Doug Liman’s Pete Davidson Bitcoin Movie Faces Backlash Over AI Controversy

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The director of Edge of Tomorrow is known for big-budget films with lots of visual effects, but he’s considering a different approach for his next movie starring Pete Davidson. Many viewers, however, aren’t happy about this change.

I just read that the upcoming Bitcoin movie, Killing Satoshi, might use AI in a really interesting way. Apparently, they’re filming the actors – like Pete Davidson and Casey Affleck – on a special stage, not on location, and then using AI to tweak their performances. It sounds like they’re trying to push the boundaries of filmmaking with this new technology. It’ll be fascinating to see how it all turns out!

The casting call also says the filmmakers, including Ryan Kavanaugh, can alter actors’ performances using artificial intelligence (AI). This could involve changes to their lip movements, facial expressions, and body language, and they have the right to add to, take away from, or otherwise modify the performances using AI and machine learning.

The agreement states that artificial intelligence won’t be used to create a digital copy of a performer that’s clearly recognizable as them without their written permission. It also clarifies that anyone agreeing to work on the film understands they might be acting alongside performers created using AI.

The announcement wasn’t well-received. Many people on X criticized the decision, with numerous users saying they would no longer watch. One user, @justlucash, commented that revealing the use of AI before a film’s release is a poor publicity move.

I was scrolling through X, and someone – @TheJonathanSim – asked a pretty direct question: “They need ??” It really struck me how quickly people responded, with one user saying they’d definitely avoid it if they knew beforehand. Another was thankful for the “warning” and immediately added it to their list of things not to watch. It’s funny how a little heads-up can completely change someone’s viewing choices!

Someone else commented that instead of casting talented actors who can truly bring a scene to life, they’re choosing less skilled performers and planning to use AI to fix their performances. They strongly disapproved of this approach.

This announcement follows a viral AI-generated video featuring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, which the Motion Picture Association criticized as a violation of copyright laws.

Killing Satoshi Won’t Use AI Actors

Producer Ryan Kavanaugh explained that they took great care to protect their actors while using AI technology. They only used performance capture AI, meaning no AI-generated actors were created from scratch. Kavanaugh stated that AI is simply a tool to streamline filmmaking, with the goal of maintaining jobs for everyone involved and fostering growth within the industry.

According to a source speaking with Variety, a new production is forgoing traditional location shooting and will instead rely on artificial intelligence to create backgrounds and scenery. They also plan to use AI to refine actors’ performances, potentially eliminating the need for re-takes. The goal isn’t to change what actors say, but to subtly adjust delivery and movement – if something doesn’t quite look right, AI can be used to improve it instead of reshooting the scene.

Filming for Killing Satoshi is scheduled to begin in the UK and continue through March.

“Killing Satoshi” is a planned movie about the person behind Bitcoin. Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym, released a groundbreaking paper in 2008 that launched the world of decentralized cryptocurrency. Currently, there’s no information on when the film will be released.

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2026-02-13 21:39