Danny Boyle confirms use of generative AI in new film Ink

Director Danny Boyle has confirmed the use of generative artificial intelligence in his upcoming film, ‘Ink’. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, depicts the 1970s rise of the British tabloid newspaper The Sun under Rupert Murdoch.

Boyle revealed that approximately 30 seconds of the film utilize AI technology, specifically to animate historical photographs of figures such as Margaret Thatcher and the Kray brothers. Additionally, AI was employed to create digital mice for scenes set within the newspaper’s newsroom. Boyle noted that using AI for animals was a choice made to avoid the ethical controversies he faced earlier in his career regarding the use of real animals.

While describing AI as a ‘very useful tool’, Boyle emphasized that it must be used respectfully. He stated that actors should be compensated if they are replaced by AI embodiments. He also expressed concerns regarding the potential for AI to replace human journalists, questioning whether an AI could ‘speak truth to the power that created it.’

‘Ink’, starring Jack O’Connell and Guy Pearce, is a joint production between StudioCanal and Netflix. It is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the US on December 11, 2026, followed by a streaming release on Netflix on January 8, 2027.