Google DeepMind is investing $75 million into indie film studio A24’s Labs team to co-develop AI-powered movie production and distribution tools, according to a Wall Street Journal report published this week.
Marty Supreme is just one of A24’s recent films to take Hollywood by storm, grossing more than $100 million in the international box office.
A24/Video screenshot by CNET
A24, the powerhouse studio responsible for bringing modern arthouse cinema into the mainstream with hits like Marty Supreme and Backrooms, is now entering a major partnership with Google’s AI research division. The Wall Street Journal reports that Google’s $75 million backing of A24’s 20-person Labs division aims to build software tailored for the creative process. While these applications will be deployed by A24 filmmakers, the underlying technology will also feed back into Google’s broader AI ecosystem.
This initiative marks Google’s first direct financial stake in a Hollywood studio. Previously, the tech giant partnered with director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Whale), who has openly advocated for integrating generative AI into filmmaking.
Google already commands a massive presence in the video landscape through YouTube and its proprietary AI video generator, Veo. Partnering with A24 signals an aggressive expansion of DeepMind’s research boundaries, which have also recently expanded into video game development.
How A24 and Google Plan to Deploy AI
The deal explicitly bars Google from training its AI models on A24’s existing catalog of movies and television shows. Instead, the focus remains on utility: A24 Labs is currently building an application to generate AI storyboards, helping directors map out visual drafts before investing in final production assets.
When asked for comment, a DeepMind representative pointed to Google’s official blog post outlining the partnership.
According to the publication, Google’s “specific goals, technical outputs and creative milestones of this initiative will evolve over time.” The statement indicates a long-term roadmap, establishing a “deep research and development collaboration” spanning multiple projects. A24 representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Redefining Creative Control in Cinema
The A24 Labs team is led by Scott Belsky, who stepped down from Adobe’s executive leadership team in January 2025 to take on this role.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Belsky noted that public and industry pushback against AI tools stems from the perception that generative technology is being used to make movies cheaper and faster at the cost of human artistry.
“We think there are better uses that preserve creative control and support risk-taking,” Belsky said. He asserted that A24’s implementation of AI “won’t look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with.”
While actors and directors have largely resisted integrating generative tools into the filmmaking process, major studios are taking varied approaches. Some production houses have threatened legal action against AI developers over copyright concerns, while others, like Disney, have actively explored collaboration deals with entities like OpenAI.
A24’s Balancing Act: Indie Roots vs. Tech Capital
Founded in 2012 by three industry veterans, A24 launched with a mission to produce films other companies wouldn’t touch. Early Oscar-winning releases like Moonlight and Lady Bird established the studio’s reputation for championing diverse, character-driven narratives that are often underrepresented in mainstream Hollywood.
The studio achieved massive commercial success in 2022 with the release of Everything Everywhere All at Once, which became its first film to cross the $100 million mark at the global box office.
A24’s recent slate continues to break records. The viral horror film Backrooms secured the largest original horror debut in history, grossing over $270 million globally. Its upcoming Elden Ring adaptation, directed by Alex Garland and based on the FromSoftware video game, is the studio’s largest production to date, carrying a $175 million budget.
The DeepMind partnership highlights a core tension within A24’s business model. While the company is celebrated for elevating independent voices and taking artistic risks, it remains a business valued at up to $3.5 billion answerable to its investors.
How this alliance with Google will affect A24’s public standing remains to be seen. However, with consumer data showing a strong preference for human-led cinema over AI-generated content, the studio may face a skeptical audience.