the AI characters act quite well,” Yeon said. “However, it will not be easy for AI to replace real actors.”
He added that cinema relies heavily on the unique aura of human performers rather than pure realism.
“The movie industry is a strange business,” Yeon said. “People inject massive capital to make films look real, but they use famous actors everyone knows. Viewers do not want pure reality, but rather a convincing illusion. AI is the sum of common patterns, so it cannot capture unique individuality.”
The rapid rise of AI in cinema has driven major events to address the technology. At the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in July, organizers expanded their competition category to include feature-length AI works and hosted industry summits to discuss creative standards.
Renowned Chinese director Jia Zhangke emphasized the need to embrace the new technology during a seminar at the Busan International Film Festival last month. He said he has directed three AI short films over the past two years to understand its potential.
“When optics and chemistry advanced 130 years ago, cinema was born,” Jia said. “We cannot block the arrival of AI, and it is more important to make one or two films ourselves to understand it rather than engaging in emotional debates.”
He noted that AI can help filmmakers create unique visual worlds that go beyond human imagination.
“AI can give shape to things that exist in different dimensions and create worlds that cannot be captured by live-action filming,” Jia said. “Human emotion and consciousness must blend into the creative process, and we need to think carefully about where humans stand alongside AI.”
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